Industria Ceramica Vicentina

Ceramica Vicentina Snc Via Monte di Pietà, 24/2 - 36050 Località Friola di Pozzoleone (Vicenza) Italy Tel. uffici: 0444 668350 - fax 0444 668842 info@ceramicavicentina.it www.ceramicavicentina.it

Industria Ceramica Vicentina was founded in 1924 as a company specialising in the manufacture of hard earthenware tiles. Soon after, the company set up a department dedicated to the research and production of low-temperature white earthenware mixtures, adopting the kaolin extracted from the nearby quarry in Schio as its main raw material. Wishing to improve its control over the product, the company soon started up a small crockery-production facility, also diversifying the range of mixtures produced. As far as can be gathered from verbal recounts, this is how it all began … A certain Mr. Isnardo Carta was the owner of a company dealing in cement artefacts, located in Stradella del Cimitero, in Vicenza. Hearing that Mr. Andrea Boschieri - a baker who owned land in nearby Viale della Pace - wanted to open up an activity similar to his own, and being an open-minded businessman, Mr. Carta approached Mr. Boschieri and suggested to him that, to avoid competing against each other, they could become partners in another type of activity. They thus decided to start producing tiles, an article which in that period was produced by very few companies, none of which in the Veneto region. Knowing that adequate funds and technical staff would be required for the activity, the two entrepreneurs invited Dr. Pietro Vaccari, a Chemical Engineer, to join the company, which he did, backed by his father Girolamo. This is how a De Facto Company named Industria Ceramica Vicentina was born. The main offices and facilities were located in Viale della Pace, 134 in Vicenza, where they still stand. Mr. Isnardo Carta transferred his shares to his son Oreste soon after. It is difficult to tell how the business faired in those initial years. However, the owners’ decision to set up a branch in Africa in 1937, following the expansionist philosophy of those days, leads us to think that it must have thrived well. Hence the branch in Addis Abeba (Ethiopia) was born, producing artefacts in cement, accompanied by the marketing of Industria Ceramica Vicentina tiles. The African company was entrusted to Mr. Andrea Boschieri, assisted by his sons Giovanni and Alessandro. The activity took off well, but unfortunately all was lost when the Second World War broke out soon after, leaving only a meagre war compensation paid up twenty years later. After various problems, the Boschieri family returned to their native land and to the company, only to find that production was low due to the lack of male personnel who had obviously been recruited for the on-going war. When the war finally came to an end, the company found itself to be in possession of equipment that needed upgrading and very little means by which to effect this. In the meantime a second activity had also been set into motion - the production of ceramic mixtures for resale to third parties. At this stage, presumably because the investment required was less, instead of upgrading the tile production facilities, it was decided to launch a new production line of household goods in white earthenware. Around 1947, Mr. Giovanni Carta joined the company. During the 50’s, thanks to the lack of competition and the great demand for household goods (crockery, vases, etc.) the production of ceramic mixtures grew rapidly. Tile production, being no longer competitive, was slowly abandoned. Due to the remarkable expansion and growing demand for household goods, it was decided to develop a new area within the facilities, specifically for the production of these items. Construction commenced in 1951 and was terminated in 1953, when it became operative. Mr. Piero Carta joined the company in 1951. The crockery department grew rapidly, taking on importance also thanks to the contribution of famous artists in the Vicenza region, amongst whom Prof. Mina Anselmi, Prof. Otello De Maria and Prof. Ina Barbieri. These artists, apart from creating personal decorations such as villas, landscapes, characters, still-life pictures, etc. introduced an innovative way of decorating to the company - plates with large stylised flowers that were soon to take the place of traditional decorations. Prof. Ina Barbieri, in particular, was an explosion of new ideas and colours, most of which were greeted enthusiastically by clients who were always on the lookout for something different, something new. Prof. Barbieri’s decorations live on till this very day, thanks to the interpretation of other decorators working for the company. The company, burdened by inconvenient company restrictions, sadly did not turn this favourable moment (end 50’s – beginning 60’s) to its advantage, and started falling behind in the machining methods used. Producing at high costs, with no profits, it began to favour upcoming competitors who proceeded to strengthen their position as the years went by. Decorations and shapes which were initially only the result of good craftsmanship, soon became the target of large companies using mass production techniques, and became available on the market at much lower prices.
Although the department was now absorbing a substantial amount of the company’s labour resources, the old company partners and directors were not concerned. Likewise they did not worry that the crockery department was running at a loss and that this loss was being made up for by the other, ceramic mixtures department. The latter, on the contrary, was running at a profit, thanks to the little competition and to the growing development of artistic ceramics in the beginning of the 1960’s. 1961 saw the passing away of Dr. Pietro Vaccari, founder and engineer of the company. His son-in-law Franco Allamprese took his place, only to lose his life a couple of years later in a fatal car accident. Mrs. Maria Teresa Vaccari, wife of Allamprese and daughter of Dr. Vaccari, became involved for a while, but asked to be liquidated some time later. At this point it was decided to change the company into a limited liability company. The real estate was separated from the activity itself, with the former remaining with the old De Facto Company and the latter falling under the new Ltd. company. The liquidation of the Vaccari family brought about a considerable financial imbalance, in a time when competition in the field of ceramic mixtures was on the increase. This was also due to the way in which the company had been managed so far, with all the profits being divided between the directors and no investment being made in the company itself. At this point, one of the newest arrivals - Piero Carta – forcefully decided to separate the running of the two departments, highlighting what had already been suspected for some time – that the crockery department was eating up all the profits of the ceramic mixtures department. In November 1973 it was decided to liquidate Giovanni and Alessandro Boschieri who had been in charge of the crockery department until then. This was another financial blow for the company. The running of the company has, since then, been entrusted solely to the Carta family. Giovanni took over the ceramic mixtures production facility and human resources, whereas Piero took over the administration and restructuring of the crockery department. After some years trying to reorganise the department, it was clear that the company would never get back on its feet again. Competition was strong and a crisis in the ceramic market in general was on the way. Moreover, the company was facing strong pressure from the workers’ union which was blocking its attempts at reorganising the works.
It was therefore decided to try and separate the department by setting up a cooperative society formed by the workers themselves. The proposal was accepted and brought the crockery department of Industria Ceramica Vicentina to an end. The cooperative society soon found itself in troubled waters due to the worker’s lack of organisational know-how and was taken over by another external cooperative society. The latter also stopped producing ceramics a few years later. In the meantime, Industria Ceramica Vicentina S.r.l., liberated from its “bloodsucking” department, managed to reorganise itself, becoming more controllable. However, it was still faced with buildings and equipment that were old and incomplete, unsuitable for running a modern industrial production line and for effective cost-management. This problem is still felt today but is slowly being overcome. Refusing to abandon what was then considered to be a “historical” production, Nuova Ceramica Vicenza was set up in 1987, also to enable some ex members of the cooperative society to maintain their job. This general partnership society was originally made up of six members of the previous cooperative society and two new partners - Alessandro and Andrea Carta (respective sons of Giovanni and Piero). The production took off in the wake of the by then famous poppy design created by Prof. Barbieri, to which other successful designs were added in the years to follow. After almost fourteen years of activity, due to the ever-increasing difficulties in the crafts market, Nuova Ceramica Vicenza closed down in 2001. The business was partly absorbed by Industria Ceramica Vicentina and they shall soon be seen together at the new outlet being developed, dedicated to the hobby sector. The story therefore comes to an end and the company returns to a complete production line – from the traditional and special Ceramic Mixtures to the finished product..

PRODUCTS: vases, pitchers, boxes, small boxes, trays, bowls, plates, dishes, coffe set, potter wheels, kilns, brushes, clays, bodies, colors, glazes, raku.