Grand Prix 2000 at Pizzo Etichette
Prize award in recognition of the best label of the year

Vinci. "Success is a question of `etichetta' (which in Italian has the double meaning of label and social etiquette)". This is the slogan of Pizzo Etichette, located in the area of Empoli Valdelsa, one of the most dynamic industrial realities on the Italian market, and has been a prophecy of the company of Vinci, awarded the First National Prize for label of the year 2000.

In addition to Mr. Marcello Pizzo and his family, the award ceremony was attended by the full staff of 40 employees, Mr. Giancarlo Faenzi, Mayor of Vinci, Mr. Roberto Ghezzi, President of the Industrial Association of Empoli, and other authorities from the area and from the industry.

The founder, Mr. Marcello Pizzo remembers that when the company was founded in 1978 there were only 4 employees, and it has since grown to occupy a facility covering over 55,000 square feet and an annual turnover of 4.5 million U.S. dollars, in addition to becoming a leader in the production of self-adhesive labels. Their clients include names of the caliber of Lilly, Parmalat, Barilla, Nestle, Lufthansa Airlines, Mobil Oil and Agip Petroli, to name but a few. "Our business has expanded beyond the European borders, adds Mr. Pizzo. We have even branched into the United States, where we have our legal seat in Virginia and a facility in North Carolina".

Jovanka, the entrepreneur's daughter, who works in the family company together with her brother Gianluca and mother Sara, says "The First Prize in the 6th edition of the "Grand Prix by Cyrel Dupont" for 2000 was made possible thanks to the great investments made in quality, not only with the acquisition of new technoloy, but above all in the quality of human resources. This important recognition which now gives us the right to participate in a further competition on an international level, has been achieved by our emphasis on team-work".

The Mayor of Vinci, Faenzi comments "This achievement is important, because it goes to prove that such results can be reached only by the unison of skills and professionality in team-work. Many believe that Vinci is known only as the home town of Leonardo. However, in addition to the cultural factor, the touristic places of interest and the agricultural sector, the productive activities of the great number of local companies are equally important. The various industries in our comunal area also worry us, because the comunal services no longer have the sole task of creating local services, but also have to collaborate with the various productive realities and prove their efficiency".

Visibly satisfied; the President of the Industrial Association considers the way in which Mr. Pizzo has overcome the passage of the business to the next generation by involving his children in the family business a good result in its own right.. It also proves that our territory is not linked only to the clothing and textile industry, but also to other types of industry which thus create a sectorial diversification in the area.