Negri Lame is approaching its 65th year in business, a significant milestone in the history of a company that, drawing on a wealth of experience, looks to the future with renewed optimism and an eagerness to imagine new possibilities without closing the door to any opportunity
“Best blades to work with” is the motto of Negri Lame, a family-run company that has successfully navigated over six decades of technological evolution while staying true to one core principle: the artisan care for detail combined with the ability to truly listen to the customer.
It’s true that the company’s product, cutting blades used on slitter-rewinders for the converting industry, is a well-established one, and innovation might seem limited at first glance.
Yet, when visiting Negri Lame, speaking with management, and walking through the production floor, it becomes immediately clear that innovation here lies in the processes, in customized solutions, and in a constant drive toward quality and sustainability. The company continues to invest in automated machining centers, process digitalization, and continuous product improvement, including the selection of new, high-performance materials. Negri Lame serves a variety of industries: in addition to flexible packaging converting (from plastic films to aluminum and labels), its blades are used in tissue, fine wood edging, and special applications such as battery films or pharmaceutical and medical sectors, where exceptional precision, durability, and adaptability are essential.
Three generations, one passion
The Negri family has always been at the helm of the company, founded by Agostino Negri in Milan in the 1960s. About 25 years ago, the company relocated to its current headquarters in Siziano (Pavia), a newly built industrial site that allowed for the expansion of its machinery park and the optimization of production cycles.
Over time, the company’s product range has greatly diversified and now serves both domestic and international markets.
In 1984, Paola Negri, the founder’s second daughter, joined her father in the company, helping with skill and passion to further strengthen presence in the national market. In the 1990s, Laura, the eldest daughter, also entered the business, ensuring management continuity and a steady pursuit of quality and innovation.
Today, Laura leads the company, she is a pragmatic, determined, and deeply passionate entrepreneur, now joined by her son Matteo, representing the third generation and serving as head of production.
Matteo plays a key role, carrying forward the values and craftsmanship secrets passed down from his grandfather Agostino, whose memory still lives among employees and is symbolically represented in a photo hanging in the break area of the department.
“I joined the company working alongside my father, who had founded it a few years earlier”, Laura recalls. “I never imagined I’d work in this field, but over time it became my everyday world. Then it used to take much longer to make a blade. Today, thanks to automation, production times have shortened and quality has improved. But technology alone isn’t enough, if there’s no heart, you won’t go anywhere”.
That “heart” means passion, precision, and genuine closeness to the customer. “We don’t just sell a product, we offer a solution. We listen, we understand the problem, and if needed, we modify the blade until we achieve the perfect result”, Laura continues. This is why Negri Lame continues to produce custom-made blades, based on customer drawings or samples.
It’s a family business in the truest sense, built on a cohesive, motivated team. For over thirty years, a strategic point of reference has been Daniele Giurato, a key figure in the company’s commercial development. “Negri Lame is a company with a very strong identity. People aren’t treated as numbers, there’s respect, pride, and belonging in the air. The customer is always at the center. This approach takes time, but it builds trust”, says Giurato.
Tell us what you cut, and we’ll give you the right blade
One of the core aspects of Negri Lame’s identity is its consultative approach. It’s not just about supplying blades, it’s about listening, analyzing application contexts, working alongside machine operators, and recommending tailor-made solutions. To this, another key value is added: flexibility. The company maintains an agile, responsive structure, able to react quickly and precisely even to urgent requests.
The service is completed by an efficient warehouse and a range that also includes regrinding, laser marking, and skin-pack packaging. Circular blades today are used in numerous industrial sectors, from plastics to laminates, from metals to composites, and choosing the right blade is crucial to ensure safe, precise cuts.
The relationship with machine manufacturers is now far more synergistic than in the past. Thanks to automation, digitalization, and new sustainability requirements, the industry has shifted from simple tool supply to true technical collaboration. “Whenever possible, we work closely with manufacturers already at the design stage, so we can recommend the most effective solution right from the start”, explains Giurato. “And when our blades are branded, it often happens that converters from all over the world contact us directly for spare parts, having already experienced the quality of our product”.
Investment and growth strategies for an increasingly international future
The company is currently undergoing an important phase of evolution, with investments in traceability, process efficiency, and sustainability. Incremental improvements have been introduced across existing products and services, focusing on solutions that are more competitive, automated, and waste-reducing.
At IPACK-IMA and Labelexpo Europe, Negri Lame reaffirmed its commitment to supporting converters not only by showcasing its full range of solutions but also by exploring industry trends such as eco-friendly materials, sustainable technologies, and innovations in label cutting.
“We attended demonstrations, met experts, and created new synergies that will strengthen our presence in the packaging and label industries”, the company emphasizes. Trade shows also provided an opportunity to introduce technological innovations and services aligned with the demands of a market increasingly focused on quality and environmental impact.
Negri Lame aims to further strengthen its international presence through an integrated approach: on one hand, participation in major trade fairs; on the other, the use of digital tools, including a multilingual website, social media, and online campaigns, to maintain strong relationships with customers even beyond physical events.
A tailor-made e-commerce: efficiency, speed and customer service
In line with the spirit of innovation that has always defined Negri Lame, the company has recently launched a dedicated e-commerce service, accessible through a section of its new website. It’s an intuitive, functional platform where customers can browse and purchase all standard items available from stock, as well as request customized spare parts quickly and easily.
This project was designed to simplify the purchasing experience, shorten response times, and further enhance after-sales service. “We have a customer in Germany who tested our e-commerce for the first time last year and has already placed two repeat orders since then, clear proof that he was satisfied with the service”, says Laura Negri, highlighting the tangible value of this new operational model.
