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ATER WILL ONLY USE VERONESE MARBLES
Agreement signed with ''Centro Servizi Marmo''

Ater-Province of Verona will only use local stone materials in the construction of its buildings. An agreement protocol in this regard was signed by the President of Ater Verona, Niko Cordioli, and the President of Centro Servizi Marmo, Filiberto Semenzin, a few weeks ago and is already fully operative.
This is an innovative agreement, that may even be adopted by other local administrations in the province: it is designed as a possible model for similar initiatives in districts where processing of local stone material has strong historic and cultural roots.
The definition of the document had to overcome a number of difficulties, associated with the need to avoid positions in violation of regulations concerning free competition and tenders. Inasmuch, Ater and Centro Servizi Marmi engaged lawyer Luigi Righetti, an expert in administrative law, who studied the details of the agreement and finalised a series of indications for correct application of the agreement.
Substantially, three steps are involved: initially, the entity issuing the tender for works must approve a document of a general character indicating the reasons for the decision. In this instance in Verona, it is evident that Ater seeks to valorise and support local building culture and traditions, where stone has played a fundamental role for centuries. The second requirement is that every single tender must indicate, as regards companies involved, the choice to use this particular type of material. The third and fundamental item is that the tender must always envisage that the supply of stone material is not part of the tender will be itemised. Supply shall be borne by Ater itself after having made the purchase through a specific tender. The company winning the tender will then only be responsible for installing the materials.
Companies in the Veronese stone industry are extremely pleased about the agreement, which has dual value: on the one hand, it ensures support for local companies without altering the rules of the market in a period of economic difficulties; on the other, it acknowledges the cultural and historic value of local stone materials developed over centuries of use.
"We live in a city built with stone," said Niko Cordioli, President of Ater Veronese, "and the spirit, in full respect of national and regional regulations, is to offer Local Councils in the province of Verona the chance to use the material of our Stone District, perhaps even in the construction of squares and sports facilities. "This model will be also be 'exported' to all the other Ater organisations in the Veneto and we hope that the Region will also take action through an outline decision involving all local administrations."


Verona, 20 / 5 / 2010