It was 1957 when Fiorenzo Biancalani, twenty-seven years old but with eleven years of experience behind him in a workshop in a Prato wollen mill, decided to open his own construction company for wet wool finishing machinery. The Prato District was extremely alive, the requests were not lacking and the roots of Biancalani were already very firm.
After 60 years Fiorenzo Biancalani is still a constant presence in the company, although from the beginning of the 80’s the management of the Biancalani company went to his children Rossano, Rossana and Massimo. They were the ones to develop the commercial network and get Biancalani out of the Prato boundaries, even though at the time the orders from England, South Africa, Pakistan, India and Spain were not missing.
Since 1985 the production of machinery also began in dry finishing: a year characterized by the arrival of AIRO, a machine that with its transport in an air jet can achieve beautiful finishings, never seen before. Several times developed and redesigned to adapt to the times and requirements, in 2006 AIRO is followed by AIRO 24, which assures the same type of fabric processing, but continuously and extensively.
«But we also launched MILLA and BRIO, while BRIO 24 is under development and finalization», says Rossano Biancalani, who followed all the evolution of the markets.
How has the textile machinery makers world changed? And the competition?
«When we started partecipating at ITMA in 1975, the Chinese did not build the machines, whereas now they are, and they are also improving their quality. But we have the experience, the constant presence and the full services for the customer.
Some regret in these first 60 years?
«None. Only the satisfaction of being still on the market, even after the crisis in 2008, and appreciated all over the world. And now that many countries resume growth, starting from Germany, to England, Portugal and Belgium, we are right there. And we will continue to be there».
