Welcome to the 50th Anniversary of Panguaneta

13 June 2010, a Panguaneta Sunday

It was no ordinary day: we spent the day inside “our” factory to celebrate together the first 50 years of the factory’s activities.

At the Starting Line

Fifty years is a grand goal, but at the same time it is like being at the starting line.  It was so for the skilled workers who put their abilities at the service of this factory and its production chain.  It was the same also for the community of Sabbioneta and the municipalities nearby, as it was for clients, suppliers and friends. On the 13th of June 2010 all were gathered at the factory of Panguaneta.

A “Multi-ply” Party

Line after line, the factory was transformed into a theatre. There by the stage was a big screen. The room slowly started to fill up, and soon it was crowded. 
The event was started off by Don Ennio Asinari, historical figure and parish priest of Sabbioneta. He put up a portable altar on the stage, but his was no simple rite. It was a deeply-felt testimony: he knew everyone.  All remembered the homily, which highlighted very briefly and with extreme simplicity the fifth gospel, which focussed on the work and routine of labour itself.  That this factory is a true “gift,” was confirmed by Don Ennio days later, in a letter addressed to the factory of Panguaneta: "The 50 years of Panguaneta have not been an arid desert of words, but a land thriving in labour that benefits everyone". The mass of Don Ennio spoke of work and peace, while Enrico Pirondini, the famous journalist, spoke of hardworking women and men. Careful and precise on each aspect of the first 50 years of the company’s activities, he brought us on a beautiful journey to the past supported by images that ran on the big screen.

Over twenty years of togetherness

Enrico Pirondini knew how to transform each word prodded and stolen from his listeners. He welcomed the authorities present and invited them to reflect on the significance of this factory’s future. He gave the microphone to friends and the company’s management. Miriam, Fulvia Tenca Nicoletta and Mauro Azzi were on the stage, while images of the factory’s history moved across the screen. The faces in the factory were the protagonists on the screen, starting with the “father” of the firm, the first partners and the families of Giuliano Azzi and Antonio Tenca. The audience participated in a lively manner and applauded every picture; talks of the celebration mixed with those for future commitments and plans.  From the loud speaker one could perceive that the factory was well on its way towards new goals. At a certain point, the protagonists of the labour force of Panguaneta began to come up on stage, as Enrico Pirondini called them one by one: this is the skilled labour force of the firm, rewarded in the classical order, starting with the first employees, and in fact many have been working here for almost over forty years. This was their day!

An Afternoon Together and Together Immortalized in a Book

While Panguaneta was projected on the screen and stage, the annexed warehouse was transformed into a big restaurant.  The sea of tables with flowers, prepared with great care, was now ready to welcome the guests.  In a truly relaxed party atmosphere, the afternoon wore down happily.  There was no separation of roles at this point; one could feel the happy participation of everyone in this 50th anniversary celebration. There was a lively participation in the lottery, organized to offer tangible support for the restoration of the artistic heritage of the local parish.  In the first hours of the afternoon, there was a lot of music with numerous ethnic touches. The afternoon went by slowly; as the guests said goodbye, the book, "Panguaneta – Stories of Poplars and Plywood", was distributed to all those present. The book contains in fact, the past and future of the company within the "Padana" region’s historical  and cultural context. The title is not a publicity stunt as the case would be in other similar occasions, but a loving task and homage to the spirit, courage, and ideals of the factory.  These ideals are testified to by the workers who have lived and worked together in harmony with the nature of the Great River and who personally narrate of how through the years they have embraced and bore witness to Panguaneta, the grand plywood factory!

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