In 1886 in Melito Porto Salvo, in the province of Reggio Calabria, Girolamo Patamia started a craft activity of bergamot essential oil extraction with manual systems. The company created its headquarters and current location in the beginning of twentieth century, that was later developed with most modern technology and systems for the time, by his son Salvatore Patamia - town mayor for many years. After Salvatore’s death in 1920, the activity was continued and was expanded by his son Igino Patamia, who started the production of calcium citrate and ethyl alcohol from bergamot juice. In 1947 he decided to make a change and expand the business by buying from Boltri, a multi-floor vertical dryer to use in the raw fiber production of dried bergamot, used for the extraction of pectin. A few years later, in 1954, the drying line for pectin was expanded with the purchase of a Vernon rotary dryer that allowed the company to start appearing on the international market of dried peel for pectin, and thus placing it ,in the ‘70s, in the first place in Europe by quantity of dried peel. It is in the years after Igino’s death in 1966, that the company is passed on to his son Salvatore. The positive development was stopped, in the 90s due to the competition from South American countries, which lead to the family deciding to close the company, but to remain in the sector as a mediator between the Sicilian producers of citrus derivatives and the foreign companies producing pectin. The new frontiers, opened up by research on bergamot derivatives has renewed the interest in the only Italian area used for its cultivation, and this global situation motivated the restart of the industry in Calabria, more precisely in the old location of the historic company in Melito Porto Salvo in Reggio Calabria, absorbing the huge experience and maintaining the same business name. These are the reasons for the investment of the company and shareholders to buy the old factory and put it back in activity.
