Milan, 30th June 2021 - The entrance road to Polyglass, a company based in (Treviso) that has been part of the Mapei Group since 2008, has officially been renamed after Dr Giorgio Squinzi, who passed away in 2019.
After taking over in charge of the Mapei Group from his father Rodolfo, Giorgio Squinzi turned this family business into a major multinational, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of chemical products for the building industry employing approximately 11,000 staff in 57 countries worldwide.
He also held various institutional positions: President of the Italian Chemical Federation from 1997-2003 and from 2005-2011, President of CEFIC, the European Association of Chemical Industries, from 2010-2012 and President of the Italian Industrial Confederation from 2012-2016.
He also received all kinds of commendations: he was awarded the ‘Ambrogino d’oro’ in 1996 for his commitment to promoting the city of Milan and received one of the highest commendations (Cavaliere di S. Gregorio Magno) in the Vatican in 1998 for the good example he set in communities and throughout the country, as well as been made a ‘Cavaliere del Lavoro’. In 2013 the President of the Italian Republic also honoured him by making him a Grande Officer of the “Order of Merit of the Italian Republic”.
As well as constantly working for both his family and business, he was also committed for many years to the realms of sport, culture and society. He was the man behind the incredible success of a professional cycling team that was at the top of the international rankings for almost a decade. After taking over Sassuolo Football club, he helped the team get promoted from the Italian Serie C2 to the Serie A.
A generous and visionary entrepreneur, he lent his support to renovation work on La Scala Opera House, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, Petruzzelli Theatre in Bari, and many other important buildings that are part of the cultural-artistic heritage of Italy and the entire world.
Extremely sensitive to social issues, he worked constantly for the community and nation and provide plenty of support for scientific research: he backed various projects on behalf of the Arché Foundation, as well as charity events like Celebrity Fight Night and exhibitions organised at the Santa Domenico Museums in Forlì.
His motto “Never stop pedalling” epitomised his approach to work and life. He shared and passed on these values to his children Veronica and Marco.
The change in road name, which received the full backing of Pierluigi Ciferni, the CEO of Polyglass, was made official on 30th June 2021 at an opening ceremony attended by Giorgio Squinzi’s children, Veronica and Marco Squinzi (the Group’s current CEOs), and the lawyer Laura Squinzi, President of the Board of Directors of Mapei S.p.A.
Mapei and Polyglass, which were both originally small family businesses, developed together and went on to achieve great things in the manufacturing of waterproof membranes for the building industry, thanks to a vision based on shared values: hard work, ethics, the quest for excellence, close ties with the surrounding area, and an international outlook.
The event was attended by various authorities representing the Italian Industrial Confederation, the Veneto Region, the Province of Treviso, and Borough of Ponte di Piave.
