CENTRALE DEL LATTE D’ITALIA S.p.A.: plan under way for significant renovation work on the Turin production plant to support growth and innovation in the Group.
The work will take about 30 months and will involve an investment of € 22 million.
Construction of a fully automated 4.0 storage warehouse for finished products, four new packaging lines, introduction of two latest-generation milk processing systems, restructuring and extension of 1300 metres of the plant, modernisation of all systems for the energy needs of the plant.
This is a summary of the work, to last about 30 months, which has recently begun to renovate and automate the Turin production plant of Gruppo Centrale del Latte d’Italia, a company listed since 2001 on the STAR segment of Borsa Italiana and currently the third Italian player on the fresh and long-life milk market, with leadership positions in Piemonte, Liguria, Tuscany and Veneto.
The operation, involving a total investment of € 22 million, is being financed in part by Cassa Depositi e Prestiti and Unicredit S.p.A., through the Supply Chain Project signed by Centrale del Latte d’Italia S.p.A. with the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies, and in part by a Development Contract with Invitalia, introduced by the Ministry of Economic Development to aid companies with strategic investments.
The project aims to respond to the Group’s growth and innovation requirements, aimed in particular at expanding exports, developing the online sales channel – already set up in October last year through the agreement with Alibaba – and the Group’s evolution towards industry 4.0.
Looking in detail at the work planned, the most important part regards the construction of a new fully automated storage warehouse on the northern side of the Centrale area, measuring 700 square metres, with room for 2.688 pallets and a storage capacity of around 2.1 million litres of product.
The warehouse, which will be compliant with the most stringent health and hygiene and security requisites, will be equipped with a refrigerated area for fresh products, an area at room temperature for long-life products and a technologically advanced system for handling products. In addition, a latest-generation software will guarantee perfect traceability of products, from the origin of the raw material through to distribution.
As regards production, four new packaging lines will be introduced, in order to respond to new product and size requirements, as well as two cutting-edge systems for processing milk that will allow for further product innovation.
Lastly, with a view to boosting efficiency and saving energy, the refrigeration and steam production systems will be thoroughly renewed and equipped with the most advanced energy- saving technologies on the market.
With 5 factories and some 450 employees, the Centrale del Latte d’Italia Group produces and sells more than 120 products, ranging from milk and milk products to yogurt, drinks of plant origin and fresh salads, distributed in over 16,000 points of sale in the pertinent areas under the brand names TappoRosso, Mukki, Tigullio and Vicenza and sold both in traditional shops and large retail chains.
In order to monitor the progress of the work and to guarantee it is carried out with complete respect for local residents and all those involved with the area, the company has set up a specific committee composed of company technicians and management.