Chi Siamo

The story of Valli Zabban began over ninety years ago. It was 1928 when Idrobitume Zabban was founded in Bologna for the production, transportation and application of bitumen.

Some years later in 1945, the company Edile Stradale Valli Giulio & C. was formed, the leading Italian production hub for transforming bitumen for road paving and building waterproofing.

In 2015 the Acoustic Division was added, in a merger by acquisition of the company Aetolia VZ srl. Valli Zabban is today a modern company, a leader in Italy and in the world in the transformation of bitumen through its three sectors: Road Technologies, Waterproofing Systems and Rubber Technologies.

Technological research, product innovation, attention to environmental sustainability and the expansion of foreign markets are the four cardinal points of its leadership.

Valli Zabban believes that development must be sustainable for humankind and for the environment. The company is aware of the great commitment that this philosophy brings.

There are so many goals – cutting down pollutant emissions, reducing energy consumption and manufacturing using recycling and re-use, cutting down waste and implementing the principles of the circular economy – and to achieve all of these a high level of technological know-how is required along with a programme of substantial investments that are constant over time.

But if today the name of Valli Zabban is becoming synonymous with responsibility and environmental sustainability, the merit must also and above all be attributed to the high professionalism of its human resources, that are the true company assets.

In the eighties, when the market underwent far-reaching changes, Valli Zabban felt strongly the possibility and necessity to expand. 

It was the time for new alliances and industrial synergies. In 1982 the company became part of the Pontello Group, joined in 1984 by Calcestruzzi S.p.A. (Ferruzzi Gruppo), in 1995 a minor shareholding was acquired by Api (Anonima Petroli Italiana) and in 1998 the majority shareholding passed to Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Capital Italy & Manager. 

In 2004 a new road opened up: General Beton Triveneta, a subsidiary of the Tonon Group, acquired 100% of the Valli Zabban share capital. 

The Tonon Group, headed by the Tonon company, has been working in the general construction sector since 1955. 

Over the years it has developed its business activities as a producer of solutions for construction: concrete, asphalt concretes, bitumen waterproofing and acoustic insulation, inerts, marbles and granites, electrical and mechanical systems, chemicals for concrete, plasters, external wall insulation systems, adhesives and laying services, the disposal of construction materials containing asbestos and many other special wastes.     

The Tonon Group has worked and continues to work in the construction industry in Italy, China, Cuba, Lebanon, Poland, Romania, Russia, Tunisia and Ukraine.

The Road Technologies sector operates in transforming bitumen for the construction and/or the ordinary and extraordinary maintenance of road paving (modified bitumens, bituminous emulsions and hot or cold applied asphalt concretes). Safety, regard for the environment and keeping down energy consumption are the minimum common denominator of all products in the sector. The products/systems for roadbuilding are in line with the world agreement on safeguarding the climate reached at the Paris Conference COP21 in December 2015. Merit goes to Valli Zabban research and the development of advanced technologies which, year after year, confirm the company as the undisputed leader in this sector.

Valli Zabban has established itself at the top of the bitumen waterproofing sector in civil construction and infrastructures in Italy and throughout the world. For over a quarter of a century, Valli Zabban waterproofing membranes have been protecting roofs, bridges, viaducts, foundations and every other type of civil engineering work from water, one of the most common elements and at the same time one of the most difficult of all to contain. This success is also thanks to continual research, an absolute vocation for technological innovation and the total quality guaranteed by the products as well as the services offered to customers.

The Rubber technologies sector makes Valli Zabban the company leader in recycling the rubber from end-of-life tyres (ELTs) and in its use in highly specialised applications. The company uses recycled rubber to make materials with a high technological content: solutions of acoustic insulation, distributed under the Aetolia brand, as well as industrial and railway/tramway vibration dampers, protective layers for waterproofing systems, anti-trauma surfaces and flooring for the fitness sector.