“I was just a child when my father took me to visit the factory for the first time. But the image of that large factory surrounded by green valleys is still vivid in my mind. I remember perfectly the route my father took me on; the building was beautiful, ancient, but abandoned, with trees growing inside. You could hear the river.”
The story of Lederplast begins with the memories of Paola and Sara Russo, who now run this important business.
The idea for Lederplast came from an intuition of Salvatore Russo, born in 1936, a textile expert, who involved a fellow student in creating something alternative and focusing on a petroleum-based material: synthetic leather. All this in the midst of an energy crisis. No one believed in the project except Mr. Salvatore, who founded Lederplast despite everyone trying to dissuade him. Except for his wife Anna Maria, who was well versed in languages and who, together with her husband, invented the brand name: leder (leather in German) plast (from English).
The year was 1973.
“We went from a time when plastic was extremely interesting,
in the 1960s, to a period when it was demonized because of the oil crisis. Then, over time, thanks to a new awareness, the focus on recycling and the possibility of not using animal skins put PVC back in a positive light. But it took years. It is interesting to note how society and mentality can change the perception of content over time, even though it remains the same."
With this statement, the owners tell us how the history of Lederplast has been a journey not without difficulties, especially considering the historical period. But the vision and entrepreneurial skills of the group have led the company to grow and overcome contingencies, achieving a product quality that is recognized globally.
Today, Lederplast represents an extremely rare business reality in our country: an industrial production of excellence that exports worldwide from a small Alpine valley, where it manufactures and conducts research.
It is precisely this connection with the local area that makes Lederplast special: over the years, the company has maintained the quality of its production, encouraged young people to stay in the area, and contributed to enhancing the value of the Lanzo Valleys. All this has been achieved while respecting the surrounding environment, constantly monitoring its emissions to safeguard the ecosystem in which it operates. The use of liquid gas and a cooling system that maintains the purity of the adjacent river, as well as the use of a hydroelectric power plant to produce clean energy, demonstrate Lederplast's full commitment to the most current green issues.
Since 1988, the year of its first expansion abroad, Lederplast's presence in the world has grown steadily. Even after 50 years, the company intends to remain firmly rooted in its local area and family values.
Values such as “local identity” and “environmental sustainability” have been accompanied by continuous research into improving its products thanks to its in-house research and development laboratory.
Passion, innovation, respect for the territory, and product excellence are the values that, today as yesterday, characterize the company and guide it toward the future.
