2017 was another year rich with gratifying moments to be added to our long history of successes lasting more than 80 years. 80, just like the number of candles that all of us from the Mapei family blew out during the anniversary celebrations held throughout Italy. Each and every one of those candles represented the commitment, professionalism and creativity of all those people who, over the years, have played such an important role in making the Group one of the leading companies in the development and production of chemical products for the building industry all around the world and to reach a turnover of around 2.4 billion Euros at the end of the year.

Internationalisation, Research and Development and Specialisation in the building sector represent the pillars of our growth strategy and it is thanks to them that we can continue to look forward and respond in full to our clients’ new, and at times yet unspoken requirements, and the needs of our employees and, wherever possible, of the communities and territories in which we operate.

For us, being close to our clients, employees and the community in general means constantly investing into the creation of quality, durable products that are as sustainable as possible. This is why for years we have been dedicating resources and time into the research and development of innovative products and systems with the aim of minimising their impact on the environment during their entire life cycle, safeguarding the health and safety of people, workers and, first and foremost, of final users, and ensuring a high level of living comfort inside the buildings in which they are used. A great deal of attention goes into products that enable sustainability, that is, all those solutions we create that are mainly intended to improve health and safety and reduce the impact that buildings have on the environment, thereby promoting the theme of sustainability throughout the whole of the building industry.

For Mapei, being sustainable also means investing in people and encouraging the talent, proactivity and team spirit that distinguish the almost 9,500 direct employees of the Group, as well as being spurred on by a strong sense of social responsibility to put the company’s professional knowhow at the service of the community. In fact, as a Group, we love being in the front line and taking an active role in the life of the communities around us by sponsoring sporting, cultural and charity events and initiatives.