Verinlegno, a manufacturer of wood coatings and industrial paints for protection and decoration, recently held its company https://www.deepl.com/pro?cta=header-pricesmeeting entitled “Meeting to grow“, now in its ninth edition. The meeting, which took place online for the first time, involved around 150 customers and distributors in separate Italy/World sessions, and highlighted the results achieved in the second half of 2020, a particularly difficult year, results that were, however, above expectations. “Each employee gave the best of themselves,“ said the President of Verinlegno, Sante Zandò, “we are thinking of 2021 in a very positive perspective“.

Verinlegno in the world

After a markedly positive start to the year 2020 (+10% compared to 2019), the company withstood the unpredictable impact of the pandemic well. Reductions were limited and turnover even increased in Palestine, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Serbia and the North-Western Balkans. Lithuania and Canada also performed well, and were confirmed as important markets.
Constant contact with customers, albeit necessarily at a distance, and adherence to delivery dates have favoured these positive results.
In 2021 Verinlegno will return to Greece, and open in Qatar, also in view of the 2022 World Cup.  The company intends to further intensify and qualify its foreign presence, which today represents 57% of its turnover, both through direct contact with customers abroad and by participating in major trade fairs, when possible, but also by technologically refining its remote technical service.

Verinlegno in Italy

In the second half of 2020 Verinlegno recorded +6% on the Italian market compared to the same period in 2019, which had already been with a positive sign: good results in Sicily, Calabria, Puglia, Lazio and Tuscany, sales substantially maintained in Lombardy and Veneto. The company managed to achieve these results thanks to the overall reorganisation involving production, logistics and sales, the strengthening of the sales network, the arrival of new customers and the raising of product quality, which was already particularly high.

Company strategy based on organised flexibility

Silvio Zandò, managing director of the internal function, emphasised how 2020 had highlighted the flexibility of Verinlegno as a whole, from top management to employees, despite the difficult situation brought about by Covid.
“We have adapted to the context without being subjected to it. The new procedures adopted, the result of organised flexibility, have enabled us to maintain standards of quality, productivity and speed of delivery. The investment programme planned over time by truly far-sighted top management has not slowed down. In 2020, we will automate the solvent-based paint production lines, and in 2021 we will open a new warehouse in Veneto; we will strengthen the hydro department and the solvent-based polyester and white lacquer production lines.
During the pandemic, in order to provide targeted remote technical assistance to its customers, the company created the “Training Room“, a room equipped with all the laboratory equipment that allows customers to visit without having to move from the headquarters.

A laboratory capable of meeting tomorrow's challenges

In terms of new product formulation, the company's Research and Development Laboratory has also pointed out that in 2020 the range of water-based coatings has been expanded, while in the field of fire protection an Italian class one certified finishing primer has been created. Lastly, another innovation is the creation of a universal impregnating agent that can be used for wood with or without tannin.
During the current year, the laboratory is studying a new water-soluble antibacterial additive, a green line from renewable sources, a series of polyurethanes from recycled plastic raw materials and a series of styrene-free polyesters.
“The significant expansion and development of the range of hydro and green products,“ said Claudio Lelli, a member of the Board of Directors, “show that the laboratory has straight antennae to meet the challenges of sanitizing coatings, recycled plastic coatings and soon self-cleaning coatings. We are able to formulate, together with collaborators, buyers, retailers, a range of coatings of absolute potential for the customers of yesterday, today and tomorrow“.