Padua, 3 December 2025 – Grafica Veneta celebrates its fortieth anniversary by transforming its history into a new beginning, expressed through the medium it knows best: books. The milestone is marked by an editorial project curated by Marco Cappelli, a historian and author of Storie D’Italia: “The Deep Roots Do Not Freeze: The History of the Venetian Printing Press.” This project includes a book and a podcast that chronicle the evolution of the typographic tradition in the region and its role in book culture. since its founding in 1985, Grafica Veneta has been an integral part of this journey, contributing to the sector’s growth and establishing itself as an international reference for editorial printing.
FORTY YEARS OF VENETIAN GRAPHICS
“We are celebrating forty years of history, work, and shared successes. An important milestone like this cannot be achieved alone, but together with the publishers and collaborators who believed in Grafica veneta when it was a small local company and continue to do so today as we are an international book printing operator,” commented Fabio Franceschi, President of Grafica Veneta. “For us,the book is not merely an industrial product; it is culture,emotion,and freedom of thought. This is why we approach the coming years with the same curiosity as at the beginning, ready to grow further and marvel alongside publishers and readers, because every printed page represents, once again, a new shared beginning.”
THE ROOTS OF THE PRINTING WORK
The evolution of the Venetian publishing press, from its artisanal origins to the challenges of the contemporary era, is explored in the podcast and book, “The Deep Roots Do Not Freeze: The History of the Venetian Printing Press,” written by Marco Cappelli. The historian traces the history of the printing industry in Veneto, from its beginnings with the first publisher-printer Aldo Manuzio in 16th-century Venice, to the European successes of the Remondini family of Bassano del Grappa in the 18th century, and up to the present-day contributions and international growth of the sector. From a small linotype machine in Trebaseleghe, in the province of Padua, Grafica Veneta has become a leading player in the industry, built on courage, passion, and vision. In 2002, following the passing of the founders, Fabio Franceschi acquired full ownership of the company, transforming it from a small artisan business specializing in prints for public governance into a dynamic and innovative force in the world of books. The first volume printed at a minimal cost, Donna Lakota by Mary Crow-Dog, marked the beginning of a period of rapid growth, fueled by continuous investments in technology and personnel.