One of the major factors contributing to the prestige of famous monuments is the stone from which they were made: stone from the Ossola Valley. Some of the most unusual and prestigious varieties have been used in the construction of Milan Cathedral, the churches of Pavia, the columns of the Basilica di San Paolo outside the walls of Rome - all of these are evidence of its value in the construction of buildings and monuments. 

Nevertheless, the most widespread and versatile use of the best-known materials like serizzo, beola and granite is in urban building projects. Examples of their use can be found in the construction of underground stations, airports, squares, streets and buildings in some of the world’s most important cities: Milan, Brussels, Singapore, New York, and Bangkok.

This is the context for the birth in the Ossola Valley in 1974 of Assocave, an association with regional status, which represents companies which specialise in all areas: from the mining to the processing of ornamental stone.