Twenty years ago, the idea of creating sculptures and works of art using robots and 3D scans was considered almost sacrilegious, an affront to a tradition of craftsmanship and labor deemed untouchable, yet even then it was no longer attracting young people. Twenty years later, the company that was one of the first to embrace technology applied to stone—benefiting from operating in Carrara, the world's leading marble district—is now listed on the stock exchange, on Euronext Growth Milan, the market dedicated to SMEs. The company is focusing on growth by leveraging high-tech applications and robots.
Litix, led by Giacomo Massari and Filippo Tincolini, with a revenue of 4.6 million euros in 2023 and an EBITDA of 1.28 million euros, is completing the construction of its headquarters, which includes a sculpture workshop and eight robotic stations, located right below the Fantiscritti marble basin, one of Carrara's most famous sites, rich in history and charm. “However, we use marble blocks that are often unsuitable for the stone industry," explains Massari, the company's chairman and CEO, "and from these, we are able to create fine works destined for artists, art galleries, designers, and occasionally private clients. With technology, we have broken down entry barriers and revitalized sculpture."
But that’s not all. "The machines can do 90% of the work," the CEO adds, "but then hand finishing is necessary, the 'know-how' that comes from tradition and experience, and that's what could bring young people back into the sector." One of the first works that projected the company (then called Torart, later merged into Litix) into global headlines was, in 2016, the marble reconstruction of the Roman arch of Palmyra, destroyed in Syria by the terrorist group ISIS. That arch, reconstructed in 3D thanks to documentation from the UK’s Institute of Digital Archaeology, has been exhibited in London, New York, Dubai, and Florence.
Today, Litix’s client portfolio (90% of whom are foreign) includes names like Jeff Koons, Zaha Hadid, Maurizio Cattelan, and Fabio Viale, as well as the Carmelite monks of Wyoming and the Mormon religious movement. However, alongside sculpture, which has great media impact but a limited market demand, the robotic division is growing, focusing on software and hardware design that has so far been used to shape stone. This is the area Litix plans to emphasize for growth: "For the first time, in the first half of this year, revenues from the robotics division exceeded those from the sculpture division," explains Massari. "We now aim to focus on robotic integration, modifying existing technologies typically developed for the automotive industry and adapting them to other sectors. The stock exchange gives us the boost to explore new industries."
Litix’s robots are targeting markets like the nautical sector, for the creation of molds for hulls, as well as the stone, plastic, cement industries, and recycling solutions. The 2.2 million euros raised from the IPO, which took place last July, will be used to develop new applications. "Our goal is to make digital manufacturing accessible to everyone," explain Massari and Tincolini, "by offering increasingly advanced and simplified solutions." As of June 30, Litix’s half-year report recorded revenues of 3.5 million euros (1.9 from robot sales, 1.4 from art sales, and 260,000 euros from 3D printing and computing designer services) and an EBITDA of 600,000 euros. Strong growth is expected. In the second half of the year, Litix plans to launch mini robots, robots for applications beyond marble, and software that strengthens its presence in the tech sector.
Silvia Pieraccini