Memeo
Liturgical supplies

Ombretta Panigo's interview, sales and marketing manager

Can you briefly introduce us your company and your production?

Arredi Sacri Memeo (ASM) has been in the religious sector ever since 1998 as a manufacturer and restaurateur of metal liturgical supplies. The company was born from the experience handed down from father to son in the first Milanese workshops of the 1960s, which produced chalices and religious articles. In recent years, ASM has extended and modernised its production unit, focusing on the combination of craftsmanship and design, supported by modern technologies and exclusively Italian raw materials. Our production offers chalices, monstrances, thuribles, lamps, tabernacles and other items used during religious celebrations. The materials used are brass, copper and bronze, gold and silver. Also, everything is processed in-house in our company, such as: design of the model, production, finishing in our nickel-free electroplating, packaging and shipping.

How do you consider the current situation and the perspectives of the religious articles market, after both the pandemic and the current difficult period due to the war in Ukraine?

The pandemic and its consequent restrictions on religious tourism and participation in celebrations have severely reduced trade in the Italian and foreign markets, causing us a loss which is around 60% of the 2019 turnover. However, we have already noticed a slight recovery in the last quarter of 2021 and it has prompted us to increase our staff. Thanks to this, ASM was ready for the increase demand from foreign markets and we are experiencing positive growth returning to pre-pandemic levels. The unexpected war has fortunately not dampened the demand of our articles, probably because our customers are far from the affected market area.

The third edition of "Devotio" is around the corner and its aim is that to represent a moment of restart for the entire industry. What do you expect from this exhibition?

We do not hide the fact that we had some concerns about the turnout at this Devotio edition, considering the unpredictable trend of the Covid variants, aggravated by the fear of Ukraine's war developments. However, we think that after such an unstable and negative period, it is necessary to be present at such a trade event, which we consider to be the only fair of European importance in our sector. With this optimism, we participate in Devotio by presenting some novelties both in our production and in the presentation on our stand to the public who will visit us, art and craftsmanship directly in action.

Will you bring some novelties to “Devotio 2022”? Which ones?

Attending Devotio, after the postponements that this exhibition has to make, requires to be ready and to present novelties that can entice the customer to a market revival by focusing on companies that are willing to do and support the retailer with constant and unquestionable commercial assistance of quality. The novelties in our sector must respect liturgical canons and, as far as possible, not go beyond the dogmas of tradition. ASM will be presenting new articles, such as 3 new models and innovative woods tabernacles, as well as an important set of monstrance-chalice-ciboria completely according to a Baroque style. There will be many modern and simple chalices, but we will have also in store a unique composition of chalice and paten that is not mass-produced. This is entirely made of silver, hand-chiselled and adorned with precious stones to exalt the quality and craftsmanship of the Made in Italy, that makes us the number one in the worldwode industry.

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