Albania’s economic growth over the last decade was initially driven by the expanding tourism sector and the resulting demand for accommodation. This growth subsequently fueled demand for new housing and public infrastructure, including hospitals, roads, schools, airports, and essential facilities for emerging urban settlements.

VakefiGlass is a story of vision, tenacity, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. In 1995, Shpëtim Protoduari, known as “Cimi,” embarked on his entrepreneurial adventure with the purchase of the first glass panes in Bulgaria. Since then, he has transformed a small trading business in the region between Albania, Kosovo, and North Macedonia into a family-run company. Today, VakefiGlass employs approximately eighty people and is a benchmark in the trade and processing of flat glass in the Balkans.

After establishing a strong client base in Albania and neighboring countries, Protoduari recognized the opportunities in glass processing. In 1998, he opened a small factory in Berat, enabling the company to begin its initial cutting and grinding operations.

As turnover increased, so did the complexity of orders and processes. To accommodate this growth, Cimi expanded the production site and invested in a more structured machine park. Production was moved to the outskirts of the city, and after a decade, these investments became even more substantial.

In 2018, VakefiGlass reached a turning point with the construction of a 10,000 sqm production area in the Durrës region. Located strategically on the road connecting the coastal city and Tirana, this facility has been progressively equipped with cutting-edge machinery for processing high-quality glass panes.

TECHNOLOGY AND PASSION: THE FORMULA FOR SUCCESS

In this phase, Protoduari expanded ambitiously, investing in the latest machinery to offer customers comprehensive glass processing services—from tempering and lamination to digital printing. The company enhanced its capabilities with the Forel DM drill-milling machine and the new Forel High Tech Jumbo line, which processes panels up to 6,000 x 3,300 mm in size.

This new plant allows VakefiGlass to produce large format insulated glass with double, triple, or quadruple glass units, create staggered / stepped glass solutions, and manufacture large custom designed glass panels, fully supporting both residential and commercial construction projects.

VakefiGlass’s success is rooted in a corporate culture that prioritizes problem-solving and provides robust support for customers facing critical challenges.

As the CEO of VakefiGlass notes: “We must always be at the service of the market. When customers face challenges in managing structured projects, we see it as an opportunity to provide innovative products and services through our commitment and technology.”

“Work organization and production planning present our biggest challenges. It’s not just about the machines; our people are key to production,” Protoduari notes.

He emphasizes that market feedback serves as our fundamental guideline: Introducing a successful product requires leveraging advanced technology, developed from the challenges others have faced. Machine design embodies a wealth of experiences, solved problems, and insights that materialize into technology, solutions, and patents.”

VakefiGlass has built its reputation on delivering quality products through a combination of technology and teamwork.

Protoduari explains, “We chose Forel because we were familiar with the brand and their machines have a proven track record in European and international markets. Forel creates its machines by listening to customers, integrating expertise, engineering, and customization. When selecting a plant, we recommend focusing on its potential capabilities rather than solely on the initial investment cost.”

THE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE WITH FOREL

VakefiGlass’s new Forel High Tech Jumbo insulated glass line is enabling ambitious, cutting-edge architectural projects. The Marigona Tower in Pristina exemplifies this potential and is set to become one of Kosovars urban landmark.

The twenty-four-story skyscraper incorporates insulated glass panels with a 30 mm sealing depth, manufactured at the VakefiGlass plant, reflecting an architectural focus on glass and energy efficiency. These advanced solutions deliver exceptional thermal insulation, substantially decreasing the building’s overall energy consumption.

The outstanding quality of VakefiGlass is showcased again in the Skylight Marriot building in Pristina, where uniquely shaped glass produced on the Forel insulated glass production line has been installed. Additionally, VakefiGlass have several significant projects underway in Albania and the United Kingdom, featuring large glass panels and innovative designs, including staggered/stepped glass and triple-pane units.

In today’s rapidly evolving economic landscape, this company is proving that they are not just keeping up with market trends, but actively shaping them. They’re focused on continuous innovation, technological advancement, and sustainable growth, which are essential to becoming a leader in both the Balkans and the broader European market.

At FIT Show 2025 Forel UK & Ireland will exhibit for the first time showing the very latest advancements in machine technology producing the highest quality products in the most efficient way possible that deliver our customers a significant competitive edge.

Forel, recently awarded for machine innovation at the G Awards for its work on “Skinny triple” sealed units and is recognition that the company’s goal to add relevance and value to the markets and customers it serves.

As legislative changes emerge the need for new or improved products to achieve the requirement become ever present and Forel has developed its range accordingly.

Brian McDonald CEO Forel UK & Ireland commented “The FIT Show represents the largest trade show for the UK window, door and glass industry, and it delivers us an opportunity to present our vision of what is needed to facilitate change” Although Forel’s direct presence within the UK & Irish territory has been relatively short it has been present in both markets for nearly 50 years.

The experience, knowledge and expertise of the UK & Ireland team is equally strong, complimented by direct support from Forel headquarters in Treviso Italy. Brian remarked “Having a direct presence within the UK that is available and responsive to customer need is crucial, as is the ability to service those needs with direct sales, technical, and spare part support”.

Forel has a renowned reputation for exhibiting on a global scale and testament to that is the fact that Forel machines are installed in over 70 countries globally. Amongst recent events, Forel has expanded its manufacturing headquarters to 60,000 square meters making it one of the biggest independently owned machinery businesses in this sector.

Brian added: “The FOREL philosophy when it comes to exhibitions and marketing has always been to exhibits when possible, ensuring our customers can experience our technologies firsthand as well as supporting exhibitions around the world to ensure these events are supported as they bring the only one to one experience that many people have with the manufacturers.

“Visiting the FIT Show in 2025 is something that I hope all within our industry will do, especially when you consider the pace of change, what’s new and what’s possible for the future. On our stand we will be delighted to meet representatives from all aspects of the supply chain, that might directly need our machinery solutions or benefit from our technologies further downstream, to both share and discuss how together we can feasibly introduce positive change and improvements to our market.

Forel is a machinery manufacturer based in Treviso Italy and is widely recognised for technical innovation, high performance and extended reliability. Founded by Fortunato Vianello in 1976 in humble surroundings, the company grew exponentially in terms of size, products, and service reputation. Today the manufacturing site has over 60,000 square meters of floor space and employs well over 300 people worldwide.

Nickie West, FIT Show 2025 Event Director, expressed her enthusiasm about FOREL joining the lineup: “We’re thrilled to welcome FOREL UK & Ireland to FIT Show 2025. Their commitment to automation and innovation aligns perfectly with our vision for the event. Visitors will have the unique opportunity to see FOREL’s cutting-edge machine technology in action on the big screen as part of their stand, including their award-winning ‘Skinny triple’ sealed units. With FOREL’s expanded 60,000 square meter manufacturing headquarters and their presence in over 70 countries, their participation underscores FIT Show’s status as the UK’s premier event for the window, door, and glass industry. We’re excited for attendees to experience FOREL’s latest advancements and discuss how these innovations can drive positive change in our rapidly evolving industry.”

Serraglass, a prominent Spanish glass manufacturer, has reached new heights in efficiency by integrating the cutting-edge LineScanner from LiteSentry-Softsolution into their Forel insulating glass line. This strategic upgrade has revolutionized their production process, setting a new benchmark for quality and operational excellence.

Transforming Quality Control

The LineScanner, installed after the washing station, inspects each pane individually to ensure that only premium-quality glass is used in the assembly of IG-units. This advanced system has given Serraglass decisive advantages:

1. Fast Inspections: The LineScanner’s unmatched speed surpasses traditional human inspection, drastically cutting quality control times. Serraglass has realized significant monthly savings, thanks to this efficiency.
2. Seamless Automation: With the LineScanner replacing 1–2 human inspectors, Serraglass has reallocated personnel to more strategic roles, optimizing labor costs.
3. Boosted Production Capacity: Faster inspections allow Serraglass to scale up production rates, meeting increased demand without sacrificing quality.
4. Comprehensive Coverage: Unlike human inspectors, who can be affected by fatigue or occasional oversight, the LineScanner meticulously scans every inch of every pane, ensuring consistent quality while significantly reducing rework, warranty claims, and associated costs.

A Partnership for Growth

The collaboration between Serraglass and LiteSentry-Softsolution has proven to bemore than just a technological upgrade—it’s a foundation for mutual success.

Arturo Serra, Director of Serraglass, shared his enthusiasm for the LineScanner’s transformative impact:”The results speak for themselves. We’ve achieved faster throughput, fewer defects, and noticeable cost reductions. This technology has truly elevated our operations.”

Wolfgang Hofbauer, Customer Care Manager at LiteSentry-Softsolution, visited Serraglass to assess the system’s performance post-installation.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to see our solutions making such a significant difference,” Hofbauer stated. “The success at Serraglass underscores the immense value that automated inspection systems bring to modern glass manufacturing.”

Focusing on the future

Buoyed by these impressive results, Serraglass is exploring further applications of LiteSentry-Softsolution technology and have plans are underway to install additional scanners. This forward-thinking strategy aligns with their expansion goals, ensuring quality remains a top priority as they scale operations. The partnership between Serraglass and LiteSentry-Softsolution is a compelling example of how state-of-the-art technology can fuel success in modern manufacturing.

Source: Softsolution – LiteSentry with additional information added by GlassBalkan