The Saccardo Factory(1) was one of a group of factories which were established to support the textile industry in the upper Vicenza province.
The edifice is located at the foot of the Tretto hill in the district of Progresso, right alongside the Orco torrent and facing the spot where this flows in to the Acquasaliente. This is where in 1892 Giuseppe Saccardo transferred the factory(2) producing spinning and weaving spools which had been set up in Schio a few years earlier and was later destroyed by fire.
The choice of the site, where the‘Pocio’ Corn Mill already stood, was explained by his intention of exploiting the watercourse to produce electric energy.
The complete establishment(3) extended over a covered area of 10 thousand sq m and an uncovered area of 15,200 sq m. It comprised two(4) sawtooth- roof buildings: the upper one was once used for producing the spools and as a warehouse, the lower one was used for the production of the wooden shuttles(5). These featured a series of façades(6) descending in steps with brick-outlined single or coupled windows, round-shaped under the garrets. Two chimneys(7) rose up in the background: the main one, crowned(8) with several rings at the top, was used by two Cornish boilers which produced steam for the driers. The hot water was then re-used in the production process.
The accomodation(9) for the caretaker was located at the side of the entrance, while the Managing Director’s small villa was on the hill opposite.
The company activity, which extended to manufacturing toys and then also boat hulls during the war, was transferred to the new works in the Liviera neighbourhood of Schio in 1964 with the intention of unifying the various establishments which had been set up in other parts of Italy.
The edifice at Tretto, which had been abandoned for many years, was recovered in 1991 by an association of craftsmen called ‘Consorzio Progresso’ and houses various productive ventures including the RAM Weaving and the Pozzan Model-making companies.

The Saccardo Hydroelectric Power Station which was built between 1904 and 1911 is an integral part of the factory.
Going up the path alongside the Orco torrent, north of the vast complex, one can see the penstock carrying the water over a fall of about 200 metres to the collecting basin with its canal, which were built to guarantee a constant flow to feed the turbines.
The power station was restored in 1993 by the‘Consorzio Progresso’ and today has become an interesting Museum of electric energy; on the inside one can see the control console with the Carrara marble panels(10) and the various instruments as well as the old disused turbines(11), made by the Riva company in Milan and Pellizzari company in Arzignano, alongside two motor units which were operated when additional power was required or in periods when there was very little rainfall.
In 1994, a Pelton turbine was installed in order to put the station back into service, this was built by the Troyer company in Vipiteno and was powered by the force of two water jets operating either individually or together.