An honorary degree in mechanical engineering for Vittorio Tabacchi

The University of Padua will confer an honorary degree in mechanical engineering on Labor Knight Vittorio Tabacchi, president of the Safilo Group.

The conferment ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. in the 'Galileo Galilei' assembly hall of the University of Padua on Friday, June 25 in the presence of university president Vincenzo Milanesi and the deans of the 13 faculties.

Vittorio Tabacchi will receive the honorary degree in recognition of the commitment and passion he has demonstrated in studying innovative processes and materials aimed at improving the quality of spectacle frames and increasing production. Process and product innovations that have led to 28 patents being granted in his name; his technical and entrepreneurial activities were instrumental in obtaining results with such technological and economic value that they are internationally recognized and have made Safilo the leading company in its sector.

His numerous patents include the 'Elasta' hinge, one of the benchmarks in Safilo's history, and the 'Ufo' glasses, developed in the Seventies and the first in the world to weigh less than 5 grams. One of his major projects was the development of 'Safilo Ricerca', the division that studies and develops new machinery for improving and optimizing production processes.

Born in Belluno and son of the founder of Safilo, Vittorio Tabacchi has been president of the Safilo Group for 12 years. His studies immediately led to his being involved in the company's production and industrial aspects. Vittorio Tabacchi is president of the Fondazione Museo dell'Occhiale at Pieve di Cadore, and of the Fondazione Centro Studi Tiziano e Cadore. Last October he received the 'Cavaliere del Lavoro' knighthood for having 'multiplied Safilo's billings almost seven times over during the 10 years of his presidency of the company, and for having increased national prosperity through his work'.