Cnews 45 english version

CPL CONCORDIA Group newsletter

45

Postal subscription with special rates for periodicals issued more than twice a year and no more than 70% advertising content. Business Sales Management Department. Modena

n.

Year XII - n.2 June 2014

VERSILIA HOSPITAL, A PARAGON OF HEALTH CARE

New beginnings with Versilia Hospital energy management agreement. Run by the local branch of the Italian health service ASL 12, the Viareggio-based hospital’s high energy efficiency facilities serve a user base of over 500,000 during the summer months.

INTRODUCING ‘METER ITALIA’, THE ITALIAN DESIGNED AND BUILT SMART GAS METER From a partnership uniting three Italian companies - namely Sacofgas 1927, Cooperativa Bilanciai, and CPL CONCORDIA - comes a new company, established to manufacture and export worldwide a range of correctors and smart meters.

BANKS SHOW CONFIDENCE IN THREE-YEAR PLAN WITH €80 MILLION OF FUNDING Five-year syndicated loan and factoring lines provide new medium and long-term support for the 2013-2015 business plan.

Another year of hard work and another step forward.

The general meeting to approve the financial statements is due to be held in one of the new buildings designed and built after the earthquake, offering a tangible sign of the cooperative’s intention to keep on growing to ever greater heights. look towards new horizons, whether

A new backdrop is planned for this year’s

some way, it embodies our resolve, first

June meeting, although the location

to overcome the immediate aftermath

European or international. It represents

(Concordia) will remain the same as it has

and then to adapt and rebuild. With the

another step towards new milestones.

been for the last 115 years - with the sole

effects of the earthquake still visible in

P.S. A year has passed since C-news

exception of those ‘circumstances beyond

many of our facilities, meeting up and

was restyled to incorporate a new

our control’ that led to our relocation to

welcoming guests within these sound

format and different graphics. With the

the Forum Monzani building in Modena

new structures projects the message

newspaper format put aside in favour of

in 2012. By 2013, though, we were

that not only do we intend to rebuild,

a magazine approach, other new features

already back home in Modena’s “Bassa”

we also plan to grow bigger and better.

have also been introduced, including

area, under the protection of a large

The fact that this development is taking

infographics, QR codes, a larger number

frame tent, which although temporary,

place within the nearby town of San

of - briefer - articles and more photos,

clearly

Possidonio bears testament to an age-old

including those of the contributors.

off.

tie that has been established between

Please let us know what you think about

So, what’s new this time round? The

the inhabitants of the two towns at

the new C-news and send in any ideas

site chosen for the meeting is one of the

some point in the cooperative’s history.

or suggestions you may have. Don’t

buildings that has been entirely designed

It is a heart-warming sign of unity, of

hesitate to write to us at: redazione@cpl.it

and built since the earthquake, and, in

the strength that is needed in order to

Francesco Manicardi

to

pick

conveyed up

our

where

determination we’d

left

CPL CONCORDIA is associated with

Editor-in-chief FRANCESCO MANICARDI

The quarterly newsletter brought to you by CPL CONCORDIA Group Year XII - n. 2 June 2014 Registered with the Court of Modena on 26.05.2003 under n. 1673

Editors GABRIELE BATTISTI SAURO CORSI MARCO DAL DOSSO MARIO GUARNIERI EMANUELE MALAVASI E-mail: redazione@cpl.it Design and Layout Gabriele Greco - Ufficio Comunicazione CPL CONCORDIA Marco Maini - KINA SNC Printed by TIPOLITO SALVIOLI - salvioli.it

CNews online - http://en.cpl.it/cnews

Get free access to C-News contents from the CPL CONCORDIA website by downloading the QR Code Reader!

Partner

Have contributed to this issue: ANDREA BRAMUCCI PIERLUIGI CAPELLI ROBERTO CASARI MAURO DASSI PAOLA FERRARI MICHELE FORINO GIOVANNI GALLACE TANJA GAVIOLI FLAVIO GUIDETTI VITO MORAMARCO BRUNO SANTORELLI GIUSEPPE SELLITTO DAVIDE TABARELLI GIORDANO TABARELLI SILVANO TROMBA

Published by CPL CONCORDIA Soc. Coop.

Via A. Grandi, 39 41033 Concordia s/Secchia (MO) Phone: +390535.616.111- Fax +390535.616.300 Website:: www.cpl.it Mail: info@cpl.it

LEADING ARTICLE

A minister for employment from the cooperative world

Appointment of cooperative member Giuliano Poletti to key position for employment forges confidence due to Poletti’s first-hand familiarity with issues involved, cooperative mindset, and attention to labour policies. Hopes for cooperation between government, unions, and employers to create jobs and new opportunities.

of cooperatives, spent within the city of Imola, as well as in leadership positions within regional and national organisations.

Given the current socioeconomic climate, expectations are high.

Since the end of 2007, Italy has suffered a drop in GDP of over 8% and household wealth has returned to 1990s levels, while unemployment has doubled to 12%, with youth unemployment recorded at 42%. “In this country, we have stopped making decisions,” said Mr Poletti, “with the dramatic consequence that 80% of new recruits are on temporary contracts or under apprenticeships. There are even 2,300,000 young people who are neither students nor workers. Italy has to become the land of opportunity it once was, which is why the ministry has launched the ‘Youth Guarantee’ portal, to allow registered users access to job opportunities offered by businesses, as well as public and private entities.” The minister for employment is also preparing for the European summit on youth employment, which is due to be held in Turin on 11th July.

What route has CPL taken over recent years? In 2007, at the beginning of the economic crisis, we had around 800 people on our books and recorded revenues of €200 million. At today’s meeting, CPL is reporting 1800 employees, as well as a consolidated value of production of €415 million, and consolidated net profit of €4.5 million. Despite the recession, then, our company has grown, and not by luck, but because of certain key concepts - “innovation” and “financial capacity” which have been carefully studied and applied with appropriate policies. During the last two years, over 120 new employees have been taken on, most of whom are young people and

Roberto Casari (aged 60) - rcasari@cpl.it Chairman, CPL CONCORDIA

The last few months have brought Giuliano Poletti and Mauro Lusetti into the national spotlight. We have a minister for employment from the world of cooperatives and a citizen of Modena as the newly elected national chair of Italy’s Legacoop Nazionale association (National League of Cooperatives and Mutual Societies). These two important figures have succeeded not only in contributing to their own co-operatives but also to local and national authorities, working up to the ranks of government minister in Mr Poletti’s case. The potential offered

by Giuliano Poletti has been recognised, with the various associations appreciating his qualities, such as candour and pragmatism, as well as his expertise in labour issues in Italy. this is the result of experience gained in over 40 years in the world

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CNews n. 45 - June, twenty fourteen

graduates who have completed their course of studies quickly and beneficially (regardless of political orientation, an aspect of our organisation which some people tend to overestimate). The hirings were the result of a policy promoted by the company not only in order to stimulate growth and create financial worth as a company, but also to implement the cooperative philosophy of generating new jobs for people driven by a passion for work and pride in results.

Even the historical results of the recent election seems to express confidence, with a centre-left government voted in. The candidates’ endeavours to seek consensus and their acknowledgment of the voting public’s desire for the concrete values of a young leader have been recognised at the ballot box. This attention to action over words should be supported because innovative ideas are finally being turned into facts.

We also hope that Mr Poletti, together with the government, will demonstrate an ability to act in the interests of business owners who want to create work, by changing the regulations that currently tying up Italian companies, nationally and internationally, with overtaxation and red tape. This is what we expect from the minister, to prove once again that a cooperative is not an association of second-class businesses or people, which lives by different rules and - according to common belief - does not pay taxes. Over the past five years, we have paid approximately €20 million in taxes, making us one of the largest taxpayers in the area. Nevertheless, we have still managed to set aside consolidated net assets which, in 2013, amounted to almost €161 million. This indivisible wealth is the force, the continuity and, today, also the strength that lies behind our cooperative enterprise.

Cooperation is a form of business that accompanies a pluralist economy, in which there is room for small traders alongside public and private limited companies, listed companies, and multinational corporations. When people get together to form a cooperative, they pool their resources, accepting the rules and restrictions established. For example, relocation to increase competitiveness is not an option open to cooperatives. You are unlikely to see a board of directors of a cooperative suggesting to workers at the AGM that they ‘self-relocate’.

So, while for other companies internationalisation often means relocation, we have to focus on growth, sending our experts and managers to new production facilities, instead, to make new contributions to production in other countries.

Returning to a national perspective, the duo formed by minister Giuliano Poletti and new chair of Legacoop Mauro Lusetti looks set to bring success. Working together, the cooperative organisations (the Lega, as part of the Alliance of Italian Cooperatives) and the Italian political world could find the right way to tackle regulatory and bureaucratic issues that are holding back a revival of the country’s economy and hindering employment. In this respect, rather than coming from the sector of co-operatives concerned with creating employment, Mr Lusetti’s roots in the world of consumer cooperatives (which brings together thousands of retailers) could offer something new. We wish them all the best in their work, with the hope that they will promote cooperatives as a means of improving conditions for oneself (especially among young people) during these harsh economic times in Italy.

CNews n. 45 June twenty fourteen

In this issue

BUSINESS AREA

MARKETING

06

An energy-compliant hospital for Versilia

08

Meter Italia, the Italian smart meter manufacturer

10

Forlì - When efficiency is at the service of art

12

CRISTOFORETTI SER expands district heating activities

29

€80 million for development

31

Sassinoro. Thoughts on water and power

14

AMGA Legnano & Co

32

15

Ships, haulage, and businesses - the future lies in LNG

CPL: 115 “green” years spent dedicated to employment

35

Investing in languages as a means of competition

16

In Africa, AI Power allies with Biffi in services

18

Villa Castelli, Puglia, is bathing in LED light

21

Urban renewal underway in Massafra

22

Setting new standards for smart grids in Lombardy

26

CPL set to be next ACCREDIA-authorised inspector

27

Opportunities in Dubai and Qatar

BUSINESS NEWS

CSR 36

“Mr Casari, you are a new citizen of Ischia”

COOPERATIVE WORLD 38

5

Chairman of Cooperatives Europe on visit to Emilia

An energycompliant hospital for Versilia Five-year management agreement with Viareggio facility (under local health service branch “ASL 12�), with CPL involved in keeping plant engineering at highest standards and 24 workers assigned to management activities.

The entrance area at Versilia hospital, which serves a local community of 160,000 with a user base that swells to 500,000 during the summer months Due to the type and efficiency of the plants and systems, the Lido di Camaiore hospital is the first healthcare facility in Italy to obtain a grade C energy performance certificate.

Giuseppe Sellitto (aged 49) - gsellitto@cpl.it Sales Area Manager, Tuscany

A

t the beginning of April 2014, CPL CONCORDIA made its official debut as manager of the five-year maintenance plan featuring integrated services for ASL 12’s Versilia Hospital in Viareggio, whose decentralised facilities are located in Lido di Camaiore, in the province of Lucca.

The contract, with an upset price of €8,250,000, provides management services for preventive and unscheduled maintenance aimed at maintaining the efficiency of all the components of the building’s envelope, as well as the infrastructure and electromechanical systems, for the entire life cycle thereof.

With this important new acquisition, which joins the Pisa, Arezzo, and Siena health service branches (known as ASLs), CPL CONCORDIA has extended its services to another important health care facility in Tuscany, namely ASL 12 Versilia, which has a hospital built and designed, from scratch, based on principles of environmental sustainability and protection. The facility serves a local community of 160,000, divided into seven towns, with the user base more than tripling to 500,000 during the summer months, when thousands of tourists flock to the Versilia coast.

The hospital, located between the Tyrrhenian coast and the Apuan Alps, was inaugurated in 2002 and offers 600 beds. With a façade stretching over 250m in length, the building covers a surface area of 70,000 sqm, with a total volume of 230,000 cbm. Nestled in the heart of a nature reserve extending over approximately 10 hectares, the hospital was designed to blend in perfectly with the environment, with particular attention focussed on making it invisible from the sea (by keeping it lower in height than the surrounding pines around it), thereby maintaining the morphology of the Apuan Alps.

Over the years, significant investments have been put into the implementation of measures to improve energy efficiency within the facility, resulting in a considerable reduction in CO2 emissions into the atmosphere and savings in power consumption

amounting to around 30% since its opening. One of Italy’s most modern and energy-efficient hospitals, it relies almost entirely on self-produced electricity, through the use of various kinds of cogeneration systems. Constant, targeted maintenance work has also led to it becoming the first healthcare facility in the country to obtain grade C energy performance certification, with the aim being to obtain grade B shortly.

This is the context within which CPL will be working, with our usual professionalism, to maintain efficiency in all the plants and systems while also optimising their performance through a series of upgrades specified in the tender bid, such as improvements to the water distribution and air handling systems, the addition of a new absorption refrigerator unit to increase the production of cooling power, and other measures.

All of this will be carried out by a work force including an impressive 24 new staff members, whose daily activities will provide significant support for staff in the Tuscany area. Given current times, one aspect that should not to be underestimated concerns maintaining employment levels, as even though the cooperative was not legally required by to take on staff, not only did we carry over the entire team of workers from the previous contract to the new contract, not a single day’s work was lost.

7

Meter Italia, the Italian smart meter manufacturer From a partnership uniting three historic Italian companies (Sacofgas 1927, Cooperativa Bilanciai, and CPL CONCORDIA) comes a new company whose all-Italian technology and manufacturing processes are used to export smart gas metering worldwide

Boris Vadnjal Ferraresi (aged 46) bferraresi@grupposacofgas.it Managing Director, Meter Italia

R

esolution 155, which the Italian Authority for Electricity and Gas issued in 2008, approved the requirement to install remote reading systems and smart meters for all gas consumers, in both businesses and homes.

A technological and organisational challenge first and foremost, the measure showed Italy to be the first country to implement the EU directive within its own legislation, setting itself ambitiously tight deadlines for the development and introduction of the appliances.

The first phase, which was completed in 2012, envisaged implementation among business users. In 2011, these three historic Italian companies (Sacofgas 1927 manufactures a full range of gas meters, Cooperativa Bilanciai is a European leader in scales and weighing and measuring systems, while CPL CONCORDIA is a national leader in the utilities sector) signed an agreement to produce pioneering gas meters that blend mechanical tradition with innovative product and data management technology. This combined effort has produced a complete family of smart meters, with ground-breaking features and functions. The three companies seized the opportunity provided for by the legislation and joined forces to offer the market the products, showcasing them as early on as the metering fair in Amsterdam, back in October 2011. Later on, overcoming the normal product development and industrialisation difficulties,

we participated in the most important calls for tender put out by our Italian customers, securing major supply contracts for products and additional services. While our shared history only goes back a few years, it has been both intense and enriching, with problems overcome and satisfactions achieved, both tangible and intangible. Over time, the people involved in the project have learnt to work as a team, overcoming their initial distrust and concerns, and this complex process - which does not always come automatically - was tackled with commitment, dedication, and perseverance. Nevertheless, it was not enough, and over the months we realised that this already excellent working relationship needed further consolidation, and the inevitable inefficiencies attributable to the �division� into three different companies needed smoothing out. The people involved in the project, who represent the lifeblood of every business, had to work under the same roof. This reasoning, which was shared by the owners of all the companies, led to the very recent creation of a single company including all those working on the smart meter project, namely Meter Italia. After working together as separate suppliers, our three companies have decided to tackle this challenging and difficult project as partners in the same company, in an endeavour to achieve the best possible results from such a commitment.

Meter Italia will operate on the three existing sites, with Concordia sulla Secchia (Modena) assigned for the development of the software and firmware used in the meters, Campogalliano (Modena) for the assembly of the household smart meters (using the existing production lines), and CittĂ di Castello (Perugia) for

Every product that comes out the Meter Italia works will bear a ”mark of origin” to highlight - proudly, clearly, and unmistakably - that it is made on Italian soil. Not only, therefore, that it is produced in Italy but by people who both enjoy and are proud of their work.

the assembly of the conventional mechanical meters and in general all the mechanics used in the industrial smart meters.

Further major investments are planned in terms of geographical areas, plants, systems, and equipment, and the development of new projects and staff.

Meter Italia will not only be targeting the Italian market, where Sacofgas and CPL CONCORDIA already held a strong market share, but also the world metering market, where – according to analyses by independent experts - major investments in smart metering are expected.

Hence the need to adopt a name for the new company which is easily identifiable with both the product and its origin. So we have our core business, meters, and the word ”Italia”, proudly proclaiming the Italian location of our production plants (in contrast to the relocation policies currently adopted by many of our rivals). Last but not least, ”Italia” because our country, appropriately, holds the world record for deployment of smart meters, as we have already reached complete coverage for electricity meters and the development plan for their gas counterparts is already well underway. Our aim is to bring a new name to the world, a name that means experience, tradition, technological expertise, and innovation, all made strictly in Italy.

The F4, one of the of electronic smart meter models made entirely in Italy.

Two of the sites where the new smart meters are manufactured, in Città di Castello (Perugia) and Campogalliano (Modena).

9

Forlì - When efficiency is at the service of art

City council assigns CPL management of three large complexes with strategic importance for culture, history, art, and tourism, through CONSIP agreements “Facility Management 3” and “Integrated Energy Service 2”.

Museum’s entrance hall with display showcasing elements of the building’s original structure visible in the forefront.

Facade of Palazzo Romagnoli, which houses public collections of twentieth-century artefacts.

Andrea Bramucci (aged 37) Project Manager, Fano Area

abramucci@cpl.it

L

ast August, Forlì’s city council signed two agreements with public procurement company CONSIP titled ”Facility Management 3” and ”Integrated Energy Service 2”. Both contracts have a term of seven years, for a total of over €2,000,000, and envisage the management of three large complexes as well as the implementation of certain measures to increase energy efficiency and refurbish facilities, which amounts to €80,000 in all. The contracts acquired by CPL envisage maintenance work on electrical systems and plumbing, lifts, fire-fighting, security and access control systems, and air conditioning, as well as minor building maintenance, technical support at the theatre during performances, partial management of the museum’s control room, and maintenance work for heating systems plus fuel supply. Let’s take a closer look at these important complexes managed by CPL. MUSEUM OF SAN DOMENICO The San Domenico complex, located on the outskirts of the city’s medieval town centre, is so imposing in size (about 7500 sqm of usable area within nearly two hectares of grounds) that it plays a key part in the life of Forli’s old town.

After its restoration, it was decided that it would house the city’s Civic Museum. The works on display cover a period of time ranging from the twelfth through to the seventeenth century; from the works of Fra Angelico and Lorenzo di Credi, to Vitale da Bologna’ s ‘Madonna della Pace’, as well as the statue of Hebe, a renowned work of one of the greatest neoclassical sculptors, Antonio Canova.

In addition to the permanent collections, the San Domenico hosts major temporary exhibitions with a large number of significant works, which generally receive considerable acclaim and visitors.

PALAZZO ROMAGNOLI Just a stone’s throw from the Museum of San Domenico, Palazzo Romagnoli was recently opened to the public as a museum, which houses public collections featuring twentieth-century artefacts. The ground floor houses the permanent collection, containing prestigious Verzocchi works, while the first floor contains the ”La Grande Romagna” section, which illustrates various important aspects of representational

art from the last century in Forlì.

DIEGO FABBRI THEATRE In 2000, the Scala Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Riccardo Muti, celebrated the opening of the Diego Fabbri Municipal Theatre in the radically refurbished building of a former cinema. Named after a citizen of Forli and one of the leading playwrights of the twentieth century, Diego Fabbri, the theatre’s season includes productions ranging in style from drama to dance and from operetta to modern, contemporary, and family theatre. As a result of its role as the city’s main theatre, the Diego Fabbri (capacity: 710 seats, including 550 in the stalls and 160 in the balconies) also hosts various kinds of cultural and other events.

The organisational staff at CPL’s Fano’s branch will handle the contract using members of their own technical staff who live in the province of Forlì and Cesena, along with some local businesses. By earning this contract, CPL has further strengthened its presence in the Romagna area, where it has various commitments at present, including the heat management agreements with Forlì and Cesena provincial council and Cattolica and Misano town councils, as well as contracts with the Drudi Institute in Meldola, and technology systems management agreements entered into with numerous public authorities, through CONSIP Facility Management and Intercenter agreements.

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CNews n. 45 - June, twenty fourteen

CRISTOFORETTI SER expands district heating activities Management of buildings in Serravalle Scrivia (Alessandria) and council facilities owned by AMGA Legnano, which are also served by the district heating network, allows greater management of cogeneration and biomass (wood chips) power plants and improved energy efficiency and environmental aspects.

Mauro Dassi (aged 45) - mdassi@cristoforetti.com Sales Cristoforetti Servizi Energia

Giovanni Gallace (aged 60) - ggallace@cristoforetti.com Sales Manager - Lombardy Cristoforetti SER

S

erravalle Scrivia, a small Piedmont town known by most for its famous factory outlet centre (Mc Arthur Glen chain), is located at the mouth of the Po Valley, on one of the two motorway and railway routes that connect north Italy to Genoa and its port. The council’s heating system, which runs on natural gas, has been managed by Cristoforetti Servizi Energia for seven years and includes the four plants served by the biomass district heating network (which have also maintained natural gas fuelling options). Heating is provided for 15 buildings, including schools, the council house, the library, nurseries, the municipal police station, and sports facilities. The total volume of 51,400 cbm handled results in average yearly heating requirements totalling 1,820 MWh, and the heating plant’s prefabricated building contains a mobile-grid biomass-powered boiler with a 1 MW capacity. It is fed via three roll-off containers containing the wood chips, which transport the fuel towards the boiler loader via a hydraulically driven mechanical rake system. This fully automatic system is controlled by the boiler system.

The management contract envisages supervision and regular replacement of the containers into which the ash is unloaded.

In accordance with Piedmont regional legislation, Cristoforetti plans to install an electrostatic filtering system for the flue gases, which are already filtered mechanically by what is known as a multicyclone filter. An inertial water tank will also be fitted for storing the heat generated by the combustion of the biomass, in order to optimise the heating plant’s operating cycles. The buildings currently served by the district heating network include four medium/large schools, with heating volumes amounting to 32,200 cbm and annual requirements of around 1,150 MW, which means around 6/700 tons of wood chips burnt per year.

The wood chips come from agriculture and forestry maintenance companies, as the Oltregiogo area of the Ligurian Apennines (where Serravalle is located) offers swathes of woodland which has been poorly exploited for decades due to depopulation.

The wood harvested in the forests (mainly in the Borbera valley, but always within 40 km of the plant) is processed and stored in a collection centre located just outside the town, from where it is transported to the heating plant when needed. The remaining natural gas-powered facilities will be refurbished, with condensing boilers adopted, as well as new terminals for the diffusion of heat within the areas served, and remote control systems for the plants. These measures, combined with the careful monitoring of consumption and the introduction of thermostatic valves on the radiators, as well as a more modern and rational heat delivery method, the refurbishment and implementation of existing solar power plants, and a possible extension of the network district heating to new users in the future, are expected to bring energy savings in the order of 10-12%.

WOOD CHIPS FROM THE MOUNTAINS The biomass plant in Serravalle Scrivia is powered by approximately 6/700 tons of wood chips each year, which comes from agriculture and forestry maintenance companies in the nearby Ligurian Apennines (always within 40 km of the plant) and is processed at a collection centre located just outside the town.

13

FOCUS ON

AMGA Legnano & Co The AMGA Legnano group, whose roots lie deep within the local area, provides locallevel management services for complex network systems (gas, water, and district heating) and other areas. Originally founded in 1971 for the distribution of natural gas to the town of Legnano (Milan), the councilcontrolled company has since been turned into a public limited company and now heads up a group of companies operating in technology with high added value.

Today, apart from the majority shareholder Legnano town council, the group also includes local authorities from the towns of Parabiago, Canegrate, Villa Cortese, Magnano, and Arconate. The year-long contract acquired by Cristoforetti envisages:

• the management and maintenance of plumbing and heating systems in the town’s public buildings assigned to AMGA Legnano, as well as buildings in other communities, making a total of over 60 plants spread over primary and secondary schools, nurseries, the council house, sports facilities, the library, the local police station, etc.

• the management and operation of technology systems at the swimming pool complexes in Legnano and Parabiago; • the substations linked to the district heating network, as well as some satellite utilities in residential complexes managed under special agreements, making a total of 395 users and approximately 40 km of pipelining laid;

• round-the-clock emergency services to ensure non-stop operation and management of the cogeneration plant owned by AMGA Legnano S.p.A., in addition to pollution monitoring using existing measuring devices.

During 2012, expansion activities were completed and the plant was put into use at full capacity. It provides 7.77 mWe and 59.2 mWt, both properly balanced and spread over several generators, to offer further guarantees in the event of failures. Most of the plants also feature a remote monitoring and management system linked up with the Cristoforetti control room.

Ships, haulage, and businesses - the future lies in LNG

Polargas, the CPL CONCORDIA group company that operates in the LNG sector, can be found wherever there’s an opportunity to use the fuel, which is proving to be a pivotal product for the world fuel industry

with the six-legged dog logo has plans for other similar stations – probably around 20 all together - to cover all of Italy. The plan is to serve vehicles running on LNG - which have a range of 7-800 km (or up to 1200 in the double tank versions) - on long-haul stretches, as in the ”LNG Blue Corridor” project, which envisages filling stations every 400-500 km on the route between Moscow and France. The main obstacle now is that there is no LNG in Italy yet, which means Polargas or other haulage firms have to refuel in Barcelona in Spain, where there are several LNG regasification plants/filling stations, or at the Marseilles station which is due to open soon. A significant change is expected to occur when bunkering vessels start running for maritime traffic, which will require coastal deposits. These deposits will also be designed to allow loading into cryogenic tanks.

All the port authorities, from Civitavecchia to Livorno, are looking into the matter as the IMO (International Maritime Organisation) has established that all sulphur be removed from conventional fuels used in the Mediterranean area as of from 2018, but the measure does not apply to natural gas since it is already sulphurfree. Construction giant Wärtsilä, which operates in the marine engine industry, has estimated 1.5 billion TOE worldwide. To generate significant consumption levels, industrial customers will also have to start using the fuel and in Spain the more energyguzzling businesses have already swapped from LPG to LNG. Today, there is an almost 50% difference between the two fuel prices. The big advantage lies in the opportunity to offer, not only fuel, but also high-performance natural gas CHP plants (with propane, the yield is much lower). A further incentive will also emerge when low sulphur oil is banned, i.e. the famous highly polluting ”thick” oil which is still used as a power source. Some are even going so far as to take bio-LNG into consideration, as this natural gas produced from biogas could be liquefied for transportation to its point of use, but incentives are needed and, at present, none are anticipated.

Silvano Tromba (aged 62) - stromba@cpl.it Deputy Chairman and Managing Director, Polargas

C

PL CONCORDIA joined Polargas in 2010, as a partner for the marketing and transportation of liquefied natural gas, thanks to its relations with Vanzetti Engineering.

Now Polargas, which is 100% controlled by CPL, works with cryogenic road tankers with a carrying capacity of 50 cbm of liquid gas, which corresponds to approximately 30,000 cbm of gas. CPL - which has gas-related operations in Sardinia - believes firmly in the potential for LNG on the island, as pipeline connections are still lacking. With energy costs stifling businesses, liquefied natural gas would be a viable alternative in financial, environmental, and safety terms.

CPL is currently building an LNG plant at a major Sardinian dairy, for which Polargas will be supplying the fuel. To get the fuel to the island, the plan is to establish mini coastal deposits (capable of providing about 100 million cbm/year) which will be supplied using a special boat (known as a ‘lighter’) with a holding capacity of 7,00010,000 cbm of liquefied natural gas. From the coastal deposits, Polargas would carry the LNG to the areas of home and business users, in road tankers. We are waiting to hear back from the new members of Sardinia’s regional council. Other European countries, such as France, Spain, Holland, and Sweden, have already started using LNG in the road transport sector, while Italy’s non-use of liquefied natural gas can be put down to the fact that specific rules on the use of LNG to fuel heavy goods vehicles are still pending and until such measures are known, no-one will take the initiative.

Manufacturers of fuel station equipment are waiting until the haulage vehicles are ready, while the vehicle manufacturers are waiting for the filling stations to appear. A sign that something is happening in our country came though when, on 29th April this year, ENI opened an LNG filling station in Piacenza. The company

15

In Africa, AI Power allies with Biffi in services Agreement signed for sale of spare parts plus installation, commissioning, and maintenance of valve actuators on large infrastructure facilities in north African country.

Presentation of the Biffi - AI Power service portfolio at Sonelgaz Congress Centre Managers from AI Power and Biffi outline their company’s potential to customers such as Sonelgaz, Sonatrach, Cameg, etc.

Bruno Santorelli (aged 46) - bsantorelli@cpl.it Nord Africa Sales Area Manager

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ith the prospect of multiplying service activities in North Africa, CPL CONCORDIA Group has partnered up with Biffi Italia S.r.l. through the group’s Algerian subsidiary AI Power. As those in the company are well aware, the Italian member of the Pentair group is a global leader in the manufacture and marketing of solutions for industrial valve automation, whose design, manufacturing, and distribution activities are based on the company’s premises in Fiorenzuola D’arda. Oil & gas is one of its main markets and Algeria is its leading export market, with over 7,000 actuators installed there. Not surprisingly then, Biffi has expressed its intention and need to provide its customers with a proactive, locally-based after-sales service.

The agreement with AI Power (which has been operational in Algeria since 2008, acting as a global service provider from the start) came more or less naturally. Nevertheless, the road that had led to its signing was long and full of marketing initiatives to back it up, culminating in the presentation, in January, of the portfolio of services now available to its customers in Algeria, including Sonelgaz and Sonatrach, as well as their branches GRTG, Cameg and ENSP. Apart from the AI Power personnel, Biffi representatives Stefano Martinelli (Strategic Service Manager) and Stefano Pesci (Business Development Manager for France & North Africa) also spoke at the Sonelgaz Congress Centre.

Since January 2014, then, AI Power has not only been the only Biffi centre in Algeria authorised to sell spare parts, but also the only Biffi centre authorised to provide installation, commissioning, maintenance, overhaul, and retrofit services for the actuators.

The extensive installed machine base ranges from electric actuators to the gas-over-oil and pneumatic versions. It is an ever-expanding base, which has grown over the years since around 1980 and includes a multitude of models and revisions that require professional maintenance engineers to guarantee

the quality of any work carried out on them. With this in mind, specialist senior and junior Algerian engineers have been taken on and trained, at the Biffi School of Actuation, to handle both the mechanical aspects and the electrical/electronic and programming elements of these assets.

This ongoing training, which takes place both in the classroom and on-site, ensures AI Power’s engineers have an indepth knowledge of the latest Biffi solutions to assist them in their maintenance work.

Setting up a service centre and fitting it out with all the appropriate resources to manage a customer base of the size expected is far from routine business. Doing it in Algeria with expertise and professionalism and in compliance with health, safety, and environmental regulations is both a challenge and a necessity.

The company’s ambitious goals include working to support major infrastructural elements such as the Sonelgaz GRTG pipelines that supply Italy with gas, the Sonatrach pipelines used for oil exportation, oil refineries like the one in Skikda, and the Sonelgaz Production Electricité power plants. Such challenging objectives are clearly strategic for a growth-oriented company like AI Power.

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Villa Castelli, Puglia, is bathing in LED light

Lighting in the Brindisi town demonstrates CPL CONCORDIA’s expertise and activity in the region, with 4,000 LED technology lights installed and managed in the Foggia towns of Lesina, Chieuti, and Mattinata. The management agreement is set to start in the Taranto town of Massafra, with over 5,500 lighting fixtures envisaged.

Vito Moramarco (aged 44) - vmoramarco@cpl.it Project Manager, Adriatic Area

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ork on the public lighting system is almost finished in the town of Villa Castelli, in Brindisi.

The management agreement was entered into in October 2013, and – once the working design had been approved - work began on the various refurbishments and upgrades, which are now nearly complete. A total of around 1290 light fixtures will be replaced, including 70 traditional-style lanterns, all featuring LED technology, and the electrical panels will be upgraded. The light fixtures installed feature highly advanced lamp sets, which concentrate light on the road surface and offer various strengths, such as: • the white light emitted by the source has high colour rendering which ensures optimal colour perception and therefore a more natural view of outdoor environments; • high luminous efficacy - LED light sources consume far less energy than conventional bulbs with the same luminous flux. In terms of luminous efficacy, LED technology provides substantial energy savings and significantly lower CO2 emissions; • environmental protection: LEDs operate in full compliance with the RoHS directive, as they contain no materials that are either toxic or harmful to the environment or human health. These

light sources do not emit UV or IR radiation. All the lights feature an AUTO-DIM option, which is a wiring system for automatic adjustment of the luminous flux that needs no further control cables to be added to the system. With the dimming profile, the lighting can be pumped up to the maximum during the first and/or last few hours of the system ON cycle and kept lower during the central hours, when motor, pedestrian, and cycle traffic decreases. By replacing the light sources and rationalising luminous flux management, we can reach a reduction in consumption totalling approximately 33%.

At the end of the work, a centralised remote control system will be installed, to monitor diagnostics and remote power on/off for the systems. If any failures are detected, the maintenance team will be right on the job.

Villa Castelli is built on a grid plan, with the old town developed along the main thoroughfare, where it is vital that the lighting highlights the local building heritage. Within this context, public lighting focuses not only on the functional, but also on nighttime scene setting.

The lighting for the public building facades is one of the main areas on which CPL is working. As well as further guaranteeing high performance lighting, the innovative use of LED devices in these systems will also bring high energy efficiency.

The colour dynamism offered by LEDs makes these lamps ideal for creating atmospheric lighting and ensuring striking results.

33% LESS CONSUMPTION By replacing the light sources and rationalising luminous flux management, we can reach a reduction in power consumption totalling approximately 33% as LED light sources consume far less energy than conventional bulbs with the same luminous flux.

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The work included the replacement of around 1300 light fixtures, including 70 traditional-style lanterns.

From top) The Old Bridge lit up with new LED lighting - new lighting significantly increases users’ sense of safety.

Villa Castelli’s main square at dusk - the lights feature an AUTO DIM option for automatic luminous flux reduction.

A partial view of Piazza Caduti di Nassiriya with new light fixtures.

FOCUS ON

Urban renewal underway in Massafra The Taranto town of Massafra, in Apulia, is ready to see modernisation work begin on the town’s 5500-fixture public lighting system, with the introduction of video surveillance and Wi-Fi systems.

On 30th April, a service concession agreement was signed covering Massafra’s public lighting, which also included a marginal note stating that the 20-year-term management activities would start on 1st May 2014.

CPL has already begun the working design phase concerning technology upgrades and regulatory compliance, after completing checks on the enumeration of the electrical panels and the individual lights, which are all georeferenced and coded.

The enumeration procedure, which was included in the tender bid, has now been supplemented with photos and additional information to allow electrical panels and traffic lights to

be identified and located quickly and clearly.

At the end of the upgrade and regulatory compliance activities, the GIS mapping will be implemented and updated.

At present, the system includes 5519 light fixtures - broken down by type and grouped together within 83 roadside electrical panels – in addition to 36 traffic lights. The CPL proposal involves redeveloping all the facilities through the following activities: • Replacement of the light sources with LED lamps • Modernisation of high-pressure sodium streetlamps with installation of new lamps and addition of dimmable electronic ballast • Replacement of luminaires with cut-off models that also incorporate a dimmer control • Upgrading of underground and overhead power lines

• Replacement of painted steel lamp poles with galvanised steel versions • Upgrading of electrical panels • Introduction of new light fixtures • Development of a monitoring and remote control system.

In the old town, the LED lights will be installed without replacing the luminaires, which take the form of a traditional-style lantern to enhance the appearance of the town’s streets and squares. This operation will be carried out using a ‘relamping’ kit, which allows us to upgrade the energy efficiency of current lanterns, while also adding a cut-off feature, ensuring lamps meet light pollution regulations and therefore also the provisions of Regional Law n.15/2005 on public lighting.

CPL CONCORDIA will also be installing 12 video surveillance cameras and 5 WiFi hotspots, at no extra charge to the local authority.

CNews n. 45 - June, twenty fourteen

Setting new standards for smart grids in Lombardy

The project “Smart Campus as Urban Open Labs - SCUOLA”, which has received €4 million worth of funding from Lombardy Regional Council, will be developed by A2A, Milan Polytechnic University and the University of Brescia, with the participation of ten companies (including CPL) and Milan and Brescia’s city councils.

Michele Forino (aged 48) - mforino@cpl.it Project Manager, North East area

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n 25th March, Lombardy Regional Council published the ranking of the projects submitted in response to the public call for projects relating to industrial research and experimental development in the field of smart cities and communities. The Smart Campus as Urban Open Labs – SCUOLA project developed by A2A, Milan Polytechnic University, and the University of Brescia - with the participation of CPL CONCORDIA, nine other companies and Milan and Brescia’s city councils – earned itself first place and funding amounting to €4 million.

The SCUOLA project envisages a system combining a range of aspects linked to smart grids, with power generation from renewable and non-renewal sources to energy efficiency in buildings and systems, as well as advanced communication technologies, all with a view to improving the quality of urban life. The grids and networks built in towns and cities so far have been developed with little regard for synergy and a tendency towards vertical, service-specific solutions.

The SCUOLA project aims to establish a combined approach, providing smart grid electricity services together with air conditioning, energy efficiency for buildings, and a common communication infrastructure.

The thinking behind the project is that a town or city should be viewed as a set of interconnected networks, i.e. the power

grid, transport networks, electricity and heating network joining buildings, the public lighting system, social networks, and so on. The plan is to implement new communication technologies so as to allow interaction between networks, inhabitants, and authorities, to mould the urban fabric to the needs of its population.

At the heart of this structure lies the power grid, whose level of intelligence is ever-increasing due to the adoption of communication, control, and management systems, as well as technology for the generation and storage of electricity and heat (distributed generation - DG), all within a single coordinated system.

The electricity grid is the element which establishes a relationship with end users and will become a hub for a range of community-oriented smart services. With appropriate communication technologies, this omnipresent power grid will be able to collect users’ data and distribute it to processing systems which will provide advanced services.

The telecommunications network will link up the various elements of the system, such as substations, distributed generation, and storage systems, air conditioning for buildings, and charging facilities for electric vehicles.

The project aims include: • managing network resources, coordinating distributed generation and loads, and ensuring higher service quality; • developing innovative photovoltaic systems with integrated electricity storage and simultaneous heat generation; • developing high-efficiency heat pumps for air temperature

Smart Grid, smart view!

Highlights Interconnected utilities through combined power grid and data network.

The integrated system can forecast, monitor, and control consumption, providing on-line information in real time.

Total control over energy resources means high efficiency and significant savings.

The energy produced by power-generating users and fed into the grid (photovoltaic/CHP) contributes to the system’s overall requirements.

This two-way system not only measures production and consumption, but also keeps customers informed, providing forecasts that will bring savings and allow users to consume their own power directly.

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Project actors Lombardy Regional Council

CPL

University of Brescia Milan Polytechnic University A2A

Milan and Brescia City Council Partner businesses

CNews n. 45 - June, twenty fourteen

control with chilled/hot water storage; • developing a charging infrastructure for electric vehicles which can interact with grid control systems; • developing energy management equipment for electricity and heating supplies in buildings so as to coordinate supply and demand; • developing services to provide distributors with customer assistance support, when needed, and to allow local users to make savings on their bills; • developing services to provide local users with a realistic overview of their power consumption/production so as to increase environmental involvement; • developing consumption monitoring and forecasting services for the benefit of the local authorities and the service provider; • analysing the effects on the power grid of refurbishment oriented towards high energy performance building envelopes and air-conditioning systems, and towards NZEB (nearly zero energy buildings) objectives.

information to be obtained about very different consumption profiles, needs, and services.

The project will develop a substation system and a multiplatform application providing features such as aggregation, processing, and display of the data and measurements required by the electricity grid and the different users.

The SCUOLA project will be structured over 20 months, with the first four months dedicated to establishing the technical and operating features of the different parts, followed by 11 months for the development phase, with the remaining five months set aside for trialling (which will be carried out in 2015 on the Milan and Brescia campuses, in local authority buildings, and in private homes).

The results will lead to improved power grid management and more DG with high levels of reliability, allowing network interaction, load, and GD issues to be addressed, while also increasing energy efficiency and user involvement. The project tackles energy efficiency in electricity and heating, coordinating the energy-efficient buildings goals (envisaged by the European NZEB standard) and distribution network efficiency. The trials will consider both energy-generating and energy-consuming customers, for both electricity and heating services.

The entire power supply chain will be examined, including medium voltage distribution, conversion to low voltage, distributed generation, different heating and cooling methods, as well as remote-managed and CHP plants. The tight synergy between the combined generation of electricity and heat represents the underlying concept of the innovative SCUOLA project, i.e. new solar panels with integrated storage for demand/response policies and a fluid heating system. The project focuses on distributed storage units, inverting the charge and use flows according to the needs assessed by the distributor.

There is a network of micro-electricity storage units, each of which is managed by an energy manager that regulates exchange flows, e.g. capacitors integrated into photovoltaic panels, charging for electric vehicle batteries, mobile system users (smartphones, tablets, etc.). The rationale applied to the harmonisation of energy supply and demand will automatically effect the grid and result in the active involvement of the user (in the case of consumers without storage systems).

The project involves the development of prototypes for innovative features that will be installed on the campuses in Milan and Brescia, where the trials will be carried out and the final demonstration products will be developed. A school and a few homes in Milan and Brescia will be used for the testing, allowing

Benefits and impact on partners: A2A will be able to assess effectiveness of the new technology on the integrated management of low-voltage grids and vehicle charging systems; for CPL CONCORDIA, it is a chance to consolidate its experience in the field of renewable energy; LUVE will be developing ad-hoc heat exchangers for the heating part, while Eclipse will be devising photovoltaic systems with integrated storage; for Thytronic, it is an opportunity to boost experience in network protection and control with distributed generation; SIEL, meanwhile, will be working on an innovative inverter to optimise the working point of photovoltaic cells and the storage system through communication with the manager controlling the storage and discharge processes; Coster will be expanding its range of offerings to include CHP, district heating, geothermal, and photovoltaic systems, while Energe will be extending its range of products and services for building energy management; lastly, ADB Broadband, Italdata, and GFM-Net, will have the chance to improve their energy market penetration.

The two universities will benefit in terms of visibility, ability to attract students, and new sources of funding. The two cities will benefit from greater awareness of energy issues among students and will be able to launch awareness-raising campaigns to promote the use of renewable power, electric vehicles, and distributed storage networks, with consequent improvements in air quality, public health, and health spending.

More specifically, CPL will be called upon to build an energy production system for heating/cooling services based on a ground water heat pump design, including the construction of three wells, hydraulic lines, storage tanks and monitoring, control, and safety components. These resources will be needed to ensure completion of the prototype systems for combined heating and cooling, as well as the demonstration product activities.

The entire power supply chain will be examined, including medium voltage distribution, conversion to low voltage, distributed generation, different heating and cooling methods, as well as remote-managed and CHP plants.

CPL set to be next ACCREDIAauthorised inspector CPL’s new inspection department (compliant with UNI CEI EN ISO/IEC 17020:2012) is authorised to carry out inspections on projects, works and services and will be starting with the metrological checks on volume correctors for natural gas and gas meters, which had previously been restricted to chamber of commerce inspectors.

current situation? CPL CONCORDIA has applied to ACCREDIA (Italy’s only accreditation body) for accreditation and has submitted its ”report of commencement of business activities” to UNIONCAMERE, and therefore it is now authorised to carry out regular inspections instead of the chambers of commerce. The cooperative decided, for business reasons, to postpone the start of operations until final accreditation had been obtained from ACCREDIA, as well as recognition by UNIONCAMERE. All of this will happen over the next few months, depending on ACCREDIA’s availability for the accreditation audit.

The CPL CONCORDIA Inspection department, which will be working on volume correctors and gas meters, currently consists of twenty operations staff members, including a technical manager, service coordinators, inspectors, and quality managers.

For all the other staffing needs (administration, finance, personnel management, etc..), we will be using existing CPL CONCORDIA employees. Given the high number of measurement devices currently installed, we are confident that demand for the service will be extremely high and it is not unlikely that we will have to expand the existing staff.

Andrea Cavazzoni (aged 42) - acavazzoni@cpl.it Head of Technical Inspection Department, for the Department of Equipment & Services for Natural Gas

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PL CONCORDIA is all set to become an accredited Type C Inspection Service, as envisaged by UNI CEI EN ISO/IEC 17020:2012. With this qualification, CPL will be able to perform inspections concerning a range of activities linked to projects, works, and services. Gaining accreditation as a Type C Inspection Body means CPL can also carry out inspection activities concerning projects, products, and services that are part of the cooperative’s core business.

This accreditation was needed mainly to comply with the requirements of Italian Ministerial Decree n. 75/2012 on metrological checks on volume correctors for natural gas and gas meters as, until now, the chamber of commerce inspectors had been the only ones authorised to inspect all the machines installed.

However, in the few years that have passed since Italian Electricity and Gas Authority Resolution n. 155/2008 was issued, tens of thousands of new gas meters (converters and gas meters) have been placed on the market. Italian Ministerial Decree n. 75/2012 also allows third parties authorised by UNIONCAMERE (an organisation that combines all the Italian Chambers of Commerce) to carry out regular inspections instead of the individual chambers of commerce, provided that the third party inspection service is certified (UNI CEI EN ISO/IEC 17020: 2012). Considerable importance is clearly given to monitoring for conflict of interest, which is why the accreditation depends directly on CPL CONCORDIA’s corporate make-up. What is the

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CNews n. 45 - June, twenty fourteen

Opportunities in Dubai and Qatar Upcoming world events, such as the Dubai World Expo in 2020 or the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, will provide an exceptional driving force for the development of these countries, which aim to become global finance hubs.

Flavio Guidetti (aged 58) - fguidetti@cpl.it Senior Foreign Project Manager

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have been asked to talk about the two travel ”exploratory” trips made recently to Dubai and Qatar with colleagues Matteo Vigna and Alfredo Lupi.

Our trip to Dubai, in April, was to attend the WETEX (Water Energy Technology and Environment Exhibition), while our visit to Qatar in mid-May was planned for the PROJECT QATAR (International Construction Technology and Building Materials Exhibition). Two very different trade fairs, then. The most specialist event was the Dubai exhibition, which was used to showcase primarily products and technologies for the distribution of water, electricity, cooling, etc.., and was therefore closer to CPL’s core business.

The Qatar fair, meanwhile, was a more general building industry event, much like the SAIE exhibition held in Bologna. While the two countries felt quite similar, they are actually poles apart.

Qatar stands around 10 to 15 years behind Dubai in development terms, but it is catching up fast, and despite the very different sociopolitical situations (Qatar more conservative, Dubai more open), the countries have certain aspects in common.

Both share ever-changing, futuristic skylines and multi-ethnic societies (with local inhabitants representing just 15-20% of the total population), as well as a planned population growth, but above all both governments share the same vision of becoming world centres of excellence.

Both countries aim to develop into global finance hubs and have considerable investments planned for sustainable growth within the green economy. An apparently contradictory plan (given the countries’ availability of cheap energy and the excessive use they are making of it), implementing renewable energy and energy

savings are nevertheless the far-sighted targets that the two countries’ governments have set themselves, anticipating future development and the strong increase in energy demand expected for the coming years. The Dubai World Expo is scheduled for 2020 and in 2022 the FIFA World Cup will be held in Qatar. Both countries have infrastructure investments planned for the next decade amounting to thousands of millions of dollars.

Today, 70% of the countries’ electricity is used for cooling of buildings alone, so the governments are making it a priority to adopt cooling technology with lower environmental impact.

Over the next 10 years, in Qatar alone, $200 thousand million will be invested in hospitals, schools, industrial districts, new residential and sports complexes, and 12 stadiums for the World Cup, which will bring substantial opportunities for the HVAC industry.

Other huge projects envisaged in Qatar include $40 thousand million for the new underground and overground rail network, which will require air-conditioning and full monitoring and control systems. At the moment, the countries are investing in new systems and technologies, but they will soon have to address the problem of management and maintenance of the facilities installed.

The CPL stand was sought out by numerous familiar Italian and foreign faces (also on the lookout for new opportunities) who already knew us from their activities as suppliers or subcontractors here in Italy. We have already received a few purchase orders for our Tyfon absorbers for CHPC. The fact that we were already well-known the first time we exhibited was comforting and encouraged us to return as soon as possible to strengthen ties and build on the great potential these countries offer - especially if CPL Group’s ten-year goal of acquiring 30% of sales abroad is confirmed.

PROJECTS PLANNED FOR THE NEXT DECADE Investments amounting to $200 thousand million are planned in Qatar over the next 10 years, for hospitals, schools, industrial districts, and new residential and sport complexes. Very soon the question of facility maintenance and management will arise.

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CNews n. 45 - June twenty fourteen

â‚Ź80 million for development

Five-year medium-term financing plus factoring lines make two major financial transactions to support 2013-2015 business plan

The boardroom at CPL CONCORDIA, where the meeting to close the transaction was held.

Various moments during the signing and reading of documents for five-year syndicated loan with lead arranger Iccrea BancaImpresa - an impressive turnout from the syndicate members involved.

Pierluigi Capelli (aged 44) pcapelli@cpl.it Chief Financial Officer, CPL

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ast April, CPL CONCORDIA completed two major financial transactions amounting to almost €80 million, to support the company’s 2013-2015 business plan.

The first transaction involved a medium-term unsecured loan totalling €37.5 million, with a five-year payback period, granted by a syndicate of banks led by ICCREA BancaImpresa.

Significant syndicate members included Banca del Mezzogiorno and Banca Popolare di Milano and the funding will be used to support the CPL CONCORDIA Group investment plan. The second transaction concerned combined recourse and non-recourse factoring totalling over €40 million, which CPL has obtained from financial institutions such as Banca IFIS Cooperfactor, Ifitalia, GE Capital, UBI Factor, Credem Factor, and BCC Factoring. These credit facilities will be used by CPL to optimise the management of working capital.

Both the medium-term loans and the factoring lines, which amounted to a total of €77.5 million, were obtained from CPL CONCORDIA with the help of its advisor Mazars, Corporate Finance Division.

The three-year plan (2013-2015) approved last year envisages CPL Group’s income reaching over €500

million, thanks to the ever-increasing

term funding to support the 2013-2015

contribution from foreign businesses.

Despite the lengthy credit crunch, the positive feedback received from the financial system shows that a significant number of banks have confirmed their wholehearted support for CPL, thus ensuring our group a major boost for its financial framework and significant new medium- and long-

business plan. Having recently opened subsidiary EGN (European Gas Network, a CPL Group sub-holding containing the main natural gas and LPG distribution companies) to two important national infrastructure investment funds, we will also be keeping our eyes trained on the budding “minibond” market, as a means of further diversifying our funding.

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CNews n. 45 - June twenty fourteen

Sassinoro. Thoughts on water and power

Contribution from chairman of Nomisma Energia, Davide Tabarelli, to debate on water at seventh year of ”Sassinoro Paese dell’Acqua” exhibition, held in Basilicata last March.

”In my opinion, the ‘public or private’ debate on water is outdated. Water is a resource that must be kept clean, readily available, and at the lowest price possible. Local authorities should be ensuring this by monitoring water rates...” (from speech by CPL chairman Roberto Casari)

The hydroelectric power station, which harnesses energy from a fall on the river Sassinora.

A moment during the round table titled “Water plus energy for a sustainable future” which was attended, among others, by the chairman of Nomisma, Davide Tabarelli (second from left) and chairman of CPL, Roberto Casari (first on the right).

Davide Tabarelli (aged 53) davide.tabarelli@ nomismaenergia.it Nomisma Energia Chairman

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n the Middle Ages, the area around Benevento was teeming with villages like Sassinoro. It was in areas like this that water mills - one of the most important technological breakthroughs in human history – became commonplace.

These inventions harnessed the great driving force offered by nature to produce energy without needing the strength of animals or slaves, as had been used for centuries before. Water mills could be used to grind large quantities of grains and work metals better, and in later centuries, they were also employed in the production of textiles, beams, and other wooden objects. Even today, hydroelectricity is one of the main sources of power available to cover the world’s ever-growing energy demands. Over two thousand million people have no access to modern energy sources and use only dry wood or animal dung, while another one and a half thousand million do not know what electricity is. Two thousand million people also have no access to drinking water, which is essential to eradicate child mortality. In these places, electricity is required first and foremost to build wells.

In 2030, global energy consumption will have risen by a further 17% to 17 thousand million TOE. Even then, as now, most of the energy consumption will be covered by fossil fuels, which will lead

to a further increase in of CO2 emissions, those gases mainly responsible for the greenhouse effect. To alleviate the impact of fossil fuels on the climate, we have to concentrate on switching to renewable sources, the most important of which is hydroelectricity. On January 24th 2014, the European Commission released the new plan for climate and energy, confirming - once again - its ambitious attempts to reduce emissions by 40% in 2030 (with respect to 1990 levels).

At the moment, in 2014, we have reached a reduction of 11%. Hydroelectricity is by far the most important renewable energy source in the world today. Italy - which ranks fourth in Europe for hydroelectric power production - accounts for more than half of all renewable sources, totalling around 51 thousand million kilowatt-hours. Given the environmental opposition to using the existing large

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basins, the future in Europe lies in small hydroelectric plants and with technology leaping forwards, low falls can now also be used with small yet highly efficient facilities. The barriers, however, are numerous and include easement fees to pay, disputes over use of water for other purposes, and, in general, the high cost of civil engineering works. The incentives for these small plants have been significantly reduced since 2012, from €280 per megawatt hour to the much lower €155 level for current facilities generating around one megawatt; nevertheless, smaller plants still manage to keep above the €200 mark and plants like the one built in Sassinoro can be replicated numerous times. In Italy we have the need, the potential, and the skills to do this, and this makes hydroelectricity an opportunity for sustainable development not to be missed.

CPL: 115 ”green” years spent dedicated to employment The cooperative is celebrating the anniversary of its establishment in 1899 by hosting the conference titled ”Revival in Emilia, revival in Italy”, as the final stage of the ”Green Social Festival” dedicated to thoughts on the revitalisation of the Italian economy. Speeches

by Nomisma, Obiettivo Lavoro, Invitalia, and Enel contributed to the lively debate.

The convention, which was in CPL’s Sala Bighi conference hall in Concordia (Modena), was planned to mark 115 years of the company’s history.

The panel of speakers: (from the left) Massimo Bruno, Sergio De Nardis, Tommaso Labate, Roberto Casari, Pietro Bracci Testasecca, and Alessandro Ramazza..

Francesco Manicardi (aged 43) fmanicardi@cpl.it Head of Press Office

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n 23rd April CPL blew out 115 candles, so to speak, as that was the day, in 1899, that the 382 founding members (mostly unemployed and illiterate) decided to join forces and pool their most common resource, labour. Not surprisingly, therefore, the CPL anniversary provided the ideal opportunity to focus on the way in which the world of manufacturing, both in Emilia-Romagna and nationwide, is tackling the economic crisis, while also examining the roads to recovery and the relaunch of the entire Italian system.

The final days of the Green Social Festival provided an appropriate setting for the meeting, given the festival’s role as a major forum for the discussion of environmental and social sustainability, energy conservation, and rights and legality. Since 2010, CPL has been working alongside the organisers of this event (aimed mainly at schools) through its project “Educating for the Future”, which represents the backbone of the Green Social Festival. From February through to April, the Green Social Festival worked with 40 schools from the Emilia Romagna region, with the involvement of head teachers, teachers, and over 10,000 pupils from upper and lower secondary schools. Calling upon prominent figures from the world of business and politics to contribute, the

event aims to encourage discussion of businesses’ ties with the local community and internationalisation of investments and business, with particular focus on environmental protection, the valorisation of labour and people, and the principle of social contribution. Journalist Tommaso Labate, who writes for Italian daily Corriere della Sera, introduced the speakers by highlighting the hands-on response in Emilia to the earthquake and how new beginnings are possible. In his opening remarks, CPL CONCORDIA chairman Roberto Casari recalled how, when the cooperative celebrate its centenary in 1999, it had 160 employees on the books and reported revenues totalling €75 million. “Today we have 1,800 people and €450 million in revenues.

We have continued to grow, not only in Emilia, but throughout Italy too. In the

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aftermath of the earthquake, despite the red tape, we went on taking orders and providing support to all our offices outside the area.” Mr Casari pointed out that whether a company is young or old depends entirely on the mindset of its workers and the ability to think ahead.

“Over the last two years, we have taken on 120 new staff members, most of whom are young people and graduates, and it is this new blood that allows us to envisage where we could be in 10 or 20 years. During the 25 thousand hours we invest in training each year, we must be able to identify the potential of all our employees.”

Sergio De Nardis, Chief Economist at Nomisma, spoke of a recovery which, although slow and bumpy, is nevertheless underway. “Although this province and the region is responding positively, especially through exports, it

CNews n. 45 - June twenty fourteen

is not enough and domestic demand has to return (consumption continues to flag in the area). The driving force behind the recovery lies in the competitiveness of businesses, in Emilia and elsewhere, in relation to foreign demand, and the renewed international confidence in “peripheral” countries (including Italy), which is bringing major - although unstable - investment flows.” Warning signs, including the fragility of the labour market, with unemployment standing at 12% (youth unemployment at 42%) and a decrease in inflation, should not be ignored. Pietro Bracci Testasecca, head of special projects at Invitalia, pointed out how the six thousand million euros allocated by the Italian government for the earthquake in Emilia further demonstrated the recognised importance of this fruitful area. Applications for assistance from businesses, agriculture, and trade, have been pouring in, and Invitalia staff is due to grow in numbers (to 80) to handle the demand. So far over

1,000 meetings have been held with businesses with a view to setting up reconstruction projects. “We were very impressed by the businesses’ ability to respond to the emergency.

Most of the funding we provided covered investments that already been made, a sign that companies had managed to start up again immediately, without losing orders, and had secured credit facilities before receiving our aid.” Massimo Bruno, head of external relations at Enel, confirmed the difficulties created by red tape when seeking authorisations and permits for facilities. Speaking on behalf of the 14,000 suppliers linked to Enel, Mr Bruno urged large companies to use their power to create work for all small and medium-sized enterprises.

“We need to work more on energy efficiency awareness, Italy is the only country that has total coverage of electronic meters for electricity, and not only that, meters made using Italian technology, which we also proudly export

abroad.” Alessandro Ramazza, chairman of Obiettivo Lavoro, pointed out that “Cooperatives are naturally far-sighted, they are hard-wired against the shortsightedness typical of a financialised economy. These enterprises are oriented towards stakeholders instead of shareholders, producing wealth not only for themselves but also for local communities.” Ramazza regretted the fact that, over the last 30 years, both the political class and business community have failed to invest in the country’s future. As for the earthquake in Emilia, he emphasised how “Obiettivo Lavoro provided approximately 250 employees, including engineers, architects, and technicians, to the government agencies involved in the reconstruction.” In his closing speech, CPL chairman Mr Casari stressed the importance of real competition between large and small companies, be they public or private, particularly in the public services sector.

Investing in languages as a means of competition

As part of our internationalisation policy and working in association with EF Education First, we have introduced classroom-taught courses in Economic & Industrial English, with on-line courses currently under experimentation. ”May Competition” launched with prizes and study trips for the best performers.

Tanja Gavioli (aged 31) tgavioli@cpl.it Human Resources department

C

PL is constantly investing in its human resources. Being part of CPL means having the opportunity to live and work within a group in which joining the cooperative, changing positions, and working on professional development are all moments during which you are assisted through training and skills refreshment.

The training organised by CPL ranges from safety issues to increasing technical, managerial, IT, and language skills. In keeping with the internationalisation theme, the foreign languages project has picked up momentum since September 2013, in particular the English language project. This step forward involved new activities such as assessment of the language skills of all employees, furthering of business-appropriate language knowledge (from CEFR level B1 to levels B2/C1), the introduction of in-classroom courses focussing on Economic & Industrial

English, and a trial period of new online courses. This project has led to the partnership between CPL and EF Education First.

EF’s online training method was chosen because it offers participants a range of services which fit in perfectly with CPL staff’s current needs as workers-on-the-go and also the opportunity to further existing skills among already proficient speakers, who need to get to grips with the subtleties of the language.

The online course offers features such as “anytime, anywhere access” to training, a variety of teaching tools not limited to solely reference materials or workbooks, and - more importantly - conversation sessions and customisable individual lessons with teachers located all over the world.

As part of this experiment, we launched the “May Competition”, which takes its name from the final rush period as May is the last month of access to the online training. It should be noted that taking part in a language course is an opportunity in itself, as it allows participants to

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gain life-enhancing skills, however the company’s intention was to offer further motivation in the form of a healthy, constructive competition.

The competition encompassed all those who took part in the training, the aim of which was to achieve a minimum level of study (completion of two study units and four individual lessons), after which everyone was given the opportunity to up their commitment. At the end of the competition, which coincided with the end of the access to the training, the three ‘best performers, i.e. those involved in the most activities during the competition, were rewarded for their efforts. Each of the winners received a pocket dictionary and a discount voucher to considerably reduce the cost of a study holiday in either Cambridge, UK, or Boston, USA. As part of cooperative approach, CPL actively promotes initiatives that foster professional and personal growth, but this is the first time it has offered such an exciting opportunity to experience language learning within an international context.

CNews n. 45 - June twenty fourteen

”Mr Casari, you are a new citizen of Ischia”

Chairman of CPL CONCORDIA receives major acclaim for efforts in the implementation of on- and off-shore pipeline that has brought natural gas to the ”green” island.

O

Giulio Lancia (aged 61) glancia@cpl.it Campania, Calabria and Sicily Area Manager

n Saturday 12th April, Roberto Casari became a citizen of Ischia.

At the official ceremony, held at the island’s royal palace, Mayor of Ischia Giosi Ferrandino awarded the chairman of CPL CONCORDIA honorary citizenship, presenting him with the keys to the city and explaining that the honour was intended “As a sign of the community of Ischia’s deep esteem and gratitude for the commendable work you have carried out to foster and support social and economic development and progress on the island. Working with professionalism and experience, you have optimised, rationalised, and brought innovation to public services through the construction of the natural gas pipeline, while enhancing and protecting our natural heritage.” The event marks the completion of the important infrastructural link built by the cooperative, through the undersea pipeline that carries natural gas from the Italian mainland to the shores of Ischia. 13 km of undersea pipeline (laid as far down as 72 m below sea level), 45 km of underground piping,

and three years of work, for a project worth €24 million. Apart from the mayor, the ceremony was attended by another new honorary citizen (journalist and producer Pascal Vicedomini), former government minister Giulio Tremonti, ship builder Salvatore Lauro, representatives of public and military authorities, the mayors of Ischia’s other towns, numerous local inhabitants, friends of Mr Casari, and various members of CPL CONCORDIA cooperative. Despite a long history of momentous occasions, CPL’s chairman was visibly moved after the declaration. Managing to overcome an understandable lump in his throat, he proudly reminded those present how “For local residents and businesses, the natural gas network offers the safe, clean, and reasonably priced power that has long been awaited. Apart from Sicily, Ischia is the only island in Italy with its own natural gas network”.

Right now the pipeline is only used to supply the town of Ischia, but in the near future, it will bring together

all the island’s communities within a single network, thereby enhancing the environmental heritage and tourist attractions found all over the island (which attracts over 7 million visitors each year, including regular visitor German Chancellor Angela Merkel).

After describing the various stages of the pipeline’s construction, Mr Casari outlined the commitment undertaken

by CPL Group (which includes sales company Ischiagas) to keep working to bring natural gas to the entire island.

Work has already begun for the towns of Lacco Ameno and Barano, and the neighbouring island of Procida will also be enjoying blue power by the year 2014, thanks to the work of CPL’s technicians and engineers.

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Chairman of Cooperatives Europe on visit to Emilia

At the ”Cooperativa Europa” meeting held in Bologna, Dirk Lehnoff asked to see some of the most significant organisations within the cooperative world in Emilia and was accompanied on his trip

by Stefania Marcone, Legacoop’s Head of International Relations, European policies and Internationalisation.

Mr Lehnhoff was shown around the Concordia facilities to view the various stages of the site’s reconstruction.

The meeting with the Cooperatives Europe delegation held in the CPL boardroom - CPL Human Resources Manager Jenny Padula (left) and Stefania Marcone, Head of International Relations at Legacoop.

Francesco Manicardi (aged 43) fmanicardi@cpl.it Head of Press Office

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t’s not every day that you play host to the highest ranking figure in the European cooperative world, but it happened to CPL on 8th April, when Dirk Lehnhoff, chairman of Cooperatives Europe (European region of the International Cooperative Alliance) was in Emilia Romagna for the “Cooperativa Europa” conference. Organised by the EmiliaRomagna region of the Italian Cooperative Alliance, the event was attended by Massimo Baldinato (member of the cabinet headed by President of the European Commission Antonio Tajani), co-chairman of ICA, Maurizio Gardini, and co-chairmen of ICA Emilia-Romagna, Massimo Mota and Francesco Milza. The Bologna meeting focussed on cooperation and Europe, as well as the use which would be made of the upcoming structural funds and also the relationship between the funds’ use regionally and nationally. In his speech, Mr Lehnhoff described the current situation regarding relations between the cooperative world and European institutions, recalling the significant step forwards taken with the establishment of the Permanent Commission for Cooperation. In his discussion of the coming six months, during which Italy will be at the helm of the commission, Mr Lehnhoff proposed that the presentation of the Road Map for European cooperation be held in Bologna, Italy, this autumn. At

the end of the round table, Mr Lehnhoff took the opportunity of being in a region renowned for its cooperatives to see some of the local organisations, paying an afternoon visit to the CPL Concordia headquarters, accompanied by Stefania Marcone, Legacoop’s Head of International Relations, European Policies, and Internationalisation.

They were greeted by members of CPL’s management, chairman Roberto Casari, deputy chairman Mario Guarnieri, and head of personnel Jenny Padula. In the CPL boardroom, the guests were given a presentation of CPL today, with audiovisual aids used to provide an overview of the cooperative, from its origins working with hired hands in heavy labour at the turn of the 20th century through to its arrival in today’s power industry. Mr Lehnhoff was extremely interested in CPL’s develop-

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ments in Europe and worldwide, which range from Poland to Romania, Argentina to Africa. Mr Casari showed him the prestigious “Oscar di Bilancio” award received

by CPL at the end of 2013, in recognition of the cooperative’s financial statements in the ‘large unlisted companies’ category.

“Always remember that you are an association of people, not assets”, Mr Lehnoff summed up, mentioning also the idea of setting up a sort of “Erasmus scheme” for cooperatives, in order to foster the exchange of experiences within Europe. Upon being shown around the company’s facilities, the chairman expressed appreciation of the cooperative’s immense efforts during the post-earthquake recovery period, the new buildings under construction, and the pioneering technology adopted by CPL in the development of its new products and services.

www.cpl.it

Gas, energy, renewables, water and IT services.

New products and services to provide solutions to the needs of savings and efficiency of our customers.

CPL CONCORDIA Soc. Coop.

Via A. Grandi, 39 41033 Concordia s/S. (Modena) - ITALY tel. +39.0535.616.111 - fax +39.0535.616.300 info@cpl.it - www.cpl.it

With 114 years of history and 1,800 employees, CPL CONCORDIA operates in Italy and Abroad in the whole energy sector.