Vittorio Donatoni, who founded the Italian stone machinery company that bears his family name in 1959, has died. He was 81. The company that he founded is now split in two. Donatoni Machines is run by his son, Giorgio, and Officina Meccanica Donatoni, which services and repairs machines, is run by two of his other six children, Andrea and Dario.

Alec Sandberg, who took his London-based family firm from railway engineers to consultants to the civil engineering and building industries, has died in the night following his 85th birthday celebrations.
Alec joined his family’s practice in 1950, becoming senior partner five years later. He realised that railway consultancy had limited potential and branched out into the full materials consultancy, inspection and testing organisation that Sandbergs have become.
He is survived by his wife, Aline, and sons Michael, Christopher and Neil. A service of remembrance will be held at St Michael's Church, Chester Square, in London on 2 October.