An Italian manufacturer in the Philippines

We all know that Philippine manufacturing is struggling to keep afloat. As of the end of 2023, the manufacturing sector comprised only 17.9 percent of the economy and its share continues to decrease due to inhospitable conditions such as expensive power cost, insufficient logistics, supply chain gaps, corruption, etc. Government can’t seem to solve these impediments fast enough.

I remember the good old days when young entrepreneurs would venture into manufacturing to jumpstart their careers. Many got into Christmas decors, toys, housewares and fashion accessories. The more sophisticated got into furniture making, agribusiness and garment manufacturing – all for export. They are few and far between these days and I salute those who have managed to survive.

About two weeks ago, I came across a European manufacturer, based in the Philippines, who posted a video on Instagram. He manufactures artisan wood products like doors, consoles and artistic wall installations from a factory in Laguna. I reached out to him via private message. I was curious to know why he chose to set up shop in the Philippines and how he is getting along.

He responded immediately. The man is Luca Vezzaro, an Italian born in Vicenza, Italy. I had apparently met him before. I was so intrigued by the man’s story that I visited him in his San Pedro factory.

Luca first visited the Philippines in 1994 on a brainstorming trip with a client. Like most business travelers from Europe, he took a side trip to Boracay and fell in love with the country. He found paradise, he said. Not only were the people, beaches and landscapes beautiful, he also recognized that the Philippines has a treasure trove of raw materials from which to make beautiful furniture. He mentioned narra, molave, kamagong, abaca and others. Impressing him even more was the level of craftsmanship of Filipino wood carvers. They are world class, he said, but sadly under-utilized. Back in Italy, Luca could not get the Philippines out of his mind.

Luca comes from a family of wood carvers. His great grandfather Giovanni was a wood artist. So was his grandfather Antonio and father Gianfranco. The Vezzaros’ woodworks adorn cathedrals, palaces, hotels and office buildings in Vicenza, Venice and many parts of Europe. Luca is a fifth generation artist.

The day was June 19, 1997 and Luca flew back to the Philippines to build a life. Due to a business opportunity that presented itself, Luca’s first venture did not have anything to do with wood carving. Rather, he manufactured handmade paper for export from a factory he built in Carmona. He operated the business until 2011 with great success. Sadly, he was duped by an associate who extorted him for all he was worth. He lost everything. That associate was a Filipino.

Friends and family told him to abandon his life in the Philippines and just go back to Europe. After all, at only 45, he was young enough to start again. But he refused. “They may get all my money but not my life and will,” he declared. Luca stayed and rebuilt.

The years 2012 to 2014 were difficult. Luca got into various business ventures which succeeded at first but failed to sustain.

In 2015, a confluence of events made it possible for him to go back to his roots and start a company that produced artisan wood products. A factory space opened up at the right price. An inventory of raw materials became available for him to produce samples. Although on a shoestring budget, everything fell into place for him to launch his new company, the Four Legged Tiles Corporation.

Luca mustered enough resources to produce a collection of consoles, doors and wall installations which he exhibited at the Philippine International Furniture Show at SMX Manila. It was a make or break situation for him. There were many inquiries but no big orders came his way throughout the four-day fair. But five minutes before the event closed, a man placed an order big enough to sustain Luca’s business for several months. He paid by cash. The rest is history.

Fun fact: the name, Four Legged Tiles, comes from his first collection of furniture, which was composed of beautifully etched tables inlaid with ceramic tiles.

I walked through Luca’s showroom which showcases the many ways in which he can treat wood. I’ve never seen anything like it before. He is able to make wood appear like metal, like liquid, like shells, like corals, like stars and planet. All were intricately etched and sometimes inlaid with ores, mother of pearl or even organic materials like leaves. Famous architects specify Four Legged Tiles for their discriminating clients.

Luca utilizes many types of wood, some from the Philippines, others from Africa and North America. He also treats them with some 6,000 color pigments from Italy. The top coat is also Italian. So like high quality leather, Luca’s woodworks become more beautiful over time.

I was glad to see Luca’s business doing well. He has a steady flow of projects for private residences, offices, churches, hospitals, hotels and restaurants. Anyone who wants to make an architectural impact usually call Four Legged Tiles. They can be reached via email: [email protected].

He admits that doing business in the Philippines is a challenge. However, the fine workmanship of Filipino wood carvers far outweighs the inconveniences of doing business here, he declared. Besides, he has never lost his love for the Philippines since 1994.

It just goes to show, one way of making the Philippines a compelling investment destination for manufacturing is to develop world class artists, craftsmen and engineers. In other words, TESDA on steroids.

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Email: [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @aj_masigan