“Since I was young, I never thought of being a lawyer, a doctor or an aircraft pilot. I wanted to be a craftsman: I wanted to produce something. I thought I would get to have a small shed with a small house and a dozen employees, like most entrepreneurs in the Veneto region,” says Carlo Vaccari, born in 1940 and founder of Ferplast, a leading Italian multinational in pet comfort.
From a handcrafted product to industrial production
And it all began with a somewhat bizarre artisanal product: plastic birdcages for birds used as decoys by hunters. Vaccari worked in a fifty-square-meter room overlooking a courtyard in Costo di Arzignano (VI). Many mocked his business, but he persisted, supported by his sister Caterina, who left her job as a seamstress to follow Carlo’s project from the very beginning and would never stop collaborating on it.
Production evolved as early as the early 1970s, and cages became primarily those for pet birds with their plastic elements, drinking troughs, and feed compartments.
International expansion and new products
From cages to carriers and kennels, it’s a short step. The company grows: in the 1980s, it begins to expand abroad and opens its first sales branches in Europe, while in the 1990s, it inaugurates its plastics department, launching the production of accessories for all pets.
In the 2000s, they opened two new production sites, in Ukraine and Slovakia, in addition to the one in Italy in Castelgomberto (VI), with a total production area of 170,000 square meters. Besides, Ferplast has a catalogue of about 4,000 items, employs 1,000 people, and markets in as many as 85 countries.
A virtuous company
The company invests 8% of its turnover in research and development, aiming to improve its products and continually update its range. Ferplast has already registered over 100 international patents and, in addition to its focus on product quality, also strives for environmental sustainability through the responsible use of materials and resources and a careful selection of suppliers who comply with the company’s ethical standards and guarantee fair working conditions.
The second generation and an act of courage
In 2004, Ferplast launched a new line of aquarium products; in 2005, it introduced its new tagline, New Pet Generation; and in 2008, Nicola Vaccari, son of founder and president Carlo, joined the family business, becoming general manager.
In 2016, Ferplast turned fifty and, in mid-February 2022, it courageously decided to remain operational in Ukraine, despite the situation becoming dangerous and a Russian missile having fallen a few dozen kilometers from the factory, causing damage to the infrastructure.
Knights of labour
A curiosity: Carlo Vaccari was named Knight of Labor by President Cossiga, and his sister, Caterina Vaccari, by President Scalfaro.
Congratulations to those who, with courage and passion, have brought Italy’s know-how to the world!
Discover other Italian companies that make products for animals.