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Journey in the Melinda underground storage

Storing apples at a depth of 300 meters in mining complex: the Melinda Consortium bet on it 6 years ago and now continues with this policy of environmental respect and energy saving with the construction of the fourth storage parcel. An investment of about 7 million euro which will bring the total capacity to 40,000 tons.Let's begin a journey into the heart of the mountain, in Val di Non (photoreport by Cristiano Riciputi)
Storing apples at a depth of 300 meters in mining complex: the Melinda Consortium bet on it 6 years ago and now continues with this policy of environmental respect and energy saving with the construction of the fourth storage parcel. An investment of about 7 million euro which will bring the total capacity to 40,000 tons.
Let's begin a journey into the heart of the mountain, in Val di Non (photoreport by Cristiano Riciputi)
There are over 15 km of tunnels.
There are over 15 km of tunnels.
Access by trucks for bins unloading, but also with cars and buses
Access by trucks for bins unloading, but also with cars and buses
The entrance
The entrance
The environment is dry and without dust
The environment is dry and without dust
The press delegation, who visited the underground storage on April 13th, 2019, was led by Andrea Fedrizzi and Mauro Erlucher
The press delegation, who visited the underground storage on April 13th, 2019, was led by Andrea Fedrizzi and Mauro Erlucher
On the left Mauro Erlucher (Cocea plant manager), on the right Andrea Fedrizzi (Melinda marketing manager)
On the left Mauro Erlucher (Cocea plant manager), on the right Andrea Fedrizzi (Melinda marketing manager)
Erlucher showed the underground storage
Erlucher showed the underground storage
The underground cold storage was designed by Melinda 7 years ago
The underground cold storage was designed by Melinda 7 years ago
They allow great energy savings
They allow great energy savings
The rock has a constant temperature of 10 °C
The rock has a constant temperature of 10 °C
The clay layers avoid any humidity
The clay layers avoid any humidity
Details of the descriptive panels
Details of the descriptive panels
Details of the descriptive panels
Details of the descriptive panels
Details of the descriptive panels
Details of the descriptive panels
Details of the descriptive panels
Details of the descriptive panels
Details of the descriptive panels
Details of the descriptive panels
In the area dedicated to storage there is neither humidity nor dust
In the area dedicated to storage there is neither humidity nor dust
Entrance of a storage cell
Entrance of a storage cell
They are deliberately left uneven
They are deliberately left uneven
The proportion. The storage rooms are about 11 meters high
The proportion. The storage rooms are about 11 meters high
The apples are stored just after the harvest, from August to the end of October
The apples are stored just after the harvest, from August to the end of October
The storage temperature is 1 °C
The storage temperature is 1 °C
The benefits
The benefits
Details of the descriptive panels
Details of the descriptive panels
Details of the descriptive panels
Details of the descriptive panels
Tassullo takes care of the excavations to obtain Dolomia for its construction products
Tassullo takes care of the excavations to obtain Dolomia for its construction products
One of the tunnels
One of the tunnels
Opening a storage room
Opening a storage room
Storage takes place as in a normal cold room
Storage takes place as in a normal cold room
The bins are stored filling the room to its peak
The bins are stored filling the room to its peak
Decumulation is proceeding regularly
Decumulation is proceeding regularly
On the left, teh mining complex manager Fabrizio Conforti
On the left, teh mining complex manager Fabrizio Conforti
The appeal of the underground storage with its typical irregularity
The appeal of the underground storage with its typical irregularity
The concentrations of oxygen and carbon dioxide are kept under constant control
The concentrations of oxygen and carbon dioxide are kept under constant control
Bins removed from the storage room and ready to be taken to the factory for processing
Bins removed from the storage room and ready to be taken to the factory for processing
Bins removed from the storage room and ready to be taken to the factory for processing
Bins removed from the storage room and ready to be taken to the factory for processing
Bins removed from the storage room and ready to be taken to the factory for processing
Bins removed from the storage room and ready to be taken to the factory for processing
Bins removed from the storage room and ready to be taken to the factory for processing
Bins removed from the storage room and ready to be taken to the factory for processing
Bins removed from the storage room and ready to be taken to the factory for processing
Bins removed from the storage room and ready to be taken to the factory for processing
The label indicates that these apples were harvested on October 15th
The label indicates that these apples were harvested on October 15th
Melinda logo
Melinda logo
Controlled atmosphere tecnologies
Controlled atmosphere tecnologies
The entrance to the machine room
The entrance to the machine room
Engine room
Engine room
Compared to the amount of stored apples, the engine room is very small, as the underground storage rooms allow for significant energy savings
Compared to the amount of stored apples, the engine room is very small, as the underground storage rooms allow for significant energy savings
Combination of mining and apple storage
Combination of mining and apple storage