Huercasa 5ª Gama SA, a company devoted to the production of vegetables based in the Segovian town of Sanchonuño, has inaugurated a new logistics centre in the municipality of San Miguel del Arroyo, Valladolid, which will be the cornerstone of the company's expansion over the next decade. The facilities, inaugurated by the Councillor of Agriculture and Livestock of the Government of Castile-Leon, Milagros Marcos, have an area of close to 10,000 square metres and have required an investment of around 12 million Euro and two years of work.
Optimization of processes
The new plant is allowing the Segovian company to rearrange its operations. Sanchonuño's plant will focus on the production process, while the labelling, packaging and storage, as well as the products' shipment, will be centralised in San Miguel del Arroyo. The general director of Strategy and Innovation, Manuel Moracho, stressed that the new facilities will allow Huercasa "to grow in an orderly manner for at least the next ten years, taking into account factors related to competitiveness and technological innovation," said the executive.
Industry 4.0 in a rural environment
Moracho stressed Huercasa's commitment to a 4.0 industry. "The new plant is adapted to the latest innovations in the fields of automation and robotics, which will allow us to be more competitive and adapt better to our customers' needs." The logistics centre already has the most advanced technologies in the sector, and the plant's characteristics will make it possible to implement other improvements already planned for the next 5 years.
As soon as the plant is operating at full capacity, Huercasa will employ about 80 people. They assure that "we will provide quality and stable employment, mostly for women in the area. This is something that we consider fundamental in order to contribute to the development of the rural environment."
Future prospects
Moracho also pointed out that the company expects to grow by around 50% in the next eight years, aiming to reach 60 million Euro in turnover by 2025. He also recalled that the project for the construction of the logistics centre has received no public support, and that Huercasa has funded the project with its own resources and with bank financing.