40 years of Consorzio Marmisti della Valpantena: celebrations between history and future

2024 was a special year for our organisation, a year in which we celebrated our 40th anniversary. An important milestone, achieved thanks to the commitment of all member companies, which we wanted to celebrate through moments of sharing, reflection and celebration.

A journey through our history

To narrate these four decades, we have worked hard to gather historical information and photograph the most significant stages of our journey. This work has resulted in a series of contents, shared on our social channels, which have delved into the dates that form our timeline and summarise the key moments in our evolution. From the birth of Consorzio in 1984 to the most recent initiatives aimed at finding innovative solutions for the re-use of marble dust. Each milestone has been a fundamental part of our history.

We invite you to retrace our journey by catching up with the content on our social channels:

Browse our story on Facebook.
One step at a time on Instagram.
A timed story one Linkedin.
A video of his Youtube.

26 October: a day at the quarry to celebrate the future

One of the most significant events was a visit to the quarry, a unique experience involving Consorzio members, company employees and representatives of local institutions and the industry.

The day opened with a welcome from the President of Consorzio, Renato Dal Corso, who thanked everyone present for their commitment and emphasised the importance of collective work towards sustainable innovation. His words kicked off a day of insight and discussion.

A visit to the quarry

The tour was led by geologist Simone Barbieri, who passionately explained what is involved in managing an active quarry and its operation. During the tour, participants learnt:

how silt, a residue of natural stone processing, is reused to restore the currently operating rock quarry site;
the bureaucratic, technical and physical complexities involved in managing such a site;
the result of the restoration work, with a site that from a landscape point of view is fully integrated into the surrounding environment. In the future, visitors to the area will no longer see traces of the quarry or landfill activity.

The visit ended with a speech by Federica Zanini, a local entrepreneur and representative of the consortium, who spoke about future prospects and progress in sustainable research. She spoke about the ten-year collaboration with the University of Padua and the Department of Industrial Engineering under the guidance of Dr. Bertani, emphasising how precious elements can be obtained from silt to be reintroduced into the market.

Thanks to these processes, it is estimated that most of the silt can be reused, leaving only a small portion for disposal, thus reducing the environmental impact and ensuring economic sustainability.

Federica concluded with a message of hope:

"Thanks also to the support of the institutions, we can continue to work on innovative solutions. Research is our way to a sustainable future".

A symbolic memory

At the end of the visit, each participant received a symbolic gift, a glass bottle containing three elements:

at the base, the rocks of the quarry;
in the centre, the silt;
and at the top, the salt.

This gift represents the evolutionary path the Consorzio is taking: transforming waste into a resource through scientific research.

The day ended with a convivial aperitif, during which participants continued to discuss and debate the topics discussed. In addition, a playful-instructive moment was organised: those present were invited to estimate how many tonnes of silt have been landfilled from 2009 to 30 September 2024.

The result? A total of 838,239.11 tonnes, equivalent to 33,400 lorry trips, with an annual average of 55,600 tonnes transported in approximately 2,200 trips. The winner of the game was whoever came closest to the actual value, showing attention and interest during the visit.

29 November: a dinner to look to the future

The celebration of our 40th anniversary ended with a special evening, attended by consortium members and local and industry institutions. It was a moment of reflection and sharing, which saw significant interventions on the past, present and future of the stone industry.

Hosting the evening was Federica Zanini, who explained the meaning of the event's title: "40 years together, in the future the turning point". A concept that sums up the essence of the consortium: a group of companies that has never waited for solutions from above, but has always worked with determination to find concrete answers to the challenges of the sector.

The President of the consortium, Renato Dal Corso, then took the floor with an impassioned speech. He thanked those present and, with great emotion, described the current reality of the consortium: born out of a regulatory requirement and today able to provide employment for 500 families in the Valpantena, in a complex economic context. He highlighted the difficulties that the sector faces, especially in the search for qualified personnel and the availability of adequate housing for workers, appealing to the institutions, especially the mayors of the area. He then added with a meaningful joke:

"I promote craft intelligence, because marble is touched and needs manual intelligence"

a clear reference to the importance of know-how with respect to the artificial intelligence so much discussed today.

Next, Marco Armillotta, responsible for environment and safety at work at Confindustria Veneto, emphasised the association's commitment to supporting the sector and its involvement in regional choices related to the circular economy. He spoke about the step change that is taking place in the treatment of production residues, explaining the two main ways to valorise waste:

Processing residue as a by-product, when it meets specific regulatory requirements.
Secondary raw material (End of Waste), when the recovered material can re-enter the production cycle, avoiding disposal as waste.

The mayor of Grezzana, Arturo Alberti, and the president of the Verona Stone District, Filiberto Semenzin, both emphasised the value of the consortium for the local economy and the key role of companies in promoting the area.

A particularly significant moment was when the presidents of three historic consortia of the Verona Stone District took the stage: Sandro Peretti and Donato Larizza, respectively the presidents of the Consorzio Tutela Pietra della Lessinia and Asmave in Valpolicella. A gesture that underlined the importance of collaboration between realities of the sector, all committed to the enhancement of marble and the growth of the stone industry.

The evening was an opportunity to strengthen ties between member companies and reaffirm the Consortium's strong commitment to sustainability, innovation and the promotion of natural stone around the world. It was an event that united past and future, reconfirming the desire to face the new challenges of the sector together.