LIVORN. «This is the ball, the diamonds stepped into the steps to Livorno-Brescia exactly thirteen years ago. I keep it under holy things. Instead he gave me this amaranth scarf Robert Rat, President of Libertas ». From studying the Marco Bernini, on the sixth floor of the towers of Via Lampredi, you can overlook all of Livorno. “I used to work there,” he says, pointing to the main building of the station. Ten years on the railroad before changing his life.
Bernini in the city is known by Livorno and basketball fans for its organic ribe ice cream, whose logo can be seen on the stadium’s fourth bench and on Libertas’ briefs. «The company based in Bibbona belonged to a relative of mine – he says – was on the verge of bankruptcy in 2015. There were 7 jobs to save, we were with the accountant, the immediate prospect was closure. Unless – said the accountant – you find someone of good will who will try … Everyone looked at me and out of pride I decided to try. ” Today Ribe has 12 employees, makes a turnover of 1.2 million euros, sells ice cream throughout Europe and produces ice cream that Sammontana distributes on cruise ships. Bernini managed to sell the popsicles in Scandinavia too. «I was up at the fair in Stockholm, a Swede comes, tries our products and tells me he likes them. It was the biggest ice cream importer in the country: he ordered the same amount from us as we did from Conad last year. Now you can find it in the supermarkets of Gothenburg Algida, Ben & Jerry’s and Ribe, they present us as the ice cream of Tuscany ».
The nights on the highway
But Bernini is not an entrepreneur in life, or rather he does not do it by profession. His profession is engineer, civil engineer. «Tonight – he says – I spent it on the motorway to inspect the tunnels on the Florence-Bologna line. After the Morandi Bridge, security checks have become a priority. Two nights a week I put on my helmet and work as a tunnel doctor, I tell my daughter marina, who is three years old. When he sees me going out in the evening, he says to me: “Dad, are you going into the tunnel? Make a bed in the car and take me with you … “. With the hammer and other tools we check that there is no deflection. The other day I slept in Sasso Marconi, then the next morning I stretched north: we are like Ribe also sponsors of Parma Calcio, there was their own event and in the afternoon there was also a game at Tardini, it was fun On the pitch I heard an opponent talking about us, I asked him if he was from Livorno, he replied he was from Pisa, he was from Cetilar, the main sponsor of Pisa and Parma, I made two entries on his legs…» he smiles.
Engineer at Ardenza
His story is that of a Harlem globetrotter with 36-hour days. And it’s a story to tell, Livorno pride and a testament to how you can succeed in your professional life even if you stay here, between the Ardenza della Rotonda and Piazzale Montello. “Years ago I had won an important place in the European Union, then another in Upper France, in Valenciennes I should have designed the European sidings. But how should I give up my walks on my sea, the Livorno games on Sunday? ». And so Bernini has reinterpreted the famous unemployment slogan, better at Ardenza as an engineer in Milan. “I thought he would be a better engineer in Livorno than in Brussels.” The facts prove him right: Today he is the construction coordinator and head of security for a large-scale operation, the demolition of the Torre del Sale power plant in Piombino. But this is only the last construction site that appears in his CV: «Last Christmas we experienced a race against time because he had to open the new gallery between Calenzano and Barberino, the Santa Lucia, the longest in Europe. A few weeks later we were done, but an unforgettable satisfaction remains. I like working for Autostrade, even if it’s not the best from an economic point of view: it’s a pleasure to be of service to the country».
The works signed by Bernini are countless: “Now I’m doing the conference room of the Arcetri Institute of Astrophysics in the hills of Florence, during Covid I’ve made the new rail link in the port of Marina di Carrara”.
And then there is Livorno. “It is my pleasure if you can do something here, when I won the tender for the inspection of the Sorgenti underpass I was happy because now I will coordinate the security of the Terme del Corallo, after the construction site part of the restoration” .
crossing the interport
«The experience on the railway was crucial, it taught me a lot and working with them continues as a test driver – he says -. I spent 10 years at RFI, I doubled the Empoli-Siena line on the Certaldo Poggibonsi section, in 2004 I was responsible for the works on the Pisa-Collesalvetti-Vada freight line, we rebuilt the new tunnel in Orciano, then I started Prepare long-term projects biblically, such as the crossing between the port and the freight village. Those were the preliminary studies, unfortunately such projects in Italy take 20 years ».
Livorno, Libertas and … PL
The love of amaranth led Bernini to devote himself to the sport. «We try to support many realities, there is no real return, Livorno is a historic passion, as is Libertas. Roberto Creati, President of the PL, makes fun of me and tells me that sooner or later I will convert; he lived across from me on via Caduti del Lavoro, I was a kid, I saw these big boys on the landing. I also helped PL as a security consultant. For me, basketball is 360 degrees. Counseling is my best friend’s husband ChristinaI’ll do the gabions Mannucchi and Lamberti. He is my son julio, 14.5 years old, plays basketball with the Lions. At Easter I gave myself a gift: I took him to New York and Boston to see the NBA playoffs, a beautiful trip that will stay there for a lifetime. I repossessed the important things ».
Now the chocolate
The life of the engineer from Livorno seems to have come out of a Vasco song, one of those you never sleep. “Actually, I sleep six hours a night,” he says. The rest of the time he splits it between being an engineer and being an entrepreneur struggling in the post-Covid era. “We hope for light – he says – we supplied ice to all cruises with the Sammontana brand, but the orders were canceled so I looked for alternatives. I sued a German who is the largest importer of Italian organic products in Germany. At first he didn’t consider me, he had a line of suggestions. I took the train to Nuremberg to speak to him, 5 minutes by car. It had a brand of organic gluten-free chocolate and had to switch manufacturers. We met again in Cernusco, I had a hundred thousand euros, that was my last reserve, we came to an agreement. I invested them to send my employees to Alba to learn how to make chocolates, I bought the machines and now we have orders for Christmas to supply the largest organic supermarkets in Germany with chocolates. We have to differentiate. The Ribe brand is now present in all Carrefours in Italy and in Conad Nord Ovest stores ».
The satisfaction lifts the victims: «On Friday I skipped the gabionade at Pancaldis because I sold popsicles in Bologna. I’m a bit tired, I interviewed a marketing manager, I found good professionals but without the fire I feel. And then I stay in the saddle».
Leghorn pride
The dream is to let Ribe travel on his own feet. “Today I invest a large part of my earnings as an engineer in the company. Some people buy the boat, some the horse, I have Ribe. My satisfaction is giving work to the families of our historic workers who put their hearts into it when things were going badly. But I also want to take the name of Livorno and its territory far to Europe or maybe beyond. This is a wonderful city and country, I suffered when it happened to me that they introduced me “Marco is a Leghorn” and they felt compelled to add “but he means business, eh”. I made them think, I think we should all make an effort: too often we don’t succeed in selling ourselves and we lose competitiveness ».