Polish delegation visits eyewear district
A delegation of over 15 designers, architects, professors, public administrators, entrepreneurs and journalists in the glass, pottery and jewelry sectors arrived from Poland Wednesday to visit the Eyewear District.
The Polish delegation arranged the visit to the District to gather information for setting up a design studio at the business incubator in the city of Kielce.
The delegation was met in Pieve di Cadore by District Representative Renato Sopracolle, who gave the guests an overview of the business environment in Belluno.
He presented the history of the District, which now comprises more than 440 industrial and artisan companies with a combined total of over 12,000 employees, and which the world has always considered a breeding ground of fashion trends in Italian eyewear.
The day of observation continued with a visit to Certottica’s chemical and mechanical laboratories in Longarone. The delegation was particularly interested in design and systems for making prototypes and was able to see the projects carried out by the Certification Institute, with special focus on a fundamental system in the product development cycle.
The delegation also watched a simulation that allows contact-free digitalization of small, complex objects by means of a system that uses reverse engineering technology as an integral part of the product development process.
The second stage was the visit to Safilo in Longarone, where the Facility Manager, Mr. Compierchio, acted as a guide in all the departments where the delegation was able to follow all the stages of eyewear production and was particularly interested in the creative side of production.
The visit ended in the luminous rooms of the Eyewear Museum in Pieve di Cadore, where the professionals were guided through the history of eyeglasses. Particularly interested in the more rare, hand-chiseled objects, the Fifties designs and the items in gold, the visitors were fascinated by the creativity that permeates the history of Italian eyewear.
“The eyewear industry in the province of Belluno is an exemplary case of a successful industrial district in Italy” stated District Representative Renato Sopracolle. He continued: "The District and the companies that are part of it are constantly open to international exchange that is always useful. We hope that meetings like this will lead to advantageous collaborations that will be mutually enriching in terms of knowledge and ideas".
