Behind the scenes at Codogno

Held at our state-of-the-art manufacturing site, the event gave visitors the chance to go far beyond a standard presentation. Across the two days, guests toured the factory, visited the laboratory, saw product testing up close and watched live demonstrations designed to show how performance is shaped at every stage, from formulation and quality control through to bead selection and on-site application.

Why the full system matters

The focus was on the full system (paint + beads + machinery), and how each element contributes to the end result. Over the two days, we explored the relationship between the paint itself, the choice of glass beads and the way products are applied, showing why all three matter when the aim is durability, visibility and a finish that performs on the road.

Looking ahead

The event also looked to the future. Alongside our current waterborne systems, we shared more of our work around technologies designed to meet changing expectations in the sector, including sustainability, regulation and product development. Presentations touched on the direction of travel for public procurement, environmental requirements and the growing importance of lower-VOC, water-based solutions, while also giving customers a closer look at new water-based developments and the testing that supports them.

Precision behind the process

Visitors also had the chance to see more of the precision behind our own processes. That included preformed thermoplastic and the advanced in-house cutting capability we have developed since becoming independent. It gave customers the opportunity to get behind the scenes and understand more about the level of care, control and accuracy that go into the finished result.

Technical collaborators in action

Our technical collaborators played a major part in bringing the event to life. Potters Industries focused on reflective glass beads and the vital role they play in the overall system. They showcased how factors such as bead size, coating, and embedment all affect retroreflection and long-term performance, and how different application techniques dramatically impact bead quantities and distribution.  

Larius demonstrated a range of road marking machines including their new electric Miró E-Liner, showing how different setups, bead dispensers and application methods influence line quality, consistency and performance on site. Thermal Road Repairs displayed their unique and patented road repair system which delivers permanent, zero waste, low carbon repairs – supporting faster, more sustainable and low-disruption maintenance.

 

A valuable first for Vernisol

The event was ambitious from the outset. As the first Open Days we have held as an independent business, our aim was to invite customers in, make the day genuinely useful and create real opportunities for technical discussion, learning and exchange.

General Manager Massimo Santori reflected on what it had taken to make it happen. “Looking back on the two days, what stands out most is the team effort behind them. This was something we built together across the business, and that is what made the first edition of our Open Days such a success. It began as an idea to do something different for our customers, something practical, informative and worthwhile, and we are proud of what it became.”

What visitors said

That same feeling came through in the feedback afterwards. One attendee described the event as “fantastic and fully successful”, saying we had shown exceptional professionalism by opening the doors of the business and showing that behind “a simple tin of paint” there are people working hard to support customers, improve existing products and develop new ones for the future of the sector. Another said the event made it clear from start to finish that “a team of professionals and an organised, structured company with an international vision” is working every day to strengthen its position in the market. A further comment summed the event up simply as “beautiful and well executed”, backed up by positive customer feedback.

What comes next

That team effort was one of the strongest messages to come out of the two days. From production and technical teams to office staff, customer-facing colleagues and those leading the live sessions, the event reflected a business-wide commitment to creating something worthwhile for customers while keeping normal operations moving.

For us, the success of the first Innovation Days was about creating better conversations with customers, grounded in practical detail, technical understanding and shared experience. By bringing together paint development, bead expertise, machine setup, preformed thermoplastic best practice, and innovative road repairs, the event gave visitors a fuller view of what goes into a high-performing road marking system and where the market is heading next.

And this is only the beginning. With Prismo’s flagship factory in Chorley recognised as the world’s largest and most advanced thermoplastics facility, we hope customers will also have the opportunity to see that operation up close at a future open day later in 2026.