Emilia-Romagna flood, manufacturing affected: firm companies and those trying to restart

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«The damages are very serious and unfortunatelypo we are not yet able to evaluate them because the company is underwater and it is not even possible to get there». Leonardo Spadoni, president and managing director of Molino Spadoni, yesterday tried in vain to reach the Coccolia plant, in the province of Ravenna, hit by the flooding of the Ronco river, but he failed: everything is still blocked.

“Fortunately, the people who work for us are all safe, because yesterday, as soon as the order from the authorities to stop the machines arrived, we all left the company in a hurry,” he says. But haste prevented machinery, electronic devices, materials and finished products from being saved. “Everything went under water,” says Spadoni. The flooding and closure of the Coccolia site, where around eighty of the group’s approximately 270 employees work, will also have repercussions on the other group companies in the coming weeks, which are supplied by Coccolia. «In addition, we have a 100-hectare farm in Zattaglia, which we cannot reach due to landslides: who will feed the animals?», Spadoni asks and in his voice there is all the bitterness of someone who has not only suffered damage, but he also doesn’t know how much, or when he will be able to leave again.

«The activities will certainly be suspended until tomorrow (Thursday, ed) and the authorities will update us if we can resume on Monday, but I don’t know if it will be possible – says Giovanna Golnelli, design and communication Alpine manager, based in Modigliana –. The offices perhaps yes, but not the production activities, because the problem is precisely accessing Modigliana. The town is isolated, there is no electricity, the signal is unstable, we struggle to get in touch with those who live there. Luckily we were able to at least make sure that everyone is fine, but we don’t know if there is any damage to the plants and to what extent”.

A business disaster

Unfortunately these are not isolated cases: many companies in Cesena, Forlì and Ravenna are in the same situation. «It’s a disaster – admits Roberto Bozzi, president of Confindustria Romagna, which includes the three provinces most affected by the rains and floods in recent days -. Most entrepreneurs don’t even know what condition their factories are in, because they haven’t been able to reach them». Almost all manufacturing companies remained closed yesterday, and many will remain closed today, pending new provisions. Even those who have been spared still have to deal with serious logistics problems, adds Bozzi, which not only prevent employees from reaching their workplaces, but also affect supplies and deliveries. «Everything is still – says the president -. We will understand the damage in the next few days, in the meantime we try to help each other: the first thing to do is to make people safe ».

Orogel starts again

The luckiest ones – perhaps for a few meters or because the river has overflowed on the opposite side of their plant – can restart the machines today. Like the Orogel of Cesena, which is located just three kilometers from the Savio river. But it is clear that damage to an entire territory, and of such a vastness, has repercussions on everyone. «Our members grow fruit and vegetables throughout Romagna and many crops have been submerged by up to one and a half metres. In the coming days, agronomists and technicians will carry out the surveys, but we expect huge damages, both immediately, for the horticultural sector, and in the future for fruit trees – explains Bruno Piraccini, president of the group -. But the activity of the factory will start again tomorrow (today for the reader, ed), so as not to interrupt activities for too long. Unfortunately, the harvesting one is stopped, we try at least to safeguard the packaging and thus guarantee the delivery of the products to our customers”.