Dreams are made of Paper
Italian business stories often tell of family dynasties, but in Lucca there is a business born from a dream and the courage of Vincenzo Romano.
The company is called Eurovast and tells a story built step by step, a story that, starting with the relaunch of a closed paper mill, led to the birth of an industrial group that plays a leading role in the tissue sector in Europe.
It all began more than 30 years ago, when Vincenzo Romano, originally from Sicily, decided givethe Lucca paper district a try by taking over a disused company.
“It was a closed paper mill with about sixty employees – relates the President of Eurovast– when the court of Lucca initially rented it to us. From there we began to rebuild everything, thanks to the people, who are at the basis of every activity”.
Since that first industrial reality, the growth path has been constant: new acquisitions, technological investments and a progressive integration of the production chain, from paper mills that produce mother reels, to converting plants where products intended for daily consumption are born.
“We have acquired and refurbished five paper mills and developed six converting plants that transform tissue into toilet paper, kitchen towels and napkins.”
Quality has always been the compass that has guided industrial development:
“The first thing – Romano recalls– was to create an internal laboratory to check the paper’s weight, strength and whiteness. For me, quality comes first: a poor product doesn’t sell, even if it costs less”.
Today, Eurovast can count on the latest generation of production technologies and an industrial structure employing over 400 people. The group has also developed its own brands over the years, including Suprema and Fior di Carta Lifestyle, Bravo and Buffalo.
In 2011, the patent for the placemat on roll marked a turning point for household products, an insight that revolutionized the market.
Another decisive step was the entry into international markets, particularly the UK market and the Dutch market.
“Transporting the finished product has a significant impact on costs. That’s why we decided to produce close to our customers”.
Despite a total turnover of around 250 million euros, Romano continues to read Eurovast’s journey with a profoundly human perspective:
“I got this far thanks to my collaborators. Strategies and technology are important, but the greatest value of a company always remains the person”.
After more than 30 years of work, today the President looks to the future with the involvement of the new generation of the family, represented by his son Umberto, CEO, who has been with the company for over 10 years.
“Umberto’s innovative vision and the solid structure created represent a winning combination.”
Innovation and sustainability for an increasingly green future
Technological innovation, environmental sustainability and new investments are the pillars on which Eurovast builds its industrial development today.
“Sustainability for us is not a slogan but a working method”, explains Vincenzo Romano.
In recent years the group has started a process that combines:
energy efficiency
reduction of environmental impact
social responsibility
the installation of photovoltaic systems, together with the use of next-generation technological systems, allowsing for a reduction in consumption and emissions
At the same time, the company is working on materials and packaging innovation, with the aim of increasing the use of recycled components and promoting the circular economy.
A dedicated team studies solutions to continuously improve production processes.
One of the most interesting developments concerns the recovery of processing waste, which is fed back into the production cycle to be reused in the production of new products.
This is how the new Virtuosa-branded line was born, designed for the future and launched in 2026.
In recent years, Eurovast has also launched a structured environmental and social reporting process:
“We have been publishing our sustainability report since 2023”.
L’Economia | Corriere della Sera, March 30th, 2026
