MAPEI’s CEO Gets NTCA Honor
Dr. Squinzi becomes the eighth holder of the Tarver honor, presented by the Jackson-based NTCA for lifetime achievements in the tile industry.
The NTCA selected Dr. Squinzi for his work on educating the industry on a global level, and his leadership at MAPEI in aiding industry growth, particularly with stone and tile installation systems.
The Squinzi family already operated a small flooring and coatings business in Milan, Italy, when Dr. Squinzi and his father, Rodolfo Squinzi, expanded the operation in 1970 to form Mapei s.n.c. With a strategy of developing new products – especially with installation – the company expanded, reaching the North American market with a Laval, Quebec, plant in 1978.
Now known as the MAPEI Group, the Milan-based firm now operates 63 locations worldwide, including 15 plants in North America. The company also acquired Vinavil S.p.A. in 1994 to produce custom polymers for MAPEI products.
Dr. Squinzi is president of Federchimica, (the national federation of chemical industries in Italy), an office he’s held for six terms. He’s also served as vice president of Cefic, the European Chemical Industries Council.
The NTCA noted Dr. Squinzi’s commitment to the environment with technologies that reduce dust in the workplace, prevent the growth of mold and bacteria in mortars and grouts, and utilize recycled materials. The strategic acquisition and positioning of plants to serve customers regionally also reflects the goals of the LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design®) programs in the United States and Canada.
In addition, Dr. Squinzi has been active in the international standardization of tile installation methods as the convenor of TC67WG3, which developed the EN Standards on tile-setting materials that’s now known as ISO 13007. These standards have been adopted by the Tile Council of North America (TCNA) and appear in the new 2010 Handbook.
Dr. Squinzi’s committment to excellence and development goes beyond the industry to sports, where MAPEI not only sponsors top road-bicycling teams; there’s also the Castellanza, Italy-based Mapei Sport Resarch Center for individualized training of athletes. MAPEI also has sponsored motor-racing drivers, including NASCAR’s Robby Gordon and Moto GP’s Andrea Dovizioso.
Dr. Squinzi received the Tarver honor during the Seventh Annual TileLetter Awards ceremony during Coverings in Orlando, Fla., on April 29.