Fapil is one of Lombardy’s hidden gems, specializing in the production of tools. It was a pleasure to retrace its steps and outline the company’s future alongside Giampaolo Pesenti, owner of the company based in Zogno, a few kilometers from Bergamo.
From 1959 to today, a story that was born, grew, and continues to thrive in the province of Bergamo, with the territory serving as one of its key strengths. For our focus on Lombardy, we couldn’t miss the chance to visit Zogno, just steps away from the heart of Bergamo, to tell the story of Fapil, one of the standout companies in the woodworking tools sector. A company that recently celebrated its 65th anniversary and is now led by Giampaolo, Giuseppe, and Sara Pesenti, the children of founder Francesco, who continue to carry on a family tradition. We had the pleasure of interviewing Giampaolo Pesenti, who shared more about the company and its journey.
“It was the end of March 1959 when my father founded Fapil in Brembilla (Bergamo), focusing specifically on the woodworking sector. Fapil is, in fact, an acronym for ‘Fabbrica di Attrezzature Per l’Industria del Legno’ (Factory of Tools for the Woodworking Industry). Thanks to his strong passion for mechanics and his insights, he created tools, accessories, and machines that played a decisive role in the development of the many wood-turning shops in the Bergamo and Brianza areas,” Giampaolo explains.
Giampaolo Pesenti
This passion was passed down to his sons, Giuseppe and Giampaolo, who have now guided the company to its 65th year of operations in 2024, with Giuseppe mastering production techniques and Giampaolo focusing on management and exploring new market niches.
“The same spirit, diligence, and dedication are more alive than ever in the modern factory in Zogno, where the company relocated in 1974. Today, with the help of advanced design software, CNC machines equipped with 4 to 5 axes, and cutting-edge measuring instruments, Fapil produces high-precision tools with exceptional performance,” Giampaolo highlights.
How has “being born and growing” in a highly competitive industrial district like Lombardy influenced the company?
“Lombardy is the home of industrial districts. A strong and competitive district capable of expressing its immense potential and promptly responding to challenging times. This territory, which was hit hard by COVID-19, managed to recover thanks to the collaborative spirit and the expertise of the Lombardy region, offering remarkable speed in bouncing back after the collapse of 2020.
Lombardy,” continues Pesenti, “leads the way nationally and across Europe in growth, profitability, and capitalization. This certainly makes doing business easier, even for small and medium-sized enterprises. The economic growth in recent years has also been influenced by the sharp rise in production costs on international markets, especially in the metal supply chain, along with products and raw materials. One increasingly pressing issue is the rising cost of energy. In the medium-to-long term, the production landscape is becoming increasingly complex in terms of technology, innovation, and human capital. Automation and digitization of production processes, as well as sustainability—where environmental technology investments are crucial—are becoming fundamental.
However, the returns on technology investments heavily depend on the quality of human capital within the company. It is essential not only to train employees adequately but also to “retain” and build loyalty among them.
You see, technological transformation requires workers to take on new, more qualified roles. These roles are no longer limited to executing a task within a production process but involve increasingly active and integrated participation.”
What strategies can businesses adopt to attract and retain talent?
“Corporate welfare policies can yield highly positive results, even in terms of productivity. For smaller companies like ours, collaboration with Lombardy’s training institutions is vital. Investing in 4.0 technologies, improving workforce satisfaction and retention, and enhancing the company’s appeal and social sustainability, as well as ensuring easy access to staff training, are key factors for shaping the company of the future.
Being in a strong district like Lombardy is an advantage because it simplifies and allows us to learn from the experiences of larger, more structured companies on important topics for future development, which affect all businesses, even small ones like ours.”
We’ve touched on the economic situation stemming from COVID-19. How has the post-pandemic period been?
“As we mentioned, once activities resumed after the pandemic, we experienced a “buoyant” and growing period driven by significant increases. However, these were short-lived due to rising raw material and energy costs, which pushed sales prices noticeably higher. Today, this leaves significant uncertainties in the markets, global competition, and, above all, the future, especially due to recent wars that create uncertainty for consumers, families, and businesses.
It’s certainly a complex moment, but one we want to face with confidence, turning the weaknesses of recent times into opportunities for growth and future development. Every period of market reflection,” says Pesenti, “leads to new opportunities and new markets. On the horizon, there’s a new vision of how to live, exist, and move within our territories. Lombardy’s district is already ready to face these challenges and will undoubtedly be at the forefront of the future ahead.”
Does the future also involve Industry 5.0 policies?
“We’ll see. It’s a regulation that has been awaited for some time, and we have not yet decided whether to invest in this new tool. We’re a small company, and every step is planned according to our capabilities and timing. What we can see is that Industry 5.0’s main objectives—sustainability and energy efficiency—are aligned with the future we envision. The technologies and the times must follow these goals increasingly.”
Speaking of innovation, where does it come from, and what do you plan to offer in the future?
“For a company like ours, it’s important to drive innovation “on the ground.” Every month, we propose new tools to clients to improve the performance demanded by today’s ever-tighter market timelines. Some of these ‘best practices’ become standard tools that we bring to market and offer to all our customers.
Technologically, we’re refining some tool solutions to improve performance in solid wood with smaller helical insert tools. We also have a line of tools for processing plastic derivatives and models, which is beginning to bring us satisfaction in terms of numbers and market presence. In that context, we’re also enhancing some tools based on feedback from key customers.
Today, the market is increasingly demanding, and client requests—beyond price—always revolve around two aspects: achieving the best possible finish and doing it faster with more durable, high-performing solutions.
Sustainability is also a value appreciated by those working within our company. However, in our sector, it is not yet seen as a “bonus” that can be directly applied to tools.”
You’ve just celebrated a significant anniversary. What values do your customers recognize in Fapil?
“One aspect that makes us proud after more than 65 years of building tools is our ability to create high-quality, bespoke solutions.
Our special tool designs typically compete in the “premium” market, but we don’t stop there—we’re always thinking about the future.
Among the keywords for the future, the first will undoubtedly be balance. We’ll need to get used to working through ups and downs, seizing opportunities during positive periods and improving in more challenging times. In this context, three other words will be important: vision, performance, and productivity.
In such a complex and fluctuating phase, having a “balanced” vision will be crucial to mediate between the many changes and trends. It will be vital to capture market signals and trends over the coming years. Sustainability is becoming increasingly important and sought after in every sector, but it must never be separated from product performance. For this reason, every new solution must be green while ensuring the same quality in processing. Finally, productivity. A concept every company understands and pursues, especially in a time when investment opportunities are more limited, and every process, time, and cost—be it human, economic, or energy-related—must be optimized.”
