Farewell to Luciano Cottafavi

The chairman of Litokol died on 1 July. After joining the Rubiera-based company in 1977, he succeeded in transforming the business into a multinational adhesives and building materials manufacturer.

Litokol’s chairman Luciano Cottafavi died on 1 July at the age of 80. One of the Italian ceramic tile industry’s most visionary entrepreneurs, he made a major contribution to the sector’s development over a period of more than 50 years.

Cottafavi began his career in the 1960s, working for several different companies in the ceramic sector. In 1977, he acquired the entire share capital of Litokol, a company founded in Rubiera (Reggio Emilia) in 1968 that specialises in the production of adhesives, sealants and materials for building and interior decoration.

Under his leadership, Litokol grew steadily and established a presence in 100 different countries, with sales companies or production facilities in strategic markets such as Russia, Armenia, Ukraine, China, India and most recently Greece. In 2016, Litokol acquired a shareholding in Estima, Russia’s largest porcelain tile producer.

Luciano Cottafavi succeeded in fulfilling his dream at the helm of Litokol, and those who knew him mourn the loss of a business leader who combined professional with deeply human qualities.

He considered the company his home and forged a special bond with his employees, donating a 20% shareholding to his management team to guarantee the company’s continuity over time.

During Litokol’s 50th anniversary celebrations in 2018, he stressed that the milestone was above all an opportunity to

“celebrate the people who work hard every day to contribute something unique to their company’s development. It is not just about promoting growth or economic performance, but about passing on values of excellence. All this represents our company’s soul and vision of the future.”