in 1792 had made operational a textile mill and a spinning house, the first located between the palace and the current Caracciolo Fontana, the second at the road Mycenae (now Via Mycenae), near today's Salesian shelter. The growth of textiles was also due to the Turin born Francesco Bal, director of spinning in the Reggio region and the large spinning mill at Santa Caterina. Soon many villagers followed the example of Caracciolo and numerous mills were built between Villa, Pezzo and Cannitello. The industrial activity had also grown the population: in fact, Fossa in 1777, recorded only 236 souls, while in 1811 the inhabitants numbered 1804, in 1849 grew to 3475, and in 1901 the population was 6647. In 1847 there were 44 mills in Villa, 676 ironers, 676 teachers and 676 disciples. But soon came the mechanization and with it, after the unification of Italy, the northern and foreign investments of entrepreneurs, such as Milan Adriano Grass and the English Thomas Hallam and his nephew Edward J. Eaton, who parted company with activities in Villesi spinners. The town then earned the nickname of small Manchester, in reference to the silky English city of Manchester and the British industrial presence. In 1892, Villa operated twenty-boiler systems and one system with direct heat (Bambara Pasquale). The major mills in the boiler were spinning mill Eaton (3 boilers, 35 horses, 128 containers and 300 employees), the spinning mill Grass (3 boilers, 42 horses, 110 containers and 253 employees), the spinning mill Florio and Marra (2 boilers, 14 horses, 120 containers and 238 employees), the spinning mill and sons John Caminiti (2 boilers, 16 horses, 56 bowls and 136 employees) and the spinning mill Lofaro Rocco and children (2 boilers, 12 horses, 60 bowls and 106 employees). Here are two other systems with two boilers (Aricò Salvatore Sergi and Cosimo) and thirteen to one boiler operated by various contractors Villesi. On March 19, 1877, was established the Workers' Mutual Aid Society, which still exists and operates. The pipe industry Villa was also famous for the pipe industry. From 1913, a French factory was set up in the Villa for the production of pipes, the Vassas, located in the premises of the former Erba spinning mill, along the current Via Marina. Around 1926 it was sold to the Tuscan Egidio Dei, former director of the same; then was equipped with about 25 circular saws.