Every company has his own story. The story of FOP corresponds to Canali brothers’ story and long before to that of their father Osvaldo, they make it grow sharing efforts and satisfactions.

To this day, as 50 years ago, the strength of this company initially called “Fabbrica Oggetti in Plastica” in Cessalto comes from the people, their ability to “make team”, to develop a project in common, based on qualities deep-seated on the territory but looking into the future, towards international markets.

What is your first memory about FOP?

Giovanni: A factory that for me, as a child of 6/8 years old, appeared so enormous with machineries, raw materials and shelves, when it was just 600 square meters!

Roberto: Also my first memory in FOP goes back to when I was a child. During the summer holiday our father took us to the factory to give us the “habit to work”, in order to give our little contribution according to our possibilities: cleaning, tidying up the workshop… And in particular I went often with my father visiting customers to their furniture stores and seeing with my own eyes the situation he worked with.

Franco: I remember that when I was 12/13 years old, during summer holiday, our father forced us to “go to work”. My job was to crumble pieces from the sprue, means that I had to take each single piece coming out from the machinery and split them one by one… and I did not like it at all!

When did you decide to take care of the family company?

Giovanni: I do not think there was been a particular moment, it was a natural engagement process. Since I was a child inside the company, making little works and growing step by step.

Roberto: Yes indeed, all came very naturally as a normal consequence that we, brothers, had to keep being united because “united we stand, divided we fall” as we were told every day. Since I wanted to show my father, during a delicate period we lived, that I was competent as he was and I would have made it too… When his health condition was getting worse and we stood for the only chance.

Franco: One year after I finished school, our father’s health condition was more and more uncertain, and since I was used to stay with my brothers, it came so natural to dedicate myself, together with them, to the development of our company.

Did you always get the aim/vocation to business or did you cultivate other ambition in youth?

Giovanni: I could say that when I was a child I wanted to become a Fireman… but the truth is that the strong engagement in our family business headed to the choice of life that I still share with Franco and Roberto.

Roberto: At the very beginning I was enchanted by the sellers’ excellence and capacities, but above all our father was always the example to refer to, the first among all sellers! Then I started getting aware about the potential we got, succeeding to find the right balance of roles between us. …. So, vocation probably I always got it.

Franco: I think a person has the business vocation in his nature, for me it was easy because I always got examples in front of me: our grandfather first, our father afterwards, they taught me to believe in my ideas and do my utmost to achieve them with a lot of dedication and sacrifice.

Which were, according to the company founder, the main aims at the very beginning? Do you think you respected and carried on this initial aim or - due to historical-economical contingency - did it change through the years?

Giovanni: think that the awareness of diligence, the responsibility towards all the people we work with (and towards ourself as well) and the necessary resolution to the achievement of results were been, together with the family sense, the more precious and important things we learned and inherited from our father. I believe the aims that gave life to the beginning are still living.

Roberto: I think that the will was also to offer us a future inside a company strongly settled in the territory. I believe I respected and carried on the initial aim adjusting the company to the market demand, and at present, overcoming quite well the economical difficulties that we all are getting through.

Franco: I believe that the important thing for our father was enriching the territory. I think I respected his initial goals: we have been taught that the company is our home, hence we have always considered FOP not only a factory, but we have succeeded to create a family environment, in the relationship with people, in being always helpful and trying to improve ourself and our coworkers daily.

Do you have a special dream linked to your work in the company?

Giovanni: Growing up and improving, learning and teaching.

Roberto: One in particular is trying to become, in our market field, “the number one”. Last but not least expand the company not only in dimensions , but culturally as well, relating it to the territory we work in with many competent and farsighted partners.

Franco:My dream is creating an important company together with my brothers, not as a matter of turnover, but because we have the talent to create products that nodody else can: becoming a company of excellece. See that work become more and more a personal delight and a combined project, shared with all our coworkers.

Do you think the relationship and the bond between you brothers represent a strong point for FOP and the future challenges?

Giovanni: Absolutely, sharing heavy responsability and multiply strenght and task by three could be really the crucial factor.

Roberto: Yes indeed, working together among us brothers was surely a strong point. Next challenges we will under take are developing sales into Foreign markets and in particular the Russian market and the Indian market by including new items result of research and design.

Franco: I am absolutely convinced that the bond with my brothers is the foundation of our strenght. I believe that together all possible targets could be reached.