The Future of Refractories – Innovation, Sustainability & Generational Continuity
A snapshot from an upcoming video, featuring Federico Mari, COO and the SIGMA leadership team.
Building Tomorrow, Honoring Yesterday
At SIGMA Group, we don’t just supply refractories—we engineer solutions that give our customers a competitive edge. One of the key differentiators that sets us apart from other manufacturers is our proprietary water-free vibrocasting technology.
In our recent video interview, Ing. Luigi Mandelli, Export Commercial Director, explained in detail how this unique process delivers tangible benefits to glass manufacturers worldwide.
Federico Mari on Innovation and Sustainability
“Innovation Means More Than Just Buying New Machinery”
“For us, innovation doesn’t simply mean purchasing new machinery. It means improving the way we produce, how we use energy, how we make decisions, and how we collaborate with our customers.”
Sustainability in Numbers
“In recent years, we have invested in photovoltaic systems that generate over 900,000 kilowatt-hours annually between Italy and Bulgaria. A concrete result that allows us to significantly reduce our environmental impact.”
This achievement is confirmed by the company’s sustainability data, which shows nearly 1 million kWh of solar power generated annually, avoiding more than 480 tons of CO₂ emissions per year.
“But SIGMA’s green future isn’t just about energy. It means reducing waste, optimizing production cycles, recovering materials and resources where possible, and using increasingly precise data to improve plant efficiency.”
“It also means developing more performant refractories that last longer—because a longer product life means fewer replacements, less transport, fewer production stoppages, and lower overall consumption of raw materials and energy.”
Advanced Manufacturing Technology
“We are introducing increasingly advanced production technologies: five-axis grinding machines, double-disc machines, digital lathes with remote monitoring, and closed-loop systems for recovering working fluids.”
“But technology must help us work better—not simply make everything more complicated. Our goal is to collect more reliable data and use it to control quality, reduce waste, make decisions faster, and respond more precisely to customer needs.”
The Electric Furnace Is Now Operational
Federico highlighted the recent commissioning of SIGMA’s fully electric furnace in Plovdiv—a groundbreaking project that significantly reduces direct emissions while providing precise firing conditions that enhance product quality.
“We didn’t wait for sustainability to become mandatory—we made it real. Our electric furnace is a statement of what’s possible when you combine innovation, responsibility, and the will to lead.”
Roberto Mari on Generational Continuity
“The Future of the Company, I See It as Rosy”
“I’m proud and happy that two of my children have joined the company—Federico and Valentina. It will be their task to continue what their grandfather and father started.”
Roberto acknowledged the challenges ahead but remains optimistic:
“Despite the global scenario not being favorable for manufacturing companies with high labor intensity like ours, there will always be space in Europe and the world for flexibility—for the quality that our two factories put at the market’s disposal. I foresee continued growth, both in terms of quality—we are still investing heavily in research and development—and in production capacity.”
The Human Element
“Technologies are changing, the world is changing, but our work can only be partially replaced by new technologies. When you go down to the production floors, the products we make still need people—they need experience, they need the operator.”
“I think SIGMA will continue to be a strong presence in the glass world for the next decades.”
The Core Message
Perhaps the most powerful summary of SIGMA’s journey came from Roberto himself:
“That initial spark has transformed into two production facilities, over 100 colleagues, and supplies to more than 60 countries. But the most important thing is that the passion still burns—and perhaps today even more than it did back then.”
Coming Soon
The full video interview with Federico and Roberto Mari will be published on our website and LinkedIn channel in the coming weeks.
Stay tuned – more to come.
