The collaboration between Gerli and Tecno lasted for over 15 years and resulted in many design classics such as the T92 Butterfly table (1960 with Mario Cristiani); the T69 table (1963 with Borsani), characterized by a central base with a dovetail joint; the stackable S83 chair (1966); and the PS142 and S142 armchairs (both in 1966).

In the 1970s, Tecno launched its Centro Progetti Tecno (CPT), a team dedicated to communication and industrial design. The team, consisting of Gerli, Valeria Borsani, Kugo Toru, Borsani, and his son Marco, became a driving force for technologically advanced ideas in design. Although Borsani remained in charge, the department’s goal was to present future designs as group creations. The CPT was responsible for several successes for the company, including the molded plastic office chair Modus (1972), which won the SMAU award in 1973; the Waiting system (1983), made of metal mesh, with modular seating and tables designed for large public spaces; and the rebranding of Alitalia (1982–84), for which the Centro Progetti Tecno won the Compasso d’Oro in 1984.