December 3, 2019

On 2 and 3 December 2019, the project team participated in the second edition of the International Conference on Digital Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Financing in Valencia, Spain. The main topic of the conference is the role of disruptive innovations generated by digital technologies, which allow firms to reinforce their competitive advantages by differentiating themselves from their competitors. in this context, part of the event was dedicated to the connection between the digital innovation and sustainability.

At the conference, the team presented to the audience the LIFE Forture project and the results obtained in these years.

Conference participant: Thais González Torres

November 21, 2019
On 20 and 21 November, the project team took part in the AllForTiles convention, organised by the “Ceramicanda” editorial group in the Modena trade fair area.  The event hosted about one hundred companies belonging to these categories: machinery and equipment, raw materials, aesthetic product solutions, services for ceramics, consulting and training, publishing, associations.

During the exhibition, in the stall dedicated to the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, the LIFE Forture project was presented to visitors. The exhibition was an opportunity to illustrate the objectives of the project and the effective synergy between the university and business world in the pursuit of a plan for sustainable development.

November 20, 2019
On 20 November, the project team participated in the 10th RIDIT international conference “Ecosystems of innovation and entrepreneurship” which was held at the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Barcelona.

The conference aimed to contribute to the analysis of ecosystems of innovation and entrepreneurship and to be a meeting place for the exchange and dissemination of research results on topics related to innovation, business, entrepreneurship and development from multiple perspectives, including economic, social, territorial and political perspectives.

In this context, the Rey Juan Carlos University presented the LIFE Forture project and the results obtained by the group in the last few years. Following the presentation, the group carried out networking activities with the conference participants. In addition, flyers describing the objectives of the project and the results achieved were distributed.

Conference participant: Thais González Torres

November 20, 2019
Gresmalt and Unimore met on 20 November at the  “Tecnopolo” in Reggio Emilia to discuss future developments in the dynamic integration of the three pillars of sustainability with the company’s ERP system.

The aim of this meeting was to discuss the future development of the dynamic model, considering how to adapt it in a concrete and manageable way in a manufacturing context. The meeting was also an opportunity to jointly evaluate the most impactful process steps, considering them more accurately in the data extraction process.

The meeting was attended by:

• Anna Maria Ferrari

• Lucrezia Volpi

• Alessandro Salvarani

• Marco Cucchi

• Davide Settembre Blundo

September 27, 2019
On the 27th of September, the project team met with the IT and the accounting and management control office to start retrieving data for the dynamic LCA model. Each impact item was individually analyzed, and the possible source of the data defined. Subsequently, the company departments involved in the meeting began to plan an initial extraction of data in coordination with the project management office. 

In subsequent meetings, the team will compare the data collected and will evaluate how to extract the remaining data.

The meeting was attended by:

• Francesco Marinelli

• Francesca Rivieccio

• Monica Algeri

• Daniele Manfredini

• Marco Cucchi

September 23-27, 2019
From the 23rd to the 27th of September 2019, Gresmalt with all its commercial brands participated in Cersaie 2019, the International Exhibition of Ceramics for Architecture and Bathroom Furnishings. The fair, held in Bologna, is a reference point for the ceramic sector and it is visited by over one hundred thousand visitors every year.

During the fair, the information panels of the LIFE Forture project were placed in the stands of each brand and the commercial employees explained to visitors the objectives and results of the project.

September 10, 2019
On 9 September 2019, the project team met with the members of  the accounting and management control department in Gresmalt. The meeting was held with the aim of working on the model of life cycle costing created by the Rey Juan Carlos University of Madrid.

First, the working group started to implement a static model with the use of 2018 data, which will then be made dynamic in subsequent developments. The group carefully examined all the cost items and identified the possible sources from which the data could be obtained.

In subsequent meetings, the team will attempt to retrieve the necessary data from the corporate ERP system and will try to complete this first version of the static model.

The meeting was attended by:

• Davide Settembre Blundo

• Marco Cucchi

• Francesco Marinelli

• Francesca Rivieccio

September 5, 2019
In September 5, 2019, the LIFE Forture team met with Nicola Fabbri, responsible for the LIFE Effige Project.

The LIFE Effige Project, coordinated by the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa, aims to measure the environmental footprint of a product during its life cycle, through the adoption of the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology. LIFE Effige aims to apply this approach to four production sectors: foundries, wood-furniture, food processing and catering. To achieve this, the project has involved numerous companies that have committed themselves to reducing the environmental impact of their products and services through more sustainable production.

The responsibles of the two projects compared the objectives and results obtained and highlighted possible future synergies. The group decided to set up a further meeting in order to start defining a cooperation plan.

The meeting was attended by:

• Davide Settembre Blundo

• Annamaria Ferrari

August 14, 2019
On August 14, 2019, the LIFE Forture project team published a paper on the scientific journal “Social Sciences“.  The journal is an international, open access journal with rapid peer-review, which publishes works from a wide range of fields. In this regard, the article is part of a special issue section on the subject of circular economy.

The main result of the paper is the empirical validation in a manufacturing environment of sustainability paradigms through eco-design tools and digital technologies. In conclusion, the article suggests a circular business model as an operational tool to promote the competitiveness of enterprises.

You can read the paper in the Publications section of this website.

July 10, 2019
On the 9th and 10th of July, the LIFE Forture team met in Madrid to discuss the development of the project.

The meeting focused on social sustainability and social impact assessment tools. The team discussed the identification of stakeholders and the selection of the most suitable tools for the assessment of social sustainability. Furthermore, other topics of debate were the integration of S-LCA into the framework of the circular economy, the stakeholder engagement strategies and the integration of the three dimensions of sustainability.

In addition, the team addressed the issue of the draft of the new S-LCA Guidelines and discussed the main themes covered and the innovations introduced.

The meetings were attended by:

• Fernando E. García Muiña

• Sonia Medina Salgado

• Rocío González Sánchez

• Thais González Torres

• Irene Huertas Valdivia

• Lydia Murillo

• Anna Maria Ferrari

• Lucrezia Volpi

June 25-26, 2019
On 25 and 26 June, the Gresmalt ceramics group, with the Frassinoro brand, took part in a trade fair for one of the most important distributors in the field of ceramics.

In this prestigious event dedicated to new ceramic trends, the LIFE Forture project was presented to customers as an integral part of the company’s sustainable development projects.

The Frassinoro team placed a presentation panel inside the stand and presented the results achieved by the project team during these years.

June 21, 2019
The LIFE Forture team participated to the conclusive event of another LIFE project: the LIFE M&M (Man and Metal). The project, developed by the Cavatorta Group in Abruzzo (Italy), was aimed at obtaining an eco-friendly metal wire. The event was an opportunity for four LIFE projects to show the results achieved.

In this regard, Davide Settembre Blundo presented a speech entitled “Sustainability as a source of competitive advantage for the industry”.

The speech presented the LIFE Forture project overview and the results obtained by the LIFE Forture team in these years.

The presentation slides are available in the Publications section of this website.

June 21, 2019
The XVI ECerS 2019 Conference took place from 16th June to 20th June 2019 in Turin, Italy. Planned every two years, the ECerS Conference series showcase cutting-edge research and product developments in a wide range of ceramic-related areas, and the technical program provides an opportunity for scientists, researchers, engineers and industry leaders from around the world to present and exchange findings on recent advances in ceramic science and technology.

At the Conference, Eva Magdalena Gualtieri from the Project Team presented a speech entitled:

Towards a circular economy in the ceramic tile industry – Considering the raw materials origin and transportation mode in novel materials design

The presentation showed the analysis results of 6 raw materials mixtures for the production of porcelain stoneware tiles. In the mixtures analysed, Extra-EU raw materials were successively replaced by European raw materials.

The Conference was attended by:

• Eva Magdalena Gualtieri (speaker)

• Cristina Siligardi

The presentation slides are available in the Publications section of this website.

May 30, 2019
The Life Forture project team had the opportunity to publish an article on the Ceramic World Review, the magazine with the highest level of diffusion in the world regarding the ceramic sector.

The article, called “Sustainability as a source of competitive advantage for the ceramic industry”, describes the theme of sustainability and sustainable development and illustrates the importance of the LCSA in the assessment of the sustainability level of products and processes.

The second part of the article is specifically related to the Life Forture project and its objectives. The article ends with the expected results and a reference to the website of the project.

The article is available in the Publications section of this website.

May 10, 2019
The second monitor team visit took place on 10th May 2019 at Gresmalt in Sassuolo (Italy). The person in charge of the monitor visit was again Lorenzo Mengali, member of the LIFE monitoring team NEEMO EEIG.

The visit started with the control of the financial documentation related to the project. Afterward, each partner reported on progress of the project through a power point presentation. Every action was analysed in detail to highlight the new project developments. Finally, the team had the chance to visit the plant and to see the factory improvements that were carried out.

The meeting participants were:

• Davide Settembre Blundo

• Filippo Bolzi

• Alessio Lelli

• Fernando E. García Muiña

• Sonia Medina Salgado

• Thais Gonzalez Torres

• Anna Maria Ferrari

• Cristina Siligardi

• Eva Magdalena Gualtieri

• Lucrezia Volpi

May 9, 2019
On the 9th of May, the life forture team participated in a conference on circular economy at the headquarter of Confindustria Ceramica. The event, organized by the Italian ceramic tile society, was named “Circular economy: a revolution, a challenge, a business for the ceramic sector.”

The event, replica of a previous event held at the tecnargilla fair in Rimini, brought together a list of different projects and themes declined in this context, presented by ceramic tile companies, institutions and research centres.

At the Conference, Davide Settembre Blundo  from the Project Team re-presented a speech entitled: "Corporate Social Responsibility: how to integrate sustainability principles into business models".

The Conference was attended by:

Eva Magdalena Gualtieri

The slides of the Congress can be consulted on the Publications section of this website.

April 9-12, 2019
Gresmalt participated from 9 to 12 April in the 2019 edition of Coverings,  the preeminent event for the ceramic tile & natural stone industry in North America. The event attracts visitors from every facet of the tile & stone industry from all over the world.

Coverings was held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando (Florida, USA) and in this context Gresmalt proposed again the project LIFE: Force of The Future, within the exhibition spaces of its brands: Sintesi and Abitare.

The event gave Gresmalt the opportunity to promote this significant project concerning an increasingly important topic in the ceramic sector.

February 21, 2019
On 21 February 2019, the Project Team presented a speech entitled Experimental model for studying the sintering of a porcelain stoneware body at the Conference on “Raw materials for ceramic tiles, at the Confindustria Ceramica headquarters in Sassuolo (Italy), organized by the Italian Ceramic Society (IcerS).

The Conference was attended by:

• Cristina Siligardi

• Anna Maria Ferrari

• Eva Magdalena Gualtieri

The slides of the seminar can be consulted on the Publications section of this website.

February 19, 2019
On Tuesday 19th February 2019, at the Gresmalt headquarters in Sassuolo (Italy), the project staff met to establish the road map aimed at integrating the calculation model of the environmental and socio-economic impact assessment in the company ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning). The staff members of University of Modena and Reggio Emilia and Gresmalt were physically present at the meeting and the Rey Juan Carlo University staff was connected by videoconference.

The meeting was also attended by the technicians of the IT Department of Gresmalt to define the criteria for aggregation of the different phases of the process to facilitate the data collection system and the way of communication between sensors and ERP.

The Meeting was attended by:

• Davide Settembre Blundo

• Anna Maria Ferrari

• Lucrezia Volpi

• Monica Algeri

• Alessandro Salvarani

• Daniele Manfredini

• Simone Vezzani

• Fernando E. García Muiña

• Sonia Medina Salgado

• Rocío González Sánchez

• Eva Pelechano Barahona

• Thais González Torres

February 11, 2019
On 11 February the project team met the heads of the Technical and Communication areas of ACIMAC (Association of Italian Manufactures of Machinery and Equipment for Ceramic) at the headquarters of Villa Marchetti in Modena. During the meeting, the objectives of the project were presented, the results achieved and the possibilities of technological transfer of the results to the companies associated with Acimac were evaluated. Finally, the preparation of some articles to be published in the journal Ceramic World Review published by Acimac, for the dissemination of the results, was planned.

Acimac is one of the key stakeholders of Forture and the meeting is one of the activities provided for in the Stakeholder Engagement Plan.

The Meeting was attended by:

• Anna Maria Ferrari

• Cristina Siligardi

• Davide Settembre Blundo

• Lucrezia Volpi

• Stefano Lugli (Acimac, Technical Office)

• Paola Giacomini (Acimac, Press Office)

January 11, 2019
On January 11, 2019, at the headquarters of the Pontifical Comillas University of Madrid, the project team met with researchers from the School of Engineering (ICAI) and the Faculties of Economics and Business Administration and Law (ICADE). The meeting was also attended by officers of the Spanish Ministry of Development. Gresmalt, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia and Rey Juan Carlos University, presented the objectives of the project, the results achieved and the work plan for 2019. This networking activity served to lay the foundations for the future development of the project results, and to assess possibilities for mutual collaboration between the institutions participating in the meeting.

The Meeting was attended by:

• Fernando E. García Muiña

• Davide Settembre Blundo

• Anna Maria Ferrari

• Rocío González Sánchez

• Cristina Siligardi

• Alessio Lelli

• Veronica Checchinato

January 10, 2019
On January 10, 2019 the Project Team met at the Rey Juan Carlos University in Madrid. The purpose of the meeting was to verify the progress of the project actions, the results achieved and to plan the tasks for 2019. During the session, the individual working groups presented the goals achieved and discussed them together. During the meeting it emerged that the activities are proceeding according to the schedule of the development plan.

The Meeting was attended by:

• Fernando E. García Muiña

• Davide Settembre Blundo

• Anna Maria Ferrari

• Sonia Medina Salgado

• Rocío González Sánchez

• Eva Pelechano Barahona

• Thais González Torres

• Irene Huertas Valdivia

• Cristina Siligardi

• Alessio Lelli

• Lydia Murillo Ramos

• Veronica Checchinato