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Damonte Trasporti has two hundred employees and operates a fleet of one hundred and eighty trucks in Genoa. Founded in 1920 by Osvaldo Damonte, today it is administered by his three granddaughters, Annalisa, Ivana and Patrizia. Father Mario, 85, with Mother Orietta always by his side, oversees the business, which is largely entrusted to a very young staff, every day. Damonte is featured in CNA Storie of the month.

Photo of the last truck stuck on the Morandi Bridge

The history of the Damonte company starts far back, but it is also marked by a dramatic event in the recent news: the collapse of the Morandi Bridge , on August 14, 2018. “On the Bridge at that moment there was one of our trucks,” which despite itself became a symbol of the drama. Annalisa remembers those moments of dramatic disbelief at the news communicated over the phone by the driver who was driving the vehicle. “We couldn’t imagine such a tragedy, but once we realized, the only thing to do was to contact all the drivers who were in the area, and drove the Bridge daily, to make sure they were okay”.

On the Bridge at the time of the collapse was one of our trucks

A job that never ends

What Annalisa may fear is hard to speculate. She has the cold blood necessary to handle any emergency, and the Morandi Bridge affair is proof of that. “Ours is a job that never ends. The phone can ring at any hour, day or night, maybe about a vehicle that has a breakdown, or an accident.” And that the industry they run is purely male never seems to have intimidated the three sisters.  “We’ve never had any great difficulty working with so many men, because we grew up in it.”

Full confidence in young people

The 200 employees include many young people, but there is no shortage of historical figures, a point of reference for new recruits. “Dad and Mom have always believed in young people, their strength and creativity. They are also joined by many drivers who are coming to retirement with us, some of them were traveling companions of Dad.”

The care of pulls and attention to people

How much human capital matters to the owners is clear from the care taken in the maintenance of the vehicles that “are the face of our company going around Italy,” Annalisa points out. “Dad always told us that the driver has to be comfortable, and in fact we care about them being clean, tidy, and performing. We renew 20-25 of them a year. We have an in-house workshop for initial maintenance”.

Trucks are the face of our company running on the roads of the country

The corporate apprenticeship is for everyone

Grandfather Osvaldo’s is now in its fourth generation. But no place is assured here simply by being part of the family. “The fourth generation went through a selection process before coming to work here with us,” says Annalisa-. We never liked to make life easy for them: they have to understand that in the family business you come to work, maybe even a few minutes more than others. And so our children submitted their resumes, did internships, then apprenticeships, and now they are growing up.” After all, recalls Annalisa, “our parents were also breathing down our necks, no discount. They always tried to see if we were up to the task of leading the company.

The history of Damonte Transportation and that of CNA

“The experience with CNA is historical,” Annalisa recalls. My father was one of the promoters, one of the first members. Today we continue to be fond of it.” The added value of doing association life? “The people we have met over the years,” answers Annalisa, “and who have given us support, for example, during the period of refreshments for the collapse of the Morandi Bridge”.

Business and family have always been intertwined in the long history of Damonte Transportation. Ever since Annalisa played hide-and-seek among the trucks in the yard. So much has changed since then, and the exponential growth confirms it. But what remains unchanged is Mario’s confidence in those who have picked up his baton. “Working in a family may not be easy,” Annalisa observes. For us it was very spontaneous, thanks to our parents who allowed us to be daughters, at work. The company has always engaged us, given us satisfaction, but also responsibility. Living in this family way was perhaps easier.”

Questo articolo Videostoria. Tir Damonte and that photo on the Morandi Bridge remained in history è stato pubblicato su CNA.