New drive for the Padua wholesale market as, thanks to the commitment of President Domenico Minasola and Director Francesco Cera, the board of directors approved the new guidelines for the next three years.
"The objective is to relaunch the facility thanks to a renewed management commitment, investments and new services. A positive attitude to support the needs of operators, logistics and producers," explains President Domenico Minasola (in the photo).
"The market covers around 200 thousand square metres and we are looking to expand it into the nearby 42 thousand metre area we own nearby. The only problem is that the railway passes right in the middle. We are therefore thinking of connecting the two through a sort of drawbridge system with the slightest slope so as not to create problems to carts or forklifts," adds Director Francesco Cera.
Archive photo of the market
The new logistic platforms covering 4,000 sq m will be set up soon. In addition, the entrances and exists will be redesigned, plants will be chosen to cover the walls of various buildings and modern infrastructures will be arranged to provide new services to users.
Francesco Cera
What is more, a new and more efficient IT system to manage incoming goods will be created, the entire facility will be made anti-seismic and at least 20,000 sq m of logistic platforms, carparks, handling areas and green areas (including phyto-purification basins) will be set up.
Maap will become greener and more environmentally friendly
Over the past few months, Amazon contacted the market managers and negotiations have started. "I think we need to keep up with the times. Many ignored the first retail chains appeared forty years ago and we all know how things went. We mustn't make the same mistake with the online world. Amazon contacted us because we are a well-organised hub in north-eastern Italy and we could start collaborating for the fresh produce."
Moreover, the Far East could be an additional outlet: a delegation attended Mac Fruit Attraction in Shanghai in November and got in touch with Chinese importers.
Maap is an agile company with its finances in order and working within a facility - the wholesale market - that invoices €450 million/year employing over 1,500 people.
Contacts:
MAAP – Mercato AgroAlimentare Padova
Corso Stati Uniti, 50
35127 Padova (PD) - Italy
Tel.: (+39) 049 869 2111
Fax: (+39) 049 870 3014
Email: f.cera@maap.it
Web: www.maap.it