“Once upon a time a piece of wood”. This is the beginning, winking the eyes to Collodi’s character Pinocchio, of Vigolungo family’s story from Canale, that from woodworkers and furniture builders have become leaders among Italian plywood manufacturers.
A story that yesterday celebrated 100 years, meeting up numerous authorities, collaborators, customers and suppliers, directly through plywood piles and machineries of the new mill in F.lli Maccagno street.
“The idea of celebrating our first 100 years in the world of wood was born some years ago”, said the President Mr Piero Vigolungo, in control of the factory since 1966 and already for a long time supported by his daughter and his two sons, all chief executive officers, Vera, Emilio and Stefano. “I did not entirely agree, because it is not our style to be exhibitionist, but I have to state that I am happy now: it was right to honor our five generations and all our extraordinary collaborators”.
A book signed by Adriano Moraglio tells the story of Vigolungo factory, that today has a turnover around 34 million Euro and hires 140 people: more than 120 in the production plant and offices in Canale and a dozen of employees in the warehouse located in Piobesi Torinese. 60% of the production is for the Export market, that is Europe, United States, New Zealand or Israel. “Our plywood panels for automotive”, explains Emilio Vigolungo, “are used for the construction of caravan interiors as well as other recreational vehicles, in addition to professional lorries and cars. Moreover we supply different furniture factories, building companies, nautical ones beside the most important DIY chains”.
Celebrating the anniversary, Vigolungo family did not hide difficult moments. “Economic crisis years hit hardly the activity, splitting in half the sales volume, but we were able to resist and recover: while our competitors ran for delocalization in order to cut the costs, we decided to invest to settle even more in our original territory, with a familiar stamp together with a managerial one”.
All these values have been underlined even by the Mayor of Canale, Enrico Faccenda and by the President of Confindustria Cuneo, Mauro Gola, before the toast of the centenary.
ROBERTO FIORI – LA STAMPA, 20th October 2019
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