The Business Administrator Márcia Pelizza was this month’s guest at the online Women Who Inspireevent, organized by Artecola. On the morning of this Friday (3/7), she spoke with colleagues from various company units and shared a message that resonated with people of all genders:
“It’s necessary to understand who we are and to know what we can achieve, what we can do. It’s easy to say, but we need to decide not to give up,” emphasized the executive, who leads the company’s first operation entirely run by a woman.
Originally from Bento Gonçalves (RS) and the daughter of a family of small farmers, Márcia surprised everyone by sharing her journey.
“Since I was 11, I started studying in the evening shift because my mother considered it important that I continue in school. Neighbors tried to convince us not to do it, due to the risk of a girl studying at night, but my mother understood the value of education and kept me in school,” she recounted.
Some time later, the family moved in Caxias do Sul unit. search of better living conditions. One of the initial barriers was the language, as in the countryside they spoke an Italian dialect rather than Portuguese.
At 15, Márcia got her first formal job in a printing industry. To be able to work at the factory, she needed at least a pair of shoes, which she bought on credit and paid for with her first salary. At 17, she was already a production leader and traveled for the first time to São Paulo to attend a trade fair and oversee the purchase of new equipment for the company.
“That’s how I built my career, always with faith and believing in my dreams. We have to look at ourselves, recognize our worth, and value ourselves as individuals,” she emphasized.
Speaking to a diverse audience, Márcia made a special reference to International Women’s Day, celebrated this March 8:
“I am not alone on this path. Balancing a career and family life is a complex journey for women, but we must trust ourselves. We need to believe in what is within our reach and work with what we have.”
The phrase reflects both her personal life and professional career. Over the years, she went through difficult moments, but she never doubted her ability to achieve her goals:
“I always tried to decide what I was going to achieve.”
With over 10 years at Artecola, Márcia Pelizza coordinate the Caxias do Sul unit.Her career spans 30 years of experience, passing through areas of , covering areas such as R&D, processes, quality, production, and salesHer education includes specializations in Thermoplastic and Thermoset Composites Management, Business Management, and High-Performance Leadership.
Several participants praised her testimony at Women Who Inspirehighlighting the strength of her values and the example she represents, not only in her words but also in her actions. The activity is part of the Women’s Committee of the program, We Are Multiculturalwhich promotes diversity and inclusion within Artecola.
With 76 years of historyArtecola belongs to the select group of less than 0.5% of Brazilian companies (according to IBGE data) that achieve such maturity. The company has three business areas—Industry, Retail, and Extrusionand industrial units in Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Mexico and PeruIt produces adhesive solutions and sustainable thermoformed sheets for industrial, professional, and domestic use. It operates in sectors such as footwear, furniture, automotive, packaging, graphic, construction, and agribusiness, reaching 18 countries and generating around 700 direct jobs.
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