READING TIME: 6 min
Vittorio is the youngest of the Marenghi family, heir to Cartiera Mantovana , a historic company for the production of recycled paper for more than 17 generations. In order, Cartiera Mantovana is the second longest-running family-run business in Italy.
Today Vittorio is responsible for the company's Commercial Division and President of the Young Industrialists Group of Confindustria Mantova .
We met him in the Mantua countryside, at his home. Next to him is Gordon, his chocolate Labrador friend who, if he can, he never separates from.
17 generations is an infinite amount of time. Cartiera Mantovana is an entrepreneurial example to admire and take inspiration from. Can you tell us about it?
If we look at the number in years it is even more impressive: 407 years have passed since its foundation. A company so old, so full of history, brings with it a baggage of great responsibilities.
I think our strength is the credibility that has been built and nurtured over the years by the work and seriousness of my family: a company that has been on the market for four centuries also makes our customers proud.
As for my job, it’s what I love to do. There are days when I feel like I perfectly embody Confucius’ maxim: “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
It can be scary to inherit such a massive reality.
When my father passed away I was 13 and my brother was 19, so he especially found himself in the company at a very young age with duty and responsibility. The good fortune was to have received a more symbolic and valuable legacy from our father: dedication and love for work. From a very young age we felt responsible for the company: the sense of duty we breathed is the same that leads me today to hold my beloved 8-month-old daughter in my arms in the paper mill. Obviously, when she grows up she will be free to choose the career path that will make her happiest, but I do not deny that I would like her to continue the tradition.
What are your earliest memories of Cartiera Mantovana?
As a child I remember the mountains of papers in the company yards and the unmistakable smell of freshly produced paper. I remember my father's office with his car trophies on the walls, awards for work merits and our photos above the desk.
I also remember our trucks with the blue tarpaulins. When I was little they seemed gigantic to me, they fascinated me.
Doing business also means having responsibility for workers and families. How important is a peaceful working environment?
Your employees are a fundamental part of your own project. I believe that, ultimately, it is a question of respect. A healthy work environment is based on everyone feeling an integral part of the company. It is also very important to lighten the distances between roles.
The entrepreneur must be serious and careful: transmitting leadership and authority is fundamental.
What do you say to those who say they don't believe in young people and that certain roles should only be entrusted to professionals with many years of experience?
It is not a question of age but of seriousness. The moment seriousness collapses, the castle of experience falls, even if it is multi-year. As far as I am concerned, ambition and seriousness are the two characteristics that I appreciate the most.
In our sector, technological development counts enormously and in this, young people are unbeatable.
What is Made in Italy for you?
Honestly, I have never found myself thinking too much about the meaning of this expression. I have always lived and worked in the Made in Italy industry and I would not be able to imagine another world without the importance that we naturally give to tradition, research, quality. We have been educated like this by previous generations and it is physiological to look for the same characteristics also in the purchases we make. The real problem now is to protect it, since it has been copied so much.
Is there anything you envy about other countries?
I find the dedication to work that unites Asians admirable, the attention to the environment and sustainability of Nordic countries and I would like here in Italy a bit of that healthy patriotism that is typical of great nations. More than patriotism I would call it self-love, love for our roots and for what we are and what we know how to do.
Tell us about your typical day.
The presidency of the Young Industrialists Group of Confindustria Mantova takes time. A commitment that I have taken on with great dedication and that is added to the previous work commitments that divide me between the city of Mantua and Tuscany, where I manage other family businesses.
I like to start the day with a hug to my daughter, a healthy breakfast and a walk with Gordon, my dog. Usually, when I am in Mantua, I spend many hours in the office.
How do you dress for a working day and for your free time?
Thinking about it… Up until 5-6 years ago I mostly wore jeans. A durable garment, but uncomfortable if worn all day. Now I'm focusing on comfort, maybe I'm getting old! (laughs, ed.).
I spend many hours in the car and sometimes I spend the morning at the paper mill and then attend an important meeting in another city, or vice versa. The days are long and I always have to feel at ease and comfortable, but also well-groomed. For this reason I usually choose a model of chino pants or with unobtrusive pleats and a simple sweater. To alternate in spring with a blazer.
I also spend my free time in the car, clocking up miles. I collect vintage cars: another passion that I inherited from my father who in '56 had participated in the "Mille Miglia" with a Ferrari 250 GT delivered to him by Enzo Ferrari.
Do you see yourself in the style proposed by lirecento?
Absolutely yes. The lines are very simple and the colors are soft, easy to match. The strength of the proposed garments is that they are very versatile, young and adaptable to many occasions while always remaining comfortable. When I find a brand, like lirecento, that I like, that sums up my taste and that reflects the same values of made in Italy that I believe in, I get passionate and become a big fan.
IB
