By Patrizia Cherici
Ferro Battuta Valtiberino was founded in 2003 in Anghiari when Paolo Nocentini, Bruno Nocentini and Fabrizio Antonelli – previously workers in the O.I.M.A. company, which was owned, together with two other partners, by Paolo’s own father – decided to set up their own company where they could continue the tradition and passion of wrought and hand-forged iron processing. After having created a first office in San Lorenzo, since 2009 they have moved permanently to the ‘old’ warehouse in via G. Marconi where it all began!
The company’s ‘specialty’ is to make wrought iron products (gates, stairs, fences, railings, furnishing items such as chairs, tables, beds, tent poles) but also more modern items, wanting to meet market demands. Everything that is created is characterized by quality craftsmanship, creativity and maximum customization of the product. There is a vast catalogue from which to take inspiration for a work; Ferro Battuta Valtiberino is able to ‘give an iron body’ to the personal ideas of the individual user or to a professional project of an architect or designer.
“Ours,” says Paolo, “is an artisanal work and this allows us to adapt the various wrought iron items we create to all environments according to the style they need: our products adapt both to the classic style typical of most homes or the many characteristic farmhouses in our areas, and to linear and more modern styles for condominiums or for the latest eco-sustainable generation houses.
“After my uncle Bruno retired in 2014 – continues Paolo – in addition to me and my partner Fabrizio, his son Manuel, the young and enterprising Giacomo and our historic and irreplaceable worker Aldo work in the company: Filippo, my youngest son, has recently joined the team: the presence of all these young people has brought a breath of fresh air to the company, increasing even more the desire to do, to innovate and the hope of being able to continue over time in maintaining this type of tradition. In addition to having passed on to them the skills and tools to carry out this job, we have managed to pass by the passion: in fact, it is precisely this attitude that makes the difference! Many people may have the same skills or some even more skills than others, but if you don’t put passion into it, you will never come to create that something special around what you are making which, despite being a material thing, needs love and dedication of those who create by hand”.
“The company – Fabrizio intervenes – is divided in two sectors: one that supplies bulk materials, industrial carpentry products or semi-finished products such as lances, curls or other artifacts to be assembled and/or installed, commissioned by hardware stores, blacksmiths or private individuals; the other where finished products are made. Those who commission us a wrought iron work such as a gate or a fence or a ladder or any other product, find a complete service from us: we start from the inspection to take the necessary measurements to carry out the work, and then move on to the design that can be created by us or on a project provided to us. From this moment on, the various stages of production: firstly by forging iron with which the pieces of metal are cut and then heated at the forge and once they become incandescent, they are worked by hand using the old tools of the blacksmith: anvil and hammer. This is followed by the assembly phase of the various pieces and the welding carried out with different techniques depending on the project to be carried out. Once the raw object has been made, we move on to the next phases, such as sandblasting or grinding (to eliminate any imperfections), galvanizing (especially necessary for those types of processes such as gates, railings, fences, gazebos, lampposts, garden furniture intended for outdoor use) or painting if required. Finally, we proceed with the assembly or delivery of the piece made”.
“The Ferrp Battuto Valtiberino – continues Paolo – has a very large demand: we serve both our valley and the neighbouring municipalities, as well as customers outside the region: mainly we supply central Italy without proceeding further, for two main reasons: we do not hold fairs around Italy and we have many local requests, to which we prefer to give priority. Of course, in all these years of experience, there has been no shortage of work outside Italy as well: for example, in Germany in Munich, where we installed works for a German gentleman, who also has a house here in Anghiari, met us and commissioned some work. He appreciated our handicrafts so much that he expressed the desire to create wrought iron works for his home in Germany as well. We work a lot with foreign families who have bought properties here in the valley and who have met us through the site or through their architects or real estate agents: it is a clientele that is particularly pleasant to serve because they are very grateful for what we create, appreciating it in a particular way; Maybe it’s because in their areas of origin there are fewer artisans who do this job and therefore they gratify us for what we do”.
I ask, “There’s a lot of talk about A.I. as a workforce replacement, do you see it as a threat to your industry?” “Our profession – says Paolo – is mainly an artisanal craft that is based on the manual skills and personal touch of the artist: I believe that it is a very ‘passionate’ job in which a lot of strength is needed, but above all a lot of ‘love’: no machine can ever replace the human being in this field. There is really no possibility of competing in anything in our sector: just think that even among us who work within the same company and who come from the same school, everyone has their own characteristics, their own imprint and their own touch. Creating an artisanal product produces a personal satisfaction that goes beyond value in an economic sense. We are lucky because we do a job that is very tiring, but that reciprocates by transmitting so many emotions that money, merely, would not be able to give you!”
“Of course,” Paolo continues, “talking about hand-forged wrought iron today may seem something out of time; But if we think that we are surrounded by mass-produced industrial products, perhaps it is precisely ‘handmade’ that becomes a strong point – which makes us appreciate an object for its originality, managing to customize it in its shape in order to make it a unique piece of its kind. It is important in the world we live in to re-evaluate the figure of the craftsman and the work done by hand”.
Creating works of artistic craftsmanship such as wrought iron gates, railings or fences requires particular attention to details: the ‘Valtiberino Ferro Battuto’ with its many years of experience and its incomparable creativity, accompanies you in the choice of the product, helping you to identify the most suitable solutions for your needs, your safety, to your style and integration into the environment in which you live.
Info: Ferro Battotted Valtiberino – Via Guglielmo Marconi 55, Anghiari (Ar) / Tel: 0575 788241 / Mail: ferrobattutovaltiberino@gmail.com