So where does the Tratos story start? Who better to tell us than Dr Ennio Bragagni Capaccini, Vice President, who remembers the story of his late Grandfather, Egidio Capaccini, and how he came to be the founder of Tratos Cavi spa.
“It is said that every end marks a new beginning. For my Grandfather, Egidio Capaccini, that time came at the culmination of the Second World War. His home town in Southern Tuscany had been almost completely destroyed by the Germans and, with little or no work available, he packed his bags and travelled to Argentina to find employment. After taking work in a new company as a General Worker for a year, fate stepped in and Egidio was offered a job in a factory making cables. With his passion and natural aptitude for business, he swiftly rose up the ranks to become the General Manager, as well as a shareholder in the company.
“In 1961, Egidio returned to Italy to recuperate after suffering a heart attack. However, rest was not the only thing on his mind. Egidio had bigger dreams – dreams of setting up his own company. When he was back to full strength, he began working as a consultant, which gave him the chance to earn money and travel the world, meeting many different people and learning more about the cable industry. Five years later, with enough funds and a great deal more experience under his belt, he returned to Italy and finally fulfilled his dream by establishing Tratos Cavi Spa. He found employees from the remnants of the textile industry that had once flourished in Southern Tuscany, whose experience proved useful when it came to covering the cables with textile, as was the practice at that time. The business expanded over the years and Tratos cables quickly gained a reputation for being exceptionally well-made and at the forefront of innovation.
“Egidio enjoyed running the business for over 13 years until his health began to decline and, sadly, he passed away in 1974 after suffering another heart attack. His daughter, Marta Capaccini and her husband, Albano Bragagni, subsequently took on the business and Tratos has continued to expand whilst remaining a family-owned business.”
The company is now an international cable manufacturer of repute, selling an extensive range of cables to 52 countries worldwide with manufacturing facilities in Italy and the UK. Strong ties also remain with IMSA, the factory in Argentina where it all started.
Much of the company’s success since 1974 can be attributed to the master plan of Albano Bragagni, the current President. With his commitment to developing innovative new products and responding intelligently to opportunities in growing markets, Albano has expanded the business exponentially. Thanks to his passion in driving the business forward, Tratos now has a worldwide reputation as a leading specialist cable manufacturer within a large number of industries and, as renowned experts in the development of bespoke cables to suit exact specifications, have formed a strong reputation as a reliable consultative source, offering unrivalled expertise.
Ennio is proud to be a part of the Tratos story. He adds, “My Grandfather was a man of vision, dedication and commitment and these are qualities that have become synonymous with the name of Tratos. Along with Albano Bragagni and my sister Elisabetta, I am pleased and excited to carry on building Egidio Capaccini’s dream of making Tratos a world renowned, expert cable manufacturer, a dream which began over fifty years ago in a small village in Tuscany.”
