William Bogazzi, founder of the Italian company Labrador International, has died at his home in Massaa. He was 76.

He was widely known in Britain among architects and in the trade (who included colleages in Stone Federation Great Britain) for his company\'s involvement in granite and marble supply contracts extending over five decades.

He was a constant traveller and visited many parts of the world, winning major contracts in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the USA and Japan, among other places.

Earlier in his life he had worked for several leading companies in the area. He was a pioneer of granite production and marketing in the Massa-Carrara district at a time when marble was the predominant material of the trade there and the introduction of diamond cutting and polishing was about to make the wider exploitation of granite more feasible.

He had a wide knowledge of materials and close friendships with quarry operators in many countries.

Although he lived most of his working life in Italy, he was born in south London of an Italian stone carver father. He moved to Italy in 1950 while his older brother, Valerio (who died several years ago), stayed in Britain and set up his own marble and granite contracting firm.

Labrador International is now headed by William\'s son, John Bogazzi, who has served within the company for many years and is well-known among their many customers.

By Muriel Burton