Can you share the journey of Gruppo Marazzato from its inception in 1952 to becoming a leader in environmental services today?
Lucillo Marazzato, who emigrated from Veneto to Valle d'Aosta and subsequently to Piedmont, had always been a resourceful man. In 1952, he founded his own logistic company for third-party services. Within a few years, he specialized in the transportation of hazardous goods, and his small company began to grow exponentially, eventually welcoming his son Carlo into the business.
After visiting some relatives, Lucillo Marazzato witnessed a septic truck in action and decided to venture into this business. This marked the beginning of the environmental turn that would lead the company to become the Group we know today. Following the septic truck services to businesses and individuals, waste management also began to gain traction. Simultaneously, Carlo's three sons, Alberto, Luca, and Davide, joined the company.
From there, environmental emergency services began, followed by the establishment of the remediation division. Meanwhile, we closed the waste management cycle with the acquisition of the storage facility in Casale Monferrato in 2003 and the liquid final treatment plant in 2017 in Villastellone. Today, the Group is an environmental partner for over 5000 clients across Italy, and its mission to provide solutions for the planet is increasingly relevant.
Gruppo Marazzato manages a significant volume of waste annually. How do your operations contribute to sustainability and environmental protection?
The group operates in an industry characterized by stringent regulatory frameworks. Even though it's possible to streamline and expedite certain procedures, it remains crucial to uphold rigorous standards when it comes to the environment. The group adheres to each of these standards and often seeks to go above and beyond, such as through continuous efforts to reduce its environmental impact. Another example is the establishment of an in-house research and development center, which since 2020 has been dedicated to exploring alternative waste disposal solutions in collaboration with companies and universities, investing approximately €200,000 annually in research.
With a robust portfolio including waste management, environmental reclamation, and emergency interventions, how does Gruppo Marazzato tailor its services to meet the evolving needs of industries and communities?
For us, customization has always been a cornerstone. We are proud to work with micro-enterprises as well as investment funds, always paying utmost attention to the needs of the client. In certain fields, such as environmental reclamation, it's crucial to deploy maximum flexibility. Another strength is the division of our internal expertise, segmented into departments but capable of working synergistically with each other. This enables us to be always prepared for any emergency, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Environmental emergencies require rapid responses. Can you discuss Gruppo Marazzato's approach to emergency interventions and the impact of these services?
The Group first addressed the issue of environmental emergencies in 2010 when it faced two distinct disasters. In February of that year, we were called upon to support civil protection for an oil spill in the Lambro River. Just a year later, in 2011, we intervened during the flood in Genoa. The swift response led us to consider offering this service on a permanent basis: thus, the Environmental Emergency Response Division) was established, capable of intervening 24/7. From these same competencies, in 2016, the Remediation Division was also established.
Finally, risk assessment and process study led us to offer another service, called LIDA, for preventive consultancy aimed at identifying risk factors and implementing corrective actions to mitigate their impact.
Innovation plays a critical role in the environmental sector. How has Gruppo Marazzato embraced innovation to enhance sustainability in waste management and environmental services?
The theme of innovation has always been of central importance to us. At the core of our work is always the quest for the best solution for waste treatment. However, we wanted to go beyond that, by engaging with the world of research. Since 2020, we have established an internal Research and Development Center, located at the Villastellone facility, where engineers and other professionals work every day to seek alternative solutions to waste disposal, giving waste a second life and transforming it into resources. Additionally, we have several partnerships with academic institutions: Politecnico di Torino, Università del Piemonte Orientale, and Università di Padova stand alongside us to collaborate on research projects, and we welcome their students for master's programs and specialized courses.
Could you elaborate on the role of the Fondazione Marazzato in promoting environmental sustainability, education, and cultural heritage?
Established in 2023 in memory of Carlo Marazzato, the foundation consolidates all the group's CSR activities. Its activities are mainly divided into two branches: environmental and corporate culture. However, the foundation's initiatives cover various areas of interest: culture, youth, education, sports, employment, and healthcare. Regarding the environmental branch, in addition to the group's business activities, we carry out various reforestation projects in different areas of the territory. In the realm of corporate culture, on the other hand, we oversee, among other things, the care of a collection of over 300 historical vehicles, a project initiated by Carlo Marazzato himself. Today, the collection is housed in the premises of the Marazzato Foundation in a showroom in Stroppiana, in the province of Vercelli, where we organize "porte aperte" events. During these events, visitors can explore the collection with expert guides, attend thematic conferences along with documentary and photographic exhibitions, and engage in experiences such as virtual reality demonstrations, tours aboard historical vehicles, day trips, historical reenactments, and much more.
Gruppo Marazzato has a longstanding history of providing ecological services. Can you highlight the sustainability practices that have been key to your operations over the years?
Our business, including road transport, inevitably has a certain environmental impact. However, we strive to minimize this impact through every means possible, from technology to research and efficiency improvements. Regarding fuel, we are testing alternative technologies such as Eni's HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) biofuel, which is 100% diesel derived from renewable raw materials. In terms of vehicle renewal, we constantly update our fleet of over 200 units, with the goal of gradually phasing out Euro 5 and its predecessors. In terms of service efficiency, we have embraced Industry 4.0 with innovative service management systems through dedicated apps. Finally, we also pay attention to infrastructure: our facilities are equipped with photovoltaic panels, app-controlled access, and efficient heating systems.
Gruppo Marazzato has expanded its services and geographical footprint over the years. What strategies have driven this growth, and how do you maintain service quality across diverse regions?
Our strength lies in our territorial presence. We have been able to intervene directly where the market demands it and have created a network of partners to reach more distant locations. From our initial location in Ivrea, we expanded to Borgo Vercelli and then established 8 commercial sites across Piedmont and Liguria. We have operational sites in Biella, Aosta, Genoa, and Turin, along with storage or disposal facilities in Casale Monferrato and Villastellone. Additionally, we are part of a consortium managing a former landfill in the province of Piombino. In 2015, we founded Beetaly, a network of companies aimed at exchanging opportunities and knowledge, enabling us to reach all corners of the national territory.
Sustainability often involves collaboration across different sectors. Can you discuss any partnerships or collaborations that have been instrumental in advancing Gruppo Marazzato's sustainability initiatives?
As previously mentioned, research holds fundamental value for us. In addition to our internal R&D center, we have also sought out partners who share our vision. We have found them primarily in the realm of education, and to date, we have developed partnerships with prestigious institutions such as Politecnico di Torino, Università del Piemonte Orientale, and University of Padova. We have sponsored master's programs and specialized courses and some of the students are also brought into the company for specific projects or as more versatile figures.
However, this collaboration also works in reverse: our management plays significant roles in various entities. Davide Marazzato serves as Vice President of the Services Section of the Assoreca network, while Alberto Marazzato sits on the board of directors of the FORAZ training institution and the Advisory Board of the Executive Master in Business and Technology at Politecnico di Torino. Additionally, Alberto Marazzato is Vice President of the Facility Section of the Industrial Union of Turin.
With your vast experience in environmental services, Gruppo Marazzato likely encounters various challenges. Can you share a significant challenge you've faced in implementing sustainability practices and how you overcame it?
Our major challenges are often driven by resistance to change. For this reason, we have worked in agreement with management to modify this predisposition in order to better embrace change and the benefits it brings. Just to mention a few projects, in 2023 we launched the carpooling project, through which employees can share their home-to-work commute, resulting in monetary savings and reduced emissions. Additionally, we established the Sustainability Team, composed of cross-functional expertise within the company, which is responsible for evaluating and managing all projects related to sustainability.
Last year, we also introduced the role of Green Ambassadors, internal collaborators who promote sustainable lifestyles within the company. In general, the introduction of young professionals into key roles has contributed to the innovation of management within the company, fostering change and embracing the advancements that technology offers us.
Environmental regulations and standards are constantly evolving. How does Gruppo Marazzato stay ahead in complying with these changes, and what role does innovation play in this process?
We are constantly updated on environmental regulations to ensure that we offer our services at the highest level. We have an environmental delegate within the board of directors, and we have created the Waste Division, which not only drives commercial development but also participates in regulatory discussions and attends meetings of industry associations, as well as those of environmental institutions and bodies.
Looking towards the future, how does Gruppo Marazzato plan to further its commitment to sustainability and innovation within the environmental services sector?
All these actions are not an endpoint but rather a starting one, to make our commitment increasingly concrete. For the past two years, we have been preparing a sustainability report voluntarily, in which we account for our commitment to sustainability in its environmental, social, and economic dimensions, and set tangible objectives to achieve in the medium and long term. The report will soon become a full-fledged sustainability balance sheet, including measurements of carbon footprint, consumption, and any other data useful for mitigating our impact. Furthermore, in 2023, we achieved two significant milestones in ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) matters: the Marazzato Soluzioni Ambientali parent company expanded its corporate purpose by becoming a benefit corporation, and in March of the same year, the aforementioned Fondazione Marazzato was established with the aim of consolidating all CSR activities. Our goal is to raise the bar even higher and strive to make our operations as low-impact as possible, while also offsetting our consumption through targeted actions.
