This is the first blog that we are publishing about Sumac! We would like to share with you the Sumac industries founded by FAMIGLIA MORMINO in Termini Imerese in the second half of the 19th century.

The sumac (Rhus coriaria) is a plant belonging to the Anacardiaceae family, native to the Mediterranean area and the Middle East. In Sicily, the cultivation of sumac has a long tradition, thanks to the favorable climate and calcareous soils that promote its growth. The plant thrives in well-drained hilly soils, often in the same areas where olive trees are cultivated. In Termini Imerese, in the province of Palermo, sumac played a significant role in the local economy. At the beginning of the 20th century, Mr. Cosimo D'Amico founded an important facility for cleaning and milling sumac, contributing to the development of the local industry and providing employment to numerous workers.

Traditionally, sumac was used for the extraction of tannins employed in leather tanning and as a natural dye. With the advent of chemical dyes, its cultivation declined. However, in recent years, there has been a renewed interest in this plant, both for its culinary properties and its health benefits. In Termini Imerese, there is a company that cultivates organic sumac, producing a variety of products for use in cooking, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.

Sumac is valued for its high content of antioxidants, including hydrolyzable tannins, phenolic acids, anthocyanins, and flavonoids, making it an effective natural preservative in the food sector.

The Mormino family of Termini Imerese played a significant role in the processing of sumac. Pasquale Mormino Navarra (1804-1875), son of Diego Mormino (1750-1827) and Riparata Navarra, was one of the city's leading entrepreneurs during the early industrial revolution. He founded the company "Pasquale Mormino e Figlio," involving his son Diego (1837-1909) in the management of the business. This company was dedicated to the processing of sumac, contributing to the local economy.

The Mormino family, with Pasquale Mormino Navarra (1804-1875) and his son Diego (1837-1909), established one of the first industries in the Termini Imerese and Palermo area. Their factory, "Pasquale Mormino e Figlio," specialized in canned fish preservation, dried fruit processing, and sumac milling, an essential activity for leather tanning.

Additionally, in 1899, Diego Mormino and his son Pasquale (1868-1920) joined the "Società per l'Esportazione dei Sommacchi I. & V. Florio," investing a significant sum and contributing to the production of sumac for export.

With the collaboration of the Mormino family, the Florios contributed to the industrialization of sumac production. The Florio family also engaged in sumac processing, primarily for extracting tannins used in leather tanning. For sumac milling, the Florios used a windmill designed by architect Carlo Giachery between 1852 and 1853, located near the Arenella tuna fishery in Palermo. This mill, known as the "mulino del sommacco," featured an innovative mechanism that allowed the blades to be oriented according to the wind direction, attracting the interest of Dutch engineers at the time.

In 2024, Diego Mormino, the last generation of the Mormino family, donated to Redess Srl several photographs of the early 20th-century facilities that belonged to his family. He also provided an image of the brand for their sumac product. We can never thank this great entrepreneur enough. Today, he is the owner of the Mormino company, which holds several patents for sulfur-based products used in agriculture and other markets.

MORE INFO IN ITALIAN..............

L'immagine mostra un'etichetta storica dell'azienda P. Mormino e Fils, situata a Termini Imerese (Palermo), fondata nel 1820 e specializzata nella lavorazione e commercio del sommacco. L'etichetta indica che l'azienda operava con un "Établissement à vapeur pour la manufacture des sumacs", ovvero un stabilimento a vapore per la lavorazione del sommacco, segnalando una struttura industrializzata per l'epoca.

Dettagli rilevanti dell'etichetta:

1. Produzione e lavorazione del sommacco

   • L'azienda si occupava di sumacs ventilés et dépurés en feuilles et en poudres, ovvero sommacco ventilato e depurato in foglie e in polvere.
   • Specialità: Marca "RED STAR", sommacco di qualità extra superiore, utilizzato nella concia delle pelli (mégisserie) e raffinato per estratti.
   • Un'altra qualità di sommacco era marchiata "Sans-Pareil", sinonimo di elevata purezza e lavorazione accurata.

2. Attività commerciali e mercati serviti

   • L'azienda esportava anche mandorle e pistacchi, indicando un'attività commerciale più ampia oltre al sommacco.
   • Le mandorle venivano esportate in guscio tenero, in barili o sacchi, con un triage (selezione) accurato.
   • Le mandorle rotte (cassées) venivano spedite in balle e casse.

3. Posizionamento geografico

   • L'etichetta sottolinea che lo stabilimento si trovava "dans le centre productif des meilleurs sumacs de Sicile", ovvero nella zona più produttiva per il sommacco siciliano.

Approfondimenti sulla Famiglia Mormino e le loro attività sul Sommacco

L'etichetta conferma che la famiglia Mormino aveva un'importante industria di esportazione del sommacco, operante con tecnologie avanzate per l'epoca. L'uso di un impianto a vapore suggerisce un alto livello di meccanizzazione della produzione, che potrebbe aver incluso:

• Molini a pietra o rulli per la frantumazione del sommacco.
• Sistemi di ventilazione e pulizia per separare le impurità dalle foglie.
• Macchine per la setacciatura e la produzione di polvere di sommacco destinata all'industria conciaria.