The company’s Padouk and Koto lumber is shown here ready for prompt shipment.
ROMEA LEGNAMI Markets Quality Products Around the Globe
By Wayne Miller
Mira, Italy—Romea Legnami S.p.A., headquartered near Venice, manufactures a variety of products and specializes in quarter sawn African Mahogany, Afrormosia, Aniegre, Bubinga, Iroko, Makore, Moabi, Mansonia, Shedua, Padouk, Sapele, Sipo, steamed Wenge, Black and White Limba, and Zebrawood. The company also offers European hardwoods such as Beechwood, English Maple and Italian Walnut. Other species are available upon request.
In operation since the 18th century, Romea Legnami produces 100.000 m3 of logs and lumber annually and specializes in a wide range of specifications and internationally accepted grades. Cut-to-size lumber and dimension, square-edged long and short boards, one-sided boards, unedged long boards, flooring strips, squares, flitches and saw and veneer logs name a few.
Beech, Oak and Ash logs are sourced from Romea’s own forest concessions and are sent through the sawmill, kiln dried and graded at the company ‘s modern sawmills in Italy. Light steamed Beechwood is shown here.
General Manager Graziano Pasqualetto said the firm’s markets span around the globe. “We market our products in about 60 different countries via container, truck and break bulk,” he explained. “Our sales office is located in Venice and we also cooperate with timber brokers.”
With two factories located in Venice and Bologna, the operation includes sawmills, kilns, steamers, cut-to-size thermal treatment, and decking and flooring plants.
The firm operates 40 dry kilns drying approximately 6.000 m3 per month, with moisture content of six to eight percent. Romea’s warehouse space is about 30.000 m2 with an average inventory carried of 25.000 m3 on the ground for prompt shipment. “Our patented drying system allows lumber to dry to a low moisture content in record time with little risk of degrade,” Pasqualetto noted. “Also, the computer- controlled measurement and tallying system ensures accurate and precise product information.”
In operation since the 18th century, Romea Legnami produces 300.000 m3 of lumber annually and specializes in a wide range of specifications and internationally accepted grades. This is an image of the operation’s Bubinga lumber.
Beech, Oak and Ash logs are sourced from Romea’s own forest concessions and from government options, then they are sent through the sawmill, kiln dried and graded at the company’s modern sawmills in Italy. Romea is FSC certified, underlining their commitment to quality production and the environment. “The policy of Romea is to be very careful with the products we buy and resell to our customers,” he said. “We seek suppliers that guarantee sustainable products.”
In addition, all products are barcoded and linked via GSM to the main computer. In the near future Romea will give their customers access to the latest information on the status of their order via the Internet. “The improved quality control and personal contacts the company has developed have helped sales and our exports increase considerably,” Pasqualetto said.
The family operated business was established more than 300 years ago. Early beginnings included cutting Spruce, Pine and Larch in the Trentino Alto Adige region and shipping it to Venice, which was in need of forest products to protect their homes and palaces from salt-water erosion.
Romea specializes in quarter-sawn African Mahogany, Afrormosia, Aniegre, Bubinga, Iroko, Makore, Moabi, Mansonia, Shedua, Padouk, Sapele, Sipo, steamed Wenge (shown here), Black and White Limba, and Zebrawood. The company also offers European hardwoods such as Beechwood, English Maple and Italian Walnut. Other species are available upon request.
The family later switched from trading logs to processing and manufacturing lumber for buildings, the automobile industry and wagon manufacturing. Throughout the last 50 years, Romea Legnami has expanded its business to include facilities in Veneto, Friuli and Emilia, Italy.
Over the years the firm has continued to develop and innovate with the addition of state-of-the-art equipment. The plants were fitted with new modern woodworking machines for sawing, drying, steaming, H.D.D. and H.V.P.I. treatment and a grading system that uses an exclusive ecological structure.
Romea’s specialization increased over time by including log selection, felling, sawing, drying, measurement and tallying by computer scanners that ensure accurate and precise product information of each species. To maintain the best possible results, Romea sends skilled workmen “onsite” to control log processing.
“Our primary focus is the selection and processing of logs coming from world-wide forest, according to the rules of legal cutting and the environment,” Pasqualetto explained. “The processing steps consist of very specific requirements from customers all over the world. Today, we are the reference point for other companies that take up log import sector and the first processing step.”
An aerial view of the company’s operations in Bologna.
With approximately 80 employees the company operates about 54 hours per week. Pasqualetto said some of the employees have been with Romea for more than 30 years. “We feel we have a very good reputation thanks to the good quality of our people and our product,” he said. “The philosophy here is that if you don’t see what you want, ask! We want to help.”
As for future plans, Pasqualetto said Romea continues to study new products to present to both its national and international markets. When asked about any unusual requests he has received, he said Romea once prepared Iroko beams that were 13.50 mt in length.
Romea Legnami is a member of the International Wood Products Assoc., National Wood Flooring Assoc., Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Assoc., Association Technique Internationale des Bois Tropicaux and the National Hardwood Lumber Assoc. For more information
An aerial view of Romea Legnami, headquartered in Venice.
