In the mid of last month, Chinese group Zoomlion Heavy Industry has increased its European presence with a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Solferino, northern Italy. The new plant will manufacture mobile cranes, assemble tower cranes, and act as a distribution hub for forklifts and aerial work platforms.
Italian concrete machinery manufacturing sector company CIFA, which has been part of Zoomlion since 2008 under the Zoomlion Europe banner, was instrumental in the creation of the new plant and helped secure additional investment from Italian government funds designed to aid business following the financial devastation of Covid-19.
The new factory is expected to employ around 80 people. The site’s total area is around 20,000 m2, half of which will be occupied by the crane production facilities.
The premises are fully cabled to allow for the connection of state-of-the-art machinery with 4.0 technology, said Zoomlion. The rooms are laid out according to lean production principles and have a host of safety systems, including gas leak sensors. Solar panels on the roof of the building supply power for manufacturing activities and light LEDs throughout the premises.
According to Davide Cipolla, CEO at CIFA and Zoomlion Europe, “In this very difficult period, we have been able to keep the investment plan envisaged for Italy unchanged, with the construction of a new plant, also thanks to funding from the Cassa Depositi e Prestiti and from SACE, through Garanzia Italia, the instrument of the Liquidity Decree intended to support Italian businesses to face the Covid-19 emergency. An enterprise that will generate a positive return in the local area also in terms of employment.”
