Located along Strada Provinciale 231, just outside Bari, the industrial landscape is framed by stretches of olive trees. This is where Modesti Srl brings its century-old craftsmanship to life. During our visit, we met Luigi Francesco Modesti and his father, Armando Modesti, whose entrepreneurial spirit drives the company forward. Armando, a recipient of the Order of Merit for Work, has overseen the company’s registration with the Chamber of Commerce for 50 years -though its history stretches back an impressive 105 years.
Stepping into the workshop, the rich scent of wood fills the air, a reminder of the company’s deep roots in Italian craftsmanship. As we listen to the story of this family-run business, we learn how it evolved into a leader in the windows and doors industry, particularly in the 1990s under Luigi Francesco Modesti, the third-generation craftsman who carries the name of his grandfather and company founder.
“We are proud of our origins in Italy - starts off Luigi Modesti - and especially in the South. We mainly work with a high-end clientele which appreciates the product, with select construction companies, we collaborate with architects and the Public Administration and we also work through multi-firm reps spread across a number of areas”.
What is your masterpiece?
“Our strong point is the fact that we can do everything: if they ask us for the Chippendale style, for example, we can reproduce it”.
“For a castle in Normandy, we reproduced antique windows - Cavaliere Armando Modesti proudly adds - working with the French fine arts, bringing together art and technology: 27 small towers, all curved on the layout We are also creating portholes by working with great satisfaction on the new SCM “windorflex” machining cell. The order involved reproducing the historical design; the original pieces slotted in and framed, which in section we improved with double-glazing and double seal to make them perform better from a functional point of view and, therefore, in line with current legislation.
There were also some double-arched windows, all refinished internally with the wainscoting provided and we even created convex windows in the layout with double glazing.
During the inspection in 2018 (the owner was French), we were aware that one of our competitors was the joinery company that had renovated all the windows at the Elysee Palace, but in the end they chose us! We have always gone ahead one order after another, trying to evolve from the after-war years onwards, working door to door, client by client, and we gradually started to expand and specialise”.
You are now the “specialist in wooden windows and doors”!
“Yes, nowadays we are definitely sought after because we produce everything to do with the world of windows and doors. So many orders are linked to restoration, the recovery of historical homes or public works. For example, we are currently restoring the port house in Bari and we are reproducing the original design of the windows and doors by respecting their original morphology while improving performance”.
Where is your product placed on the market?
“We have worked in Poland, Luxembourg, Albania, even though foreign markets are not our core business. What interests us is the entity of the project: in the case of orders for 700 doors and windows we will also take into consideration distant markets. We also give priority to the quality of the work which is requested of us, because we are focusing on a high target. The public sector currently covers 20% of our turnover: fortunately, all the historical buildings still use wood!”
What relevance does technology play in machining your products?
“It is essential! Already a few years ago, we acquired an SCM Celaschi double squaring machine that we still use because at that time we worked on so many work sites and with this machine it was possible to meet the high productivity needs, even of four thousand pieces in eight hours.
After Covid, we decided to purchase a system: initially we thought of a copier, then after we’d visited SCM in Rimini, at the start of 2022, we happily accepted their proposal. I have to point out that they helped us in every way and delivered right on time. And this is why we decided to aim for the best and we revolutionised the entire production department at the company to allow the ‘windorflex’ to join us on 14 November 2022”.
What updates were required in the production layout with the purchase of this cell? What advantages did you encounter?
“Compared to the previous system, nowadays, we save on five stages. Previously, we worked in sequence using work islands: cutting, throughfeed moulder, squaring, sanding and a painting system, so much so that bottle necks used to form. Now, we go full ahead and reduce the costs a little in order to come closer to those of PVC which are based on a standard industrial process with just a few steps and a significant profit margin. Nowadays, with the ‘windorflex’, we can please the architects, technicians and we can genuinely do everything, as long as we have the equipment!”.
Each project starts out in the technical department led by the construction engineer, Silvio Piccarreta.
“We have been working in Industry 4.0 for some time now, even if we are in the position to take the next step; this means that the machines are all interconnected and linked to exchange data”.
Are you also an admirer of the “windorflex” machining cell?
“I was already favourable because I had already had experience with SCM’s 'celaschi' machine for which I provided the worksheets to the guys in the department. They would manually bring the piece and go into the machine, but manually, so with the metre and fixed metre. Now it is all interconnected. I experienced this evolution both from a level of product quality, productivity and flexibility!”.
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