Vetreria Bartoletti: the passion for glass passed down from father to son
Italy is a fertile ground for small and medium-sized enterprises that form the backbone of the national economy. These often family-run companies play a key role in supporting economic growth, creating jobs, and preserving valuable craftsmanship traditions: a genuine treasure trove of creativity and expertise.
Vetreria Bartoletti S.a.s. of Monsummano Terme (PT) embodies the Italian entrepreneurial tradition. Its history, spanning over six decades, witnesses dedication, constant growth, and passion for glass that has been handed down from generation to generation.
It all began in 1962 when Alvaro Bartoletti, the company’s founder, opened a small artisanal workshop in Monsummano Terme. About ten years later, Alvaro managed to set up a building housing a glass shop and a glassworks; with one of his sons and a worker, he began serving retail customers. In 1985, his other son, Franco Bartoletti, joined the family business, contributing to consolidate the company’s success.
By the 1990s, the glass industry was undergoing major transformations, with glass panes becoming larger and heavier, requiring more sophisticated equipment and larger workspaces. It was time to make a crucial decision. There was a choice between focusing on construction and large exterior glass or on interior furnishings. Vetreria Bartoletti chose to specialize in furniture, offering contract machining services to other glassworks and industry-related companies. This choice proved to be successful.
Franco Bartoletti recalls those times: “Fortunately, we chose the furnishing sector. We found a larger workspace and bought equipment, also second-hand – as we could not afford more. The first Bavelloni machines were a beveller and a straight-line edger. Later, we purchased more.”
Since then, the company has continued to grow, expanding its customer base from neighboring provinces to the entire region, and then expanding beyond the borders of Tuscany to Liguria and Emilia. Franco explains: “We entered the market gradually; then, thanks to the precision of our work, our reliability and on-time deliveries, we earned the trust of our customers.”
Nowadays Vetreria Bartoletti is a business combining a glass & mirror shop – with sandblasting and art projects department – and two production units specializing in contract work. In running the company Franco Bartoletti is joined by his two sons and his nephew who, alongside several employees, pursue their passion for glass with pride and dedication.
Bavelloni’s all-round reliability
The collaboration with Bavelloni has significantly contributed to the growth of Vetreria Bartoletti since the early 1980s.
Franco reflects on the past and the strategic choices: “Bavelloni machines have allowed us to grow. In addition to edging and beveling, we also rely on Bavelloni for cutting.”
In an intensive production context, where speed and precision are crucial, it is essential to have reliable machinery and dependable partners.
For this reason, between late 2022 and the first half of 2023, Vetreria Bartoletti chose to renew its machinery by introducing new Bavelloni technology. This entailed the purchase of a new VE 350 8 straight-line edger, a VB 350 CN beveller, a REV 372 SR cutting table and an SB10 semi-automatic machine for edge grinding, polishing and bevelling, with which the company carries out a highly diversified production.
On their REV 372 SR cutting table, they perform both straight and shaped cutting of glass and mirrors, maximizing sheet utilization thanks to the optimizer supplied as standard. The VE 350 8 straight-line edger is mainly used to process bathroom mirrors, glass for frames, doors and shower cubicles, while the bevelling machines for machining mirrors and tables of various shapes.
Franco emphasizes, “Most of our machines are running practically 8 hours a day. We work with a variety of thicknesses from 15 to 3 mm every day and cannot afford machine downtime due to our daily deliveries. Therefore, when it was time to change our equipment, we chose Bavelloni’s all-round reliability given our positive past experience.”
The changeover to the new Bavelloni solutions was a natural process due to their ease of use, and it was also an opportunity for the operators to improve their efficiency by taking advantage of the new features and the more advanced user interface.
For its part, Vetreria Bartoletti has demonstrated to effectively train young individuals, allowing them to learn the job from experienced operators and providing them with the opportunity to join the organization.
Bavelloni’s quick response time and expertise have proven to be key factors as well. According to Franco Bartoletti, “It’s not only the machinery that makes a difference, but also the after-sales services we can rely on in times of need: prompt support and timely dispatch of any spare parts.”
The combination of high-quality machinery, such as those provided by Bavelloni, and an approach focused on punctuality, precision, and quality of work has enabled the company to maintain high efficiency, ensure swift deliveries and consistently high quality to its customers.
Perspectives for the future
In its commitment to continuous improvement, Vetreria Bartoletti is considering reorganizing its manufacturing sites to optimize production.
Franco Bartoletti looks ahead and talks about his plans: “Our next goal is to find a single, larger environment to bring all our activities together so to reduce costs, be even more competitive, and better meet our customers’ needs.”
Under Mr. Franco’s leadership and the strong family bonds that underpin the company’s success, Vetreria Bartoletti looks to the future with determination, ready to turn its projects into reality and continue to exceed its customers’ expectations with passion and dedication.
