In recent years, changing global dynamics and market uncertainty have put many companies across various sectors under significant pressure, including our own, the stainless steel processing industry. At Metal’s, we are used to looking ahead, but at this moment we believe that reflecting on past experience can help us face the future with greater strength and optimism. Challenges have always existed, even if different from those of today, and we have overcome them with determination and resilience.
Metal’s was founded as a local company, specialising in the production of complex assemblies, machine parts, semi-finished products and components. However, starting from our headquarters in Borgoricco, in the province of Padua, Metal’s soon established itself in major European and non-European markets, becoming a global partner for leading multinational companies thanks to a combination of technical expertise, production flexibility and strategic vision.
This approach allows us today to serve customers all over the world, from Europe to New Zealand. In this article, we share our story and our goals for the future through the words of Metal’s CEO and founder, Enrico Scapolo, and Rocco Scapolo, who represents the new generation leading the company.
Change and innovation are in our DNA
Metal’s is a Made in Italy company with a strong international focus, capable of adapting to
change and always looking ahead in search of new markets and new challenges. Founded in 1987 by
Enrico Scapolo, Metal’s initially served companies in the home appliance sector, first in Italy
and then abroad. Always under the leadership of its founder, the company has been able to innovate its
production processes, technologies and skills to meet the evolving demands of customers and markets.
“In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Italy was the leading European country in the production of household
appliances. The sector was thriving, so much so that we established a strong partnership with General
Electric’s home appliance division, with whom we worked for many years, supplying directly to
the United States. However, this type of production later shifted eastwards – mainly to Poland – and with
the 2008 crisis, we realised that the sector was no longer profitable. As a result, we decided to
abandon it completely. Not to mention that a few years later, General Electric’s home appliance division itself was
sold to the Chinese group Haier, which was another clear signal for us. At the time, leaving that type of production
was difficult, but there was no alternative. We moved forward, focusing on new markets and sectors that
were unfamiliar to us, and we immediately achieved success and restored profitability. This allowed us to
take another step forward in our growth, leading us to where we are today.” - Enrico Scapolo, CEO of Metal’s
New markets, new sectors, new customers: Metal’s evolves
Since 2008, we have approached new markets by forging strong partnerships with major companies and
multinational groups based in Germany and other European countries.
It was during this phase that
Metal’s experienced the most significant changes in production, innovation, technology, and
know-how, enabling us to serve clients operating in very diverse, technologically advanced, highly
regulated sectors with exceptionally high-quality standards.
Over the past 15 years, Metal’s has served important
groups in the medical and pharmaceutical sectors, meat processing and
food treatment, packaging, and machinery for baking, as
well as in the production of ovens and related accessories, electrical panels,
and access control systems. In addition, we have gained significant experience in the
manufacture of professional coffee machines, commercial kitchens, industrial
and standard dishwashers, ice cream parlors, and
refrigeration.
This diversification has allowed us to evolve and, as a natural consequence, to invest in Metal’s itself, focusing on: investire in Metal’s stessa, puntando su:
- Industry 4.0, automation and robotization of plants, integrating our machinery with the best available technologies
- ISO certifications that demonstrate our commitment to quality, safety, the environment, the excellence of our workmanship, and the skills of the people working at Metal’s
- A corporate welfare system supporting our employees and the Metal’s Academy for training new hires and continuous professional development
- A concrete and structured commitment to environmental sustainability, summarized in our Green Mission. We started with everyday small actions like waste sorting and reducing plastic packaging, and moved towards a comprehensive energy-saving policy, including the installation of photovoltaic panels, hybrid machinery, a nitrogen generator, and the establishment of a certified environmental management system. After measuring our environmental impact (Carbon Footprint), we are now finalizing our first sustainability plan.
Thanks also to these investments, we have expanded our presence in new and distant markets, the farthest being New Zealand, geographically speaking.
“In 2024, we decided to explore opportunities in the US market, while maintaining and strengthening our commitment to Europe, which remains our primary focus. However, in 2025, due to the great uncertainty in global markets, we reassessed our expansion toward new countries, limiting investments in the United States in favor of other territories. On one hand, we are consolidating our presence in the traditional markets where Metal’s operates; on the other, we are exploring new territories. Today, Metal’s interest remains in continuing to extend and consolidate the areas we serve, also beyond Italy and the European continent.” – Enrico Scapolo, CEO of Metal’s
From supplier to partner managing the supply chain
Among all the changes that have affected our company over the years, perhaps the most significant is the
paradigm shift that saw us move from suppliers of parts and assemblies to service
partners. Today, Metal’s doesn’t just manufacture semi-finished products; we coordinate the entire
supply chain on behalf of our clients. Thanks to our consolidated experience, we verticalize supply chains, simplify
our clients’ procurement processes, and manage every aspect, from the initial phase to the delivery of parts at the
customer’s facility.
“Our mission is to be the sole point of contact for the most complex projects.
For us, this means enabling our clients to focus on their products, design, and sales, while always retaining
intellectual property rights over the items, leaving us, with full confidence and security, the project
development and realization. Metal’s has the structure, technological resources, and human capital to
ensure continuity of production over time.” - Enrico Scapolo, CEO of Metal’s
Metal’s tomorrow: competing in complexity
Over the years, Metal’s has evolved to respond to challenges, customer demands, and the difficulties that have
affected many companies: critical moments that sank many, but not all.
“I’m not speaking just for Metal’s. I’m
speaking generally. I belong to the category of entrepreneurs who contributed to Italy’s development from the
1980s onward. Like me, especially here in Veneto, there are thousands of similar stories, people who, through
intuition, ability, willpower, thirst for knowledge, and determination - thanks to their personal qualities - have
succeeded in the market. But, attention, today and especially tomorrow, the big challenge is not
this. Today, an entrepreneur like me, who started in the 1980s, would not achieve the same results.
The world has changed, and to succeed you need knowledge. If you only
have passion but no knowledge, you won’t get anywhere. New skills are needed, and moving forward the
challenge will be to anticipate - or at least sense - what could happen or what might work. Our sector - especially
in Italy - is struggling. Despite uncertainty, markets are still moving, and Metal’s continues to hold its ground.
Some large groups are gaining new important market shares and acquiring other companies with different
technologies. This trend is leading us to serve new, increasingly international clients, to face new dynamics and
new structures. This is positive and pushes us to constantly improve. Looking ahead, we are
optimistic and, as always, ready to embrace the new and exciting challenges ahead.” - Enrico Scapolo, CEO of
Metal’s
Determination and a positive approach to difficulties are the two factors that have helped us face past
challenges and will help us in the future.
“Looking to the future with a proactive attitude is fundamental for those who lead a company. Even in the most complex moments, being able to maintain a vision oriented towards opportunities and sound decisions makes the difference. My professional journey is still evolving, but today I am increasingly involved in decision-making and strategic processes. Working in a context like Metal’s, with the chance to interact daily with those who know the organization deeply, is a great opportunity. It’s definitely an environment that stimulates growth, improvement, and concrete contribution to the company’s development.” - Rocco Scapolo, Controller
Would you like to get in touch with us?
At Metal’s, we carefully select the clients we work with - medium to large-sized companies - and support them throughout every stage of the logistics flow: from concept to the creation of stainless steel assemblies, semi-finished products, and machine parts. Would you like to learn more?