On November 5 in Borgo Val di Taro we celebrated the doubling of our production plant with a big event.
Friday saw our production site become a place of celebration, an important opportunity for sharing with those who helped us to reach this major achievement.
We would like to tell you about the highlights of one of our most important days of 2021, because every goal achieved is a joy to be shared with you all.
On November 5 in Borgo Val di Taro, 150 people including representatives from local and regional institutions, leading figures from the worlds of business and finance, employees, suppliers and journalists, came together for the “Sustainable Evolution” event, to celebrate the doubling of the Laminam production plant.
The event was planned and organised with a special emphasis on the environment and the local area. Laminam’s desire to reduce its environmental impact was the overarching theme of the whole event: no to single-use plastics, yes to recycled paper for napkins and press badges. Information such as the event programme and the invitations was conveyed via digital means, and we opted for potted plants as floral decorations, which will subsequently be replanted.
Guests were welcomed by our CEO, Alberto Selmi, followed by contributions from Edoardo Lanzavecchia, Managing Partner of Alpha Group, Giovanni Savorani, President of Confindustria Ceramica, and, in closing, Stefano Bonaccini, President of the Emilia Romagna Region.
United by their awareness of having contributed to achieving an important goal, they generated a mood of confidence and enthusiasm. The bold enthusiasm one feels for achievements that are actually beginnings, the same enthusiasm that Laminam has felt for twenty years in revolutionising ceramics applied to architecture, reinventing sizes and thicknesses.
Looking at the results of the present and reflecting on the challenges of the future, Alberto Selmi spoke about the growth that Laminam has been experiencing for several years now: from manufacturer of slabs to leading company in the complex world of Superior Natural Surfaces for Architecture and Design, closer to our clients than ever, providing inspiration to all those who wish to shape their home and work spaces: architects, designers, ordinary people.
In addressing the guests, our CEO highlighted several points:
- The lockdown didn’t stop us.
The numbers speak for themselves: in 2020, the year of the pandemic, lockdown, and inactivity, turnover stood at 2019 levels, but already in the first nine months of 2021 it saw growth of 43% compared to the first nine months of 2019, confirming extremely positive forecasts for the end of the year.
- Sustainable evolution is a plan
Laminam’s evolution goes beyond mere brand positioning to encompass a clearly defined development plan, which is expressed in its “three guidelines for excellence”: digital transformation, internationalisation, and sustainable innovation in economic, environmental and social terms.
- Digitalisation goes hand in hand with internationalisation.
Digitalisation entails a major investment in digital technology and professionalism, while the concept of internationalisation takes its cue from bringing the company substantially closer to the people, wherever they may be. Not forgetting that Laminam is an ambassador for Italian design, with a production facility in Russia, 10 subsidiaries and numerous logistical hubs and showrooms all over the world.
- Innovating sustainably is a choice
Laminam believes so strongly in sustainable innovation that it has set aside an investment plan of over 50 million euros for the expansion and upgrading of its facilities through the use of innovative technology developed with their suppliers and partners. From the product to the people, from the processes to the supply chain: everything at Laminam is designed and created to limit its impact, ensure the health and safety of its employees, sustainably create and innovate products, and act respectfully with regard to the local area.
- People are the heart of Laminam
Laminam would not exist without all the women and men who, inside and outside the company, work every day to improve it, each according to their own professional capabilities. Look at the figures: in the last nine months, Laminam has seen the number of its employees increase by 100 units, bringing it to a total of around 700 people, 500 of which in are Italy. At the Italian sites, the number of female employees represents around 40% of the total, a higher than average percentage for the ceramic sector, as is the percentage of younger employees. Beyond the company itself, Laminam-branded sustainable innovation is rooted in the local area and involves the institutions and communities to which it belongs and in which it operates.
Following contributions from the other speakers, the guests formed small groups and took part in a guided tour of the working production plant. To round off the event, guests enjoyed a lavish buffet lunch with products from the local area, to highlight their value and promote natural farming with zero food miles. All waste was kept to a minimum and sorted thanks to the local authority providing special containers for collecting food waste in order to create compost.
This is how we wish to continue our sustainable business approach: conscious of our impact on the world.
