News

Trentino stone industry looks to the future thanks to the Porphyry and Trentino Stone District
By the end of the year, the Province will finance ten innovative projects

Thanks to a tradition going back thousands of years, the Porphyry and Trentino Stone District in 2008 produced more than five million tonnes, generating turnover of about 380 million euro.
This is an important economic sector for the Province of Trento with 513 companies involved in quarrying, processing and sales ensuring employment for almost three thousand people. The porphyry field alone last year processed 1.59 million tonnes, through 108 quarrying companies and 960 employees.
Porphyry and Trentino Stone District - even though porphyry used for flooring and cladding and the most significant stone in the provincial quarrying panorama, one should not overlook other stone materials of impressive quality.
Trentino produces decorative marbles and limestones – the four types main are Red also known as Trento Red, Verdello, Zieresol known as Terlago Pink and White also known as Pila White – as well as decorative granites and feldspars. The sector also boasts significant work with inert materials for aggregates, gravel, clays for bricks, limestones for cement, chalk and granulates.
Effective action for development of the field as of February this year are managed by the new company that Trentino Sviluppo (as per provincial law 7/2006 governing quarry activity) has set up - “Distretto del Porfido e delle Pietre Trentine srl" - as the operative arm District Coordination under President Mariano Gianotti.
"It must be said," commented President Gianotti, "that the creation of the District took place prior to the economic crisis that has hit the stone industry in the same way as other economic sectors. Inasmuch, we should not view the District as the magic wand whisking the sector out of the difficult market and economic situation. Nevertheless, action finalised in recent weeks that the Province will assess and approve by the end of the year will be very useful."
In short, the District is working on ten projects and the Department of Industry, Crafts and Commerce guided by Alessandro Olivi will provide finance after examining them within the end of the year.
"The new company is the operative arm of the District and is finalising this intervention," Gianotti pointed out, "which is obviously still in the design and development stage. More specifically, tasks involve the definition of a company mission statement, the creation of an Observatory to collect sector data, the creation of an internet site intended not merely as a showcase but especially at the service of companies and operators. Not to mention cultural and tourism valorisation of quarries, the launch of promotion activity for stone products on a national and international scale, the rationalisation of the production sector with the objective of sharing common costs, the re-use of waste and the definition of qualitative characteristics for products together with correct installation technologies."
As if this were not enough, Gianotti concludes this illustration of projects underway by emphasising two in which he believes very strongly: "In fact, I would really like to be able to convince local authorities to use our stone to embellish roads, squares and public works in order to strengthen the character of the region through local materials and thereby create a soul and identity that everyone can perceive." Lastly, social sustainability: "The reorganisation of production processes and the necessary implementation of new technologies risks losing very skilled people in the work market who would still be very useful in the sector if we help them find the right placement. The history of Trentino Stone was written by these people and we have the duty to help them and avoid losing their knowledge."


Verona, 11 / 9 / 2009