GIMAV, the Italian Association of Suppliers of Machines, Accessories, and Special Products for Glass Processing, and Vitrum, the international glass technology exhibition, announced that as of June 16, Lucia Masutti will succeed Fabrizio Cattaneo as managing director of both companies, also joining Vitrum's Board of Directors.
Masutti's expertise and experience
Masutti is currently General Manager of Glass Group, the largest Italian group of flat glass processing industries, and President of the Transformers Section of Assovetro. Masutti was selected for the position because of her consolidated knowledge of the flat glass industry players, extensive experience in developing strategic industrial partnerships, and strong expertise in institutional relations; developed through her career at Fondazione Cariplo, one of the leading banking foundations in Europe.
With this appointment, GIMAV and Vitrum are preparing to face a new season of transformation, in which the strategic direction will be the strengthening of the supply chain through dialogue with businesses, institutions, and research centers. The Glass Group network and her active role in Assovetro will help give strength and concreteness to the new initiatives underway.
What people are saying
"This appointment strengthens the renewal path already undertaken. We believe that the vision and skills of Lucia Masutti can represent a strategic added value for both organizations. The goal is clear: to consolidate GIMAV as a unified point of reference for the entire glass industry – both flat and hollow – strengthening the representation of the supply chain in all its components, and promoting an integrated and innovation-oriented approach. The relationships built over the years by Lucia Masutti, combined with her ability to activate concrete synergies, will be a major driving force in tackling the current and future challenges of the industrial sector," says President of GIMAV and Vitrum Dino Zandonella Necca.
"For GIMAV we are already working on a new membership program, aimed at consolidating and expanding the association base, with particular attention to service innovation and the Association’s ability to meet the new needs of businesses. For Vitrum, the top priority will be to restore the trade show to full competitiveness, giving it a strong positioning both in terms of appeal for visitors and industry operators, and in terms of geographic market relevance. Vitrum must return to being a strategic destination, a must-attend event for those working in the glass industry, capable of capturing global trends and creating real value for companies," says Masutti. "We look to 2050 with a clear vision: Vitrum must represent the industry of the future. Innovation, robotics, artificial intelligence, and sustainability will be the central themes around which to build a trade show ecosystem capable of attracting operators, stakeholders, and decision makers from high-potential emerging markets such as North Africa, Southern Europe, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. The goal is to concretely support the internationalization of companies and contribute to the opening of new commercial and industrial opportunities."
Looking ahead
To achieve these objectives it will be essential to activate greater involvement of institutions responsible for business economic development and internationalization, starting with the Italian Trade Agency, which can play a strategic role in facilitating the arrival of qualified buyers and introducing new markets and growth opportunities to Italian companies. Strengthening institutional relations, alongside the involvement of research bodies, universities, and competence centers, will be an integral part of a vision that aims to project Vitrum into the near future as a reference platform for advanced manufacturing. The current economic and industrial context – characterized by complex geopolitical dynamics, rapid technological evolution, and growing focus on sustainability – requires a cohesive, strategic, and forward-looking approach.
In this perspective, the appointment of Masutti fits into a broader plan of aggregation and collaboration among supply chain actors, institutions, research centers, and international markets. Only through a shared and synergistic vision will it be possible to address the challenges of the coming years, strengthen the competitiveness of companies, and enhance Italian excellence in the glass sector.