Zilmet, a family-owned manufacturer, was founded in Padua, Italy, in 1955 by Ugo Benettolo, who started making radiator spacers in his workshop. With an eye for industry, Benettolo transformed his vision and shop into manufacturing expansion tanks and heat exchangers. His son, Paulo, joined him in the business and would strengthen and grow the small family enterprise exponentially. 

Today, Paulo Benettolo continues to lead the company as its president. Keeping up with the family tradition, Riccardo, Paulo’s son, joined the company and oversees the manufacturing side of the business — including a strategic move that would continue the company’s global growth. 

Reaching more than 100 countries, Zilmet is the world’s largest expansion tank manufacturer, and 30 percent of its manufacturing is that of heat exchangers. The company also has a line of complementary products to accompany its expansion tanks and heat exchangers, making it a highly desired partner for its customers: contractors in the plumbing, HVAC, hydronic and water well industries. 

Paulo Benettolo is credited with the company’s expansion throughout Europe and Asia. With more than 2 million square feet of manufacturing in Italy, producing more than 8 million products annually, and with 500-plus employees, the company was poised for further growth. In 2012, it made the journey to the United States and opened Zilmet USA, headquartered in North Kingstown, R.I. Under the helm of General Manager Scott Jacobsen, Zilmet USA started small and embraced the company’s four core values: Move Forward, Easy, Relationships, and Balance.

In keeping with the core value of Moving Forward—”In all we do, improve upon yesterday and keep moving the business forward”—Jacobsen and his team have embraced this work ethic and actively applied it in the United States.

From the outset, Zilmet USA  was off and running, and the company was growing fast. With increased demand for the product in the U.S., it made sense to build another manufacturing plant. “Our owner, Paulo Benettolo, once remarked that with such impressive growth we should look at building a factory here in the U.S. to be closer to the customer,” Jacobsen says. “That comment planted the seed for what is now becoming a reality.”

Jacobsen and his team were up for the challenge of finding the right location. After extensive research, they found an opportunity that would accommodate the company’s U.S. expansion and allow for future growth: a move to Georgetown, S.C., with Chris Van Haaren, principal engineer, as Zilmet USA’s lead designer of the new headquarters and campus. 

Strategic Build

While Zilmet USA originally looked to stay in Rhode Island, the team researched alternate locations and found that South Carolina offers a strong support system for companies to grow. 

“What really sold us on South Carolina was the incredible support from the South Carolina Economic Development team for finding and training employees, along with the impressive technical schools,” Jacobsen says. Paulo Benettolo was particularly impressed with the available resources and commented, “There was nothing like it in Italy.” 

Zilmet USA purchased 36 acres in Georgetown, allowing the company to develop a campus-like setting, starting with the Phase 1 construction of a 150,000-square-foot manufacturing plant and offices. Working together, with Van Haaren here in the U.S. and Riccardo Benettolo in Italy, the duo guided the design of the new facility. Their vision, soon to become a reality, is a plant designed to be highly automated, using robotics and modern technology to maximize production while ensuring it maintains its high-quality standards. 

The South Carolina plant begins an exciting new chapter for Zilmet USA. With room to expand, the campus is set to grow over time, with plans for an additional 100,000 square feet in Phase 2. “We have 36 acres of land and room for one or two more buildings,” Jacobsen explains. “The long-term vision is to create a full-fledged campus to serve as a hub for our North American operations.” 

The company’s new headquarters will be open around March 1, 2025, with the scheduled opening of the manufacturing plant by mid-summer. In the meantime, the company is fully stocked with products from its Italian manufacturing facilities — ensuring a seamless transition. 

Once operational, the plant will employ between 40 and 50 people, many of whom will be recruited through local technical schools. “South Carolina has a robust apprenticeship program that we’re looking to participate in,” Jacobsen adds. “We plan to hire young tradespeople right out of school, and the state’s support in training and developing this talent is invaluable.”

In addition to its focus on local talent, the new plant will be highly automated, making it one of the world’s most advanced expansion tank manufacturing facilities. Jacobsen explains: “We will likely be more automated than our parent company in Italy. The technology we’re implementing is cutting-edge, and we’re excited to bring our customers in to see it firsthand.” 

And for its customers, Zilmet USA holds tight its core value of Relationships Matter— “Both internally and externally, find shared goals between partners.” Doug Hyman, president, US Supply Co., explains how Zilmet USA puts its values into action. “US Supply switched brands many years ago to Zilmet. The product was quality, and the pricing was competitive, but the deciding reason was Scott Jacobsen. From day one, Scott communicated his desire to partner and build success together. He reiterated that relationships come first and trump the hurdles facing us. Additionally, he and Zilmet made it very easy to conduct business together.”

A Commitment to Innovation and Nimbleness

One key factor that sets Zilmet USA apart from its competitors is its ability to adapt quickly to customer needs. Jacobsen attributes much of the company’s success to its “nimbleness.” “Our nimbleness is one of our greatest strengths,” he says. “We can adapt our products to meet customer needs more readily than some of our larger competitors. While others may offer a take-it-or-leave-it approach, we’re willing to modify and adjust. This gives us an edge in a competitive market.”

Hyman sees firsthand the company’s nimbleness in action. “At US Supply, one important value to us is always looking for a win/win scenario. Scott and Zilmet fit the bill to a tee. If you haven’t engaged Scott Jacobsen, seek him out. He is an outstanding business partner and quality individual, and his products are great!!” 

Zilmet’s new U.S. plant will further enhance this flexibility, as local production will enable quicker response times and more efficient customization. “The new plant will act as a force multiplier for our nimbleness,” Jacobsen notes. “We’ll be able to respond to customer demands even faster and with greater precision.” 

This ties into the company’s third core value of being Easy to Work With. And it’s the ease of doing business along with its self-directed constant improvement that sets the company apart. “We want to improve every day and be better tomorrow than we were yesterday with our products, quality, people and customer service,” Jacobsen says. “We want everything we do with and for our customers to be viewed through the lens of being easy to do business with, and  being nimble allows us to do so.” 

Being nimble also includes adapting to new growth areas, such as new emerging markets in wholesale distribution and specialty OEM applications. With the new plant in place in South Carolina, the manufacturer can easily handle the increased demand for its products as these new markets emerge.

A Focus on Culture and Core Values

As Zilmet USA continues to grow, the company remains rooted in its core values, which emphasize customer relationships, employee well-being and continuous improvement. “We believe in always moving forward,” Jacobsen says. “We want to improve every day, whether it’s our products, our customer service or our internal processes. Being easy to work with is another one of our core values. We know that if we make it difficult for our customers, they’ll go elsewhere, so we strive to be a partner they can rely on.”

The company also strongly emphasizes work-life balance and employee empowerment, its fourth core value, Balance. “We run fast, but we also take time to bond as a team,” Jacobsen shares. “We have a gym in our offices for employees to use, and we encourage everyone to take care of their mental and physical well-being. Our goal is to create a work environment where people feel valued and empowered to make decisions.”

Zilmet USA is also very proud of the fact that over 20% of their U.S. workforce are military veterans. With veterans, Jacobsen says, “ they are comfortable in being in uncomfortable situations, and thus things become easier to them.  We are proud to support them and look to hire more in the future.”

With the new U.S. manufacturing plant set to open by the end of 2025’s second quarter, Zilmet USA is well-positioned for continued growth. Jacobsen envisions a future where the company expands its product offerings, strengthens relationships with trade schools and customers, and builds upon its legacy of innovation. 

“We have a lot of work ahead of us, but we’re excited about the future,” Jacobsen says. “Our plant in South Carolina is a big win for us, and it’s already opening doors. We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished and eager to see what’s next.”