The winding road that leads into Lumezzane is lined with foundries, a symbol of this small town nestled in a valley not too distant from Brescia in the Northern region of Lombardia, of which Milan is the main city.
Whilst not a town to be highlighted on the usual tourist maps of Italy, Lumezzane is nonetheless renowned in the business world for its steel and brass processing and the production of the highest quality cutlery, kitchenware, taps and other brassware sold across the globe. One of the largest industrial hubs in Italy, it represents a true example of excellence achieved through hard labor and an inextricable sense of belonging to the land of origin, which made it possible for (almost all) the local companies to be passed on from generation to generation.
The story of Lumezzane can be traced back to the Romans, the remains of whose aqueduct are still visible today. This aqueduct was served by the river Gobbia, centuries later a vital source in providing the energy needed for the town to develop its industry. Many of the companies here were created or started their expansion in the aftermath of the Second World War, when Italy represented a blank canvas for those young entrepreneurs who saw hard work as a virtue to be kept in the highest regard. It is not by chance that many company owners in Lumezzane would live close by their factory and their family, especially brothers, usually also their business partners. This dedication and relatively simple life made Lumezzane into one of the richest towns in Europe in the 1990’s, with a peak of around one company per ten residents.
With the passage of time, things obviously change and evolve, and with increasing competition from other manufacturing countries, who if not in quality certainly beat Italian manufacturers in pricing, many of the companies in Lumezzane had to rethink how to best operate in a new, more competitive market. And so, new plants were opened and collaborations created internationally to take advantage of the (more) open market and export the excellence of Made in Italy while retaining control over the quality of the products and what is made where, with the most exclusive or bespoke products normally made in Italy, and less premium lines abroad. And the strategy has paid off. Lumezzane is standing the test of time, with more and more international markets opening up and export sales stronger than ever.
Once hidden in the beautiful valleys of Lombardia, today Lumezzane is home to a host of small to medium companies, still run within the family according to principles instilled generations ago, producing objects of the highest quality, firmly rooted in their hometown and country, of which they are a proud testament.