Philip Morris International, in Italy 600 million euros of investments in three years

Philip Morris International (Pmi) today inaugurated the new Center for Industrial Excellence, the largest in the world by Philip Morris, in the Municipality of Valsamoggia, province of Bologna. The new Center is part of an investment plan for Italy equal to approximately 600 million euros over three years, linked to new non-combustion products. According to PMI estimates, the direct, indirect and induced employment impact will be around 8,000 jobs along the supply chain. The Bologna production center is the first in the world for the large-scale production of products without combustion. Activities that will be consolidated and integrated thanks to the birth of the new hub that will support the global R&D center of PMI in Neuchatel, Switzerland. Among the activities of the center will be the support of product prototyping and industrialization, such as the identification of new machinery to produce finished products on a large scale; the improvement of production processes; sustainability projects aimed at improving environmental performance such as the efficient and responsible use of resources. The new Center will be operational by the end of the year and will involve a total of over 250 highly qualified people, including people who currently work in Philip Morris Manufacturing & Technology Bologna, new hires and staff who will move to Bologna from other affiliates of the SME group. The new Center and the new industrial plan of SMEs are part of the company’s transformation process towards a “smoke-free future”, for the development of increasingly innovative products with the aim of eliminating cigarettes from the market in the shortest possible time. . As of September 30, 2021, PMI’s smoke-free products are available in 70 countries and it is estimated that over 14 million adult smokers worldwide have already switched to IQOS and have quit smoking cigarettes. “These further investments in Italy reward the work of over 30,000 people and 7,000 Italian companies that in recent years have contributed to building an integrated supply chain that is unique in the world, which continues to represent an incredible added value for attracting foreign capital that looks to sustainable and long-lasting development ”, commented Marco Hannappel, president and CEO of Philip Morris Italia, adding that“ 5 years ago there was nothing here, in 5 years the largest PMI factory was created. Bologna and Italy remain at the center of our investment agenda in the industrial, agricultural and services sectors. If there had not been the Bologna plant, today there would be no Taranto, with 300 jobs ”. Massimo Andolina, senior vice president of operations at Philip Morris International added: “We are determined to accelerate our path towards a smoke-free future by making technologically advanced alternatives based on a solid process available to smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke cigarettes. of innovation and scientific validation. Bologna is fundamental for this vision and from today this centrality is further strengthened. It is the site that the whole world comes to visit. We are excited to continue on this path of investment, development and collaboration with the ecosystem that surrounds us and are proud to be part of this community “.