Vetraria Poli: the strength of tradition
We interview Luigi Poli, owner of Vetraria Poli s.r.l of Bovolone (VR). Mr. Luigi immediately makes us feel at home, welcoming us very friendly. Through his words, we go through the successful achievings of an Italian glass factory which has been able to grow, renewing itself over the years, accepting the challenges and managing them with strength and foresight. For years Luigi has been a reference in his territory and it could not be otherwise: his energy and temper convey his great passion for glass, his continuous commitment to customer satisfaction and his positive vision, extremely modern and future-oriented.
Company history
Luigi Poli started working in the ‘50s as an employee in small glass factories in Verona. At that time there were many furniture manufacturers in Bovolone but no glass processors so those producers could only get the glass they needed in Verona. In 1958 Mr. Poli decided to take advantage of this opportunity and opened the first glass factory in the center of Bovolone, involving also his brothers who had done different jobs until then.
It was a small artisan workshop, where all the processes – grinding, drilling and even bevelling – were entirely handmade with great ability but with extremely long lead times: a skilled worker could only make two bevelled mirrors a day. In those years, Mr. Poli matured a great experience in glass processing and his enterprising and tenacious spirit pushed him to face greater challenges.
The company was growing. In the ’70s, when the first machines for glass processing appeared on the market, Mr. Poli did not miss the opportunity to modernize his company and introduced his first Bavelloni grinding and bevelling machines; this increased the quality and capacity of the factory that over the years kept on investing in new technologies and services for its customers.
The year 2000 sat an important milestone for Vetraria Poli who decided to purchase a tempering furnace and enter also the heat treatment sector.
In the production site in the center of Bovolone there was no enough room for the new furnace therefore Mr. Poli decided to build a warehouse of 2000 sqm in an industrial area nearby.
The possibility of providing also the tempering service widened the commercial offering and customer base of Vetraria Poli, to which more and more glassmakers turned for tempering their glass. In a short time, the entire glass factory was moved from the historical downtown location to the new site. The building was enlarged by 3000 sqm.
At this point the company had become one of the most significant processors in northern Italy. It had a complete range of machines: two cutting lines automatically loaded by shuttle and automatic storage, a double edging line, straight edging machines and vertical beveller, CNC working centers, automatic bevelling machine for shaped glass, drilling machines, machine tools for manual grinding of shaped glass, plants for silk-screen printing and double-glazing.
In 2011, despite the critical market situation, the Poli family decided to make another big investment: a new tempering line for bent glass.
The investment was considerable but Luigi had no doubts: he was firmly convinced of the need to move forward, to innovate and run state-of-the-art solutions.
For the installation of this new production line the Company had to expand by 1000 sqm, bringing the total covered area to 6000 sqm.
When purchasing the new furnace, Vetraria Poli also made the decision to expand its CNC grinding division and to introduce a machining center model NRG 330 PJ.
In 2017 the Company reconfirmed its confidence in the Bavelloni brand by choosing the new Bavelloni NRG 420 PJ working center. Like all 4-axis versions, the one installed at Vetraria Poli also features the patented PowerJet device with continuous rotation from 0 ° to 360 ° for the ideal refrigeration of the tools. This equipment is also provided with the PAV system (patented) which automatically positions suction cups and centering devices on the work plane thus speeding up the machine set-up by the operator.
After a few months, Mr. Poli decided to replace his old Bavelloni straight-line edger with a new generation edging machine model Bavelloni VE 350 11, This is a sturdy and compact machine, like any equipment of the VE 350 series, which can process thick and big glass sheets. Thanks to the perfect configuration of different wheels, the VE 350 11 is extremely flexible and guarantees the best quality and performance with any type of glass, making it particularly fit for the production of Vetraria Poli.
Renovating and investing is a true family tradition for Vetraria Poli. In 2021, in addition to a new tempering furnace, the Company purchased the latest Bavelloni VB 500 CNP bevelling machine with higher rack and Industry 4.0 ready: always state-of-the-art machinery for a future-oriented glassworks.
Sectors of activity
The activity ranges in a variety of sectors: first of all the furnishings including furniture, mirrors, glass doors and balustrades; the automotive industry, in particular tractor cabs & bus glazing; last but not least, the marine sector.
Key success factors
Vetraria Poli bases its success on the quality and versatility of its product offering and on the service to its customers, explains Mr. Poli.
“To accomplish this goal, we have always managed and controlled every business function directly. Even today, most of the staff is made up of family members who hold the different company roles – administration, production and logistics – with seriousness, passion, professionalism and foresight.”
“We always focus on the service to our customers: on-time deliveries and work excellence make Vetraria Poli one of the most productive and appreciated business in this area and in the surroundings. The products are shipped all over the north of Italy and also to some glass factories in the south.”
Flexibility is another key factor. The wide range of products is manufactured through a complete series of state-of-the art machines, which represent the best on the market. Anyone when turning to Poli knows he can find everything he needs: grinding, bevelling, drilling, tempering of flat and bent glass, CNC machining, engraving, double glazing and more.
Unlike many other companies in the sector, Vetraria Poli does not have a real commercial network.
“Our customers know our firm and they continue choosing us for the quality and service we can offer them. Year after year, our customer base continues to grow thanks to our business reputation.”
The future
History is made of ups and downs and the market is constantly evolving. Even though the current crisis is different and has hit many companies severely, Mr. Poli is optimistic and certain that the future will only bring new satisfactions.
