The Vernante Glassworks was established after the Second World War: construction of the factory began in 1946 and production started a few years later. The choice of Vernante was also linked to the presence, in the vicinity, of silica quarries, a key raw material for glass production. The factory grew rapidly: the first furnace was joined by a second one with three ‘machines’, that is, equipped with three levels of rollers that pushed the glass to the cutting table and enabled the simultaneous production of multiple thicknesses ranging from 2 to 6 mm, thereby doubling productivity. The glassworks thus became a major contributor to the local economy and community, providing employment for numerous families in the valley. As the company expanded, part of the production and operations was gradually transferred to the new plant in Cuneo, whilst the Vernante facility continued to operate on a smaller scale.
After decades of gradual disuse, the industrial complex was almost entirely demolished in 2023, leaving the two large chimneys as the only remaining traces of the old factory. Standing 69 and 54 metres tall respectively, these imposing structures represent what remains of the old glassworks production complex.
Their preservation has required a delicate and complex restoration and consolidation project – an engineering undertaking of the highest calibre that utilises cutting-edge conservation techniques to safely preserve such an imposing symbol of the local industrial landscape.
This vital conservation work is entirely funded by the CRC Foundation and forms the starting point for a wider regeneration and enhancement project born out of the collaboration between the Municipality of Vernante, the CRC Foundation itself and the European ALCOTRA project ‘Vermenagna-Roya III’, led by the Municipality of Borgo San Dalmazzo.