How cartons of panettone are created, students at Litocartografica Pigni

They opened today, Monday 14th November, the Pmi Day, dedicated to visits by middle school students in companies in Varese. This morning it was the turn of the students or Cairate, that are part of the institute Salvo D’Acquisto, to visit the Cartolitografica Pigni Gorla Maggiore. It is a company born in 1968 which over the years has been able to reinvent itself by also investing in technological innovation. It employs 25 people with peaks up to forty, as in recent months, with seasonal moments to respond to peak demand during the Christmas period.

To welcome the students were Marina and Patrizia Pigni, daughters of the founder, August. “Our father has created this over time,” said Patrizia. “He was a linotype operator at the ‘Giorno’, he laid out the newspaper with old printing techniques, and created this second job which has grown over time. Today we print cardboard cartons for food, even for the Christmas panettone that you often see in the supermarket.” Many big brands rely on Litocartogrtafica Pigni, such as the Riso Gallo, Findus, and many other food businesses. “We specialise in the production of large quantities, using a very large print size that not everyone uses, the 100 × 140”.

The production manager, engineer Marco Banfi, together with the two owners of the company, then accompanied the students in all steps of the processing of the cartons. Up to what they called the “heart” of the company, the big machine able to print in six-colours, of which there are only five examples in Europe. It fascinated the young students who asked above all, in various steps, what are the qualifications for those that want to deal with this kind of work.

“Visiting the companies at this age is a proposal which I consider very positive ,” explains Patrizia Pigni. “It is an initiative that brings together students and orients them, seeing with their own eyes where their studies can bring them. These students have to make a conscious choice and exploring the labour market is crucial to understand what is required. In the province of Varese there is just to choose and knowing how to orient themselves is important for their future. “