Minerali Industriali is a raw material producer and supplier to the glass industry, sourcing from extraction of quartz, silica sand and feldspar, in various sites as well as from secondary materials through a circular perspective, processed at a dedicated plant in the North of Italy. The company has supplied the glass industry since its inception almost more than a century ago, more recently expanding into glass recycling. As a founding member of ResponsibleGlass, Minerali Industriali represents the upstream of the value chain, working to reduce the carbon footprint of raw materials from the very first step of the process. Ivano Menso is the R&D&I + QC Lab Director and leads in the technical work to reduce the carbon footprint of the Group’s raw materials.
Q: Why did Minerali Industriali decide to join ResponsibleGlass as a founding member?
We are glad to be founding members as we strongly believe that the mission and vision of ResponsibleGlass fully overlaps with our own vision and mission, particularly when it comes to supplying responsible raw materials for the entire value chain of glass. The decision to move forward as a founding member of this important initiative was absolutely natural for us.
Q: What does Minerali Industriali bring to ResponsibleGlass as a raw material supplier?
We bring our experience across extracting, processing and also taking care of packaging and selling raw materials. As representatives of the upstream, we think starting with the right step is crucial for the full value chain. We start from rocks, and sometimes from glass bottles, and we try to do our best in processing them to supply glass manufacturers with what we mean by responsible glass: material that has been treated well, in a way that year by year decreases the footprint of what we are giving to the glass manufacturer.
Q: How does this connect to work you were already doing before joining?
In the past years, we were already quietly involved with other founding members of ResponsibleGlass, working with them on technical requirements to reduce, for example, the carbon footprint starting from the job we do at the beginning of the chain. With the majority of the founding members who are glass manufacturers, we already had projects ongoing, so the perspective of placing ourselves as active upstream members of the full value chain, helping to crystallise their thinking around sustainability within a standard like the one ResponsibleGlass is drafting, is of absolute value to us.
Q: What does being part of ResponsibleGlass mean for Minerali Industriali’s role in decarbonising the glass industry?
ResponsibleGlass is with no doubt the place to be for raw material producers like us, to be able to contribute to the decarbonisation of an important industry.
Q: What are you hoping to get out of being part of the community, beyond what you contribute?
What we can bring to the community is our knowledge as a raw material supplier. But equally, we are here to learn, to improve and to participate fully in this initiative.
