Officine Piccoli: Precision and Performance Reimagined through Technology
Officine Piccoli’s journey began in 1966 as a workshop in Verona, where a few dedicated craftsmen offered metal processing services. Today, the company is located in Castel d'Azzano, in a sprawling 8,000‑square‑meter complex, and its team has expanded from 5 to 55 people. The site boasts state‑of‑the‑art offices and a grand, self‑constructed metal staircase: a work of superb craftsmanship that greets visitors by telling a lot about the ingenuity that drives this company. As experts in third‑party metal processing, Officine Piccoli has adapted its services to meet the needs of industries such as machinery, construction, transportation, and renewable energy. Its ongoing investment in modern equipment has enabled the company to offer capabilities in laser cutting, plasma cutting, oxy-fuel cutting, and bending.
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The Challenge: Meeting Rapid Market Demands
In recent years, market conditions have brought new challenges. Customers now expect shorter lead times and more flexible, smaller batch orders, which has put pressure on production systems designed around long‑term scheduling. As Pierluigi Piccoli, owner and CEO, explains:
“We are a pure job shop: short production cycles, cutting, spinning or bending, and that’s it. Where the market goes, we follow. Our flexibility comes from the knowledge of many industries and various types of machines, which lets us excel in producing wildly different pieces: from the tiniest to the 15-meter-long 40-millimeter one. Since last year, it's as if we've gone back a decade; we no longer have fixed schedules, and deliveries have become extremely rapid. The working environment has changed tremendously. I've noticed many shifts; the world has evolved, and while orders still repeat, they are much smaller. It's partly due to the crisis, which means there's less scheduling, and as a subcontractor, you have to be extremely quick both in responding and in delivering work.”
Facing these challenging market demands, by 2018 the company's legacy laser system—dating back to 2006—had become inadequate.
“We needed a machine that not only reduced our energy consumption significantly but could also handle a wider range of thicknesses with precision. It wasn’t just about replacing old equipment; it was about reinventing our production process,” Pierluigi recalls. He adds, “During our research, we compared several suppliers, visited competitor facilities, and looked closely at every key factor—from cutting speed and power to maintenance response times. The choice was clear when we discovered the benefits of Eagle’s advanced fiber laser technology.”
Eagle iNspire: Implementation and Results
Officine Piccoli invested in an Eagle iNspire 2040 6kW fiber laser, which allowed them to process materials faster. Pierluigi notes that production rates improved by up to 20 percent almost immediately after installation. He explains further, “Switching to a fiber‑based system significantly reduced our operating costs because the energy consumption dropped by nearly 50 percent. The machine can handle a variety of thicknesses—from the thinnest gauges to thicker, high‑strength plates—without compromising on quality. It also handles different material types, from aluminum to steel.” The installation process itself was swift. “The plug‑and‑play nature of the new fiber laser, coupled with rapid training, meant that our team was up and running at full capacity within days. There was no prolonged adjustment period; we were back to producing high‑quality parts almost immediately,” Pierluigi adds.
The upgrade has had a positive impact on customer satisfaction as well. Clients who depend on precise products and fast turnaround now benefit from even shorter delivery schedules, which has improved their supply chain efficiency. “Our customers have noticed the difference,” Pierluigi states. “They appreciate that we can now deliver quality products faster and as reliably as they expect.”
Looking Ahead in a Constantly Evolving Market
With the market still facing hurdles, Officine Piccoli remains committed to improvements. “Even though the market is challenging right now, we plan to scale our innovations as opportunities arise, always guided by the principles of speed, reliability, and performance,” Pierluigi concludes.
Officine Piccoli’s transformation from a small workshop to a modern manufacturing operation shows how targeted investments in technology can streamline production and better meet customer needs. The decision to adopt fiber laser technology has enabled the company to respond to a changing market, setting a practical example of innovation and resilience for others in the industry.