The "Premiata Società Friulana per l'Industria del Vimini"
The Company Gervasoni, originally known as “Premiata Società Friulana per l'Industria del Vimini", was born in 1882 in the city of Udine.
The shadow of the 1915-1918 War, during which Udine briefly became the "capital," left deep human, moral, and economic scars on the surrounding territory.
The extraordinary story of Gervasoni began in this very context.
Alongside his partner Danilo Della Martina, in 1925 Giovanni Gervasoni took the reins of this modest company specialized in the production of baskets and small objects for the local market.
Giovanni immediately distinguished himself as a modern and innovative entrepreneur with a determined and proactive approach, initiating a series of renovations and adaptations to the ever-changing market demands, which would characterize the company's over 140-year history.
Being aware that production could not be limited exclusively to wickerwork, Giovanni decided to expand sales beyond the Friuli area.
He invested in new steam bending machines and modern drying ovens, he hired new workers and started using not only wicker but also bamboo, reed, and rattan, abandoning traditional "basketry". This production enhancement led to the creation of "complete furnishings for winter gardens, reading rooms, smoking rooms, billiard rooms, anterooms, terraces, and verandas," as well as "specialties for hotels, clubs, beach resorts, and sanatoriums."
The market gradually expanded, initially in Northern Italy and then nationwide.
In 1930, Giovanni embarked on a valuable collaboration with architects and master craftsmen to perfect the aesthetic and technical qualities of the products. Despite the worldwide economic crisis, the company continued to grow steadily. Orders arrived for furnishing important Italian, Polish, and Swedish passenger ships
By 1939, "Gervasoni & Co." was already a well-established and renowned company with a solid and extensive market.
The war failed to halt Gervasoni's expansion. The business continued without pause, and in the post-war period, with the reconstruction of the factory and the return of workers, the company fully resumed its activities. The main objective was to further streamline the production process, in order to truly compete in the sector.
