The Luigi Voltan Shoe Company is a shoemaker founded in the Italian village of Stra in 1898 by Giovanni Luigi Voltan (1873–1941).
After returning to Italy from the United States, Voltan introduced serialized production process for his factory. The mechanization of some phases of the cycle allowed him to cut costs, which lowered the price for consumers. The quick growth of the Voltan footwear factory became the basis for the development of the Riviera del Brenta footwear district.
Background
In 1898, Stra was a little country village of the Venetian hinterland that was affected, like many others, by the agricultural crisis. As emigration seemed to be the only alternative to unemployment, Voltan left the country for Boston in the United States. At that time, shoe manufacturing was a significant industry in Boston. The U.S. footwear production was very much industrialized; it was characterized by division of the production cycle, and mechanization of the manufacturing phases. Voltan was hired by large companies and worked in different departments. He mastered the serialized production process, concluding that these techniques should be used in Italy.
Production
Returning to Stra gave Voltan many advantages over more traditional Italian shoe makers who were still bound to manual production. Sewing machines for leather and hides marketed by the Singer Corporation