Press releases

The facility can process up to 30,000 tonnes of polymers per year and produce flakes of a quality comparable to that of virgin raw material. €48.8 million has been invested, including €7.7 million from Italy’s NRRP funds, to develop a state-of-the-art facility designed to anticipate the growing demand for secondary raw materials driven by recent EU regulations. centrata Aliplast, a Hera Group subsidiary and one of Italy’s leading companies in plastics collection, recycling and regeneration, inaugurated its rigid plastics recycling plant in Modena this morning. The official opening of R3GID (Recover Recycle Regenerate Plastic), attended by Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, Italy’s Minister of the Environment and Energy Security, makes Hera one of the first multiutilities in Europe to operate a facility equipped to meet the growing demand for recycled plastics expected in the short to medium term under new EU regulations, including the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and the End-of-Life Vehicles (ELV) Regulation. Construction of Aliplast’s recycling plant began in 2024. Already operational for several months, the facility will employ 80 people at full capacity. It is among the most innovative plants in its sector in Europe and can process up to 30,000 tonnes of high-quality recycled polymers annually, with properties comparable to virgin materials derived from fossil feedstocks and a certified purity level of over 99%. With an investment totalling €48.8 million, including €7.7 million in direct funding from Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Hera Group is providing Italian industry with a facility capable of recycling rigid plastic waste from both municipal and industrial sources. This includes sectors such as automotive, cosmetics, home and personal care, consumer electronics and furniture, which generate materials that are generally not recyclable and would therefore be sent for energy recovery or to landfill. At the Modena plant, Aliplast instead regenerates this waste into high-quality, traceable and certified polymers produced in Italy. These can be reused by the same industries to manufacture a wide range of products, including plastic components for televisions, computers and household appliances, make-up containers, tanks and bumpers, and garden furniture. “R3GID is a clear example of how Italy can anticipate the challenges posed by new European regulations, from the PPWR to the ELV Regulation, and turn them into opportunities for industrial growth,” said Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, Minister of the Environment and Energy Security. “This plant combines Italian technology, an entirely Italian supply chain and a certified, traceable product with quality comparable to virgin raw materials. Producing secondary raw materials locally means strengthening the country’s competitiveness, reducing dependence on foreign markets and making our supply chains more secure, even in the face of geopolitical tensions and price volatility. Facilities such as this benefit the country as a whole.” “Europe faces a structural gap in recycling: capacity is stagnant or declining, while new regulations will increase demand for recycled plastics with quality equivalent to virgin polymers,” said Orazio Iacono, Chief Executive Officer of Hera Group. “The figures speak for themselves. Europe currently has plastics recycling capacity of 13.5 million tonnes, but only 3.5 million tonnes for rigid plastics, including approximately 440,000 tonnes. By 2040, an additional 5.7 million tonnes2 of recycled rigid plastics will be needed: a substantial gap. R3GID is our response as a first mover. It provides Italian manufacturers with high-quality, locally produced materials, reducing import costs and ensuring security of supply. There is also a benefit for the country: Italy pays the European Union around €800 million each year in Plastic Tax on non-recycled plastic packaging, while the Modena plant alone could generate savings of approximately €24 million if its entire output were used for packaging.” Hera Group developed the plant using best available technologies. NEXTCHEM, a MAIRE Group company, participated in the project as a technology partner, providing its proprietary NX Replast™ technology, an advanced solution for plastics upcycling. More broadly, the plant’s equipment and technologies enable the production of high-purity recycled polymers and compounds designed to replace virgin fossil-based materials in high-value-added applications. They also enable the development of tailor-made materials to meet specific functional, mechanical, aesthetic and regulatory requirements, expanding the potential uses of recycled plastics even in the most demanding market segments. The circular economy on a single site R3GID is located at Hera Group’s industrial hub on Via Cavazza in Modena, which already houses a waste-to-energy plant and a wastewater treatment plant. These existing facilities have enabled the creation of a circular system with Aliplast’s new plant: treated water supplies the rigid plastics recycling process before returning to the wastewater treatment plant, while electricity generated by the waste-to-energy plant powers the new business activities. This reduces energy costs, which, even before the energy crisis, accounted for around 30% of production costs in Italy’s recycling sector, excluding raw materials. The plant also avoids approximately 30,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent emissions compared with production from virgin plastics, on a like-for-like production cycle basis. Aliplast doubles its capacity The Modena plant, the expansion of the facility in Borgolavezzaro (Novara) dedicated to low-density polyethylene (LDPE) recycling, and the acquisition of a 70% stake in Kronos Polymer Polska, also an LDPE specialist and expected to complete by the end of 2026, will enable Aliplast to double its recycling capacity and increase its operational flexibility. Annual capacity for high-quality secondary plastic raw materials will exceed 210,000 tonnes, with total production capacity reaching 255,000 tonnes per year. The Modena investment forms part of the €2 billion allocated to the circular economy under the Group’s 2025–2029 Business Plan, out of total planned investment of €5.5 billion. Innovation combining sustainability and competitiveness This morning’s inauguration of Aliplast’s Modena plant provided an opportunity to discuss the future of plastics recycling, focusing on innovation and sustainability. Following institutional addresses by Massimo Mezzetti, Mayor of Modena, Michele de Pascale, President of the Emilia-Romagna Region, and Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, Hera Group CEO Orazio Iacono outlined the plant’s role within the Group’s strategy. Andrea Ramonda, CEO of Herambiente, presented R3GID’s key features, while Michele Petrone, CEO of Aliplast, opened the morning’s proceedings. The event continued with a roundtable moderated by Francesca Gambarini, a journalist at L’Economia, Corriere della Sera, bringing together representatives from industry and research: Paolo Accastello, Stellantis Manufacturing – Vehicle Area Manager Italy & Poland; Luigi De Nardo, Head of the “Giulio Natta” Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering at Politecnico di Milano; Fabrizio Di Amato, Chairman and Founder of MAIRE Group; Antonino Furfari, Managing Director of Plastics Recyclers Europe (PRE); Paolo Goi, Global Innovation, Research & Quality Director at Davines; Maurizio Mezzelani, Head of R&D at Fratelli Guzzini; and Simone Targetti Ferri, Sustainability Officer at L’Oréal Italia. Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the morning concluded with a guided tour of the plant. The European plastics recycling landscape and regulatory developments The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), adopted by European countries in 2025, will require an additional 5.7 million tonnes of recycling capacity for rigid HDPE and PP plastics across Europe by 2040 compared with current levels. Of this, 2 million tonnes will need to be available by 2030 to meet increasing regulatory requirements for recycled content in packaging. The End-of-Life Vehicles (ELV) Regulation, approved in June 2026, will also contribute to demand. It introduces minimum recycled plastic content requirements for new vehicles of 15% from 2032 and 25% from 2036, with at least 20% of that recycled content required to come from end-of-life vehicles. As the ELV Regulation applies only to new models placed on the market, its full impact on the entire vehicle fleet is not expected before 2042. By that date, 1.2 million tonnes of post-consumer recycled plastics will be required. 2026-10-20 sede Hera 110x150 (1).jpg

The multiutility has won the tender launched by the Interuniversity Consortium. Located in northern Bologna, approximately 3 km from the DAMA Technopole, the new facility will provide renewable energy to the data center, helping to decarbonise its electricity consumption. centrata Bologna is taking another step towards a more innovative, sustainable and competitive future. Leonardo, the supercomputer co-funded by the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking and the Italian Ministry of University and Research and operated by CINECA at Bologna’s DAMA Technopole, will be partly powered by renewable electricity generated by Hera Group’s Energy Park agrivoltaic plant. This marks one of Italy’s first initiatives to combine environmental sustainability and technological competitiveness through dedicated green infrastructure, following the Group’s successful bid in the tender launched by the Interuniversity Consortium. The agrivoltaic plant to be developed by Hera Group within the Energy Park will supply renewable electricity to the CINECA data center housing the Leonardo supercomputer. Once fully operational, the facility is expected to generate 30 GWh of electricity annually, avoiding approximately 7,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions, with electricity output equivalent to the consumption of 11,000 households. The concession, awarded following the tender process in early summer, has a value of €73.5 million. In accordance with applicable regulations, Helisa (Hera Energy for Leonardo Improved Supercomputing Architecture), a wholly owned subsidiary of Hera, has been established to manage the concession. “Thanks to the support of Minister Anna Maria Bernini and funding from the Ministry of University and Research (MUR), our supercomputing infrastructure has achieved another milestone, combining computing power with environmental sustainability,” commented Francesco Ubertini, Chairman of CINECA. “Our highly efficient closed-loop liquid cooling system, heat recovery plan, LEED Platinum certification for the data center and exclusive use of renewable energy will now be complemented by an innovative facility for on-site renewable energy generation. This represents a unique achievement at both European and international level.” “Supplying the Leonardo supercomputer with locally generated renewable energy is an achievement of significant strategic value, made possible by the Group’s innovation and new green infrastructure,” said Orazio Iacono, Chief Executive Officer of Hera Group. “Hera’s Energy Park, a flagship initiative of Bologna Missione Clima—the Climate City Contract aimed at achieving climate neutrality by 2030—is tangible evidence of this. The project creates value for both the company and the community and reinforces our role in enabling the energy transition across the areas we serve.” Bologna’s Energy Park is an innovative project and one of the first of its kind in Italy. Hera Group will develop the facility in the Navile district, in the northern part of the city, adjacent to Parco Nord and just a few minutes from the DAMA Technopole, home to the CINECA data center housing Leonardo, one of the world’s most advanced supercomputers. Its strategic location will enable the Energy Park to supply electricity directly to the Leonardo supercomputer through a dedicated connection linking the agrivoltaic plant to the existing infrastructure. The Energy Park is one of Hera Group’s flagship contributions to Bologna Missione Clima, the initiative supporting the City of Bologna’s commitment to achieving climate neutrality by 2030. The project will cover approximately 90 hectares, of which almost 70 hectares will remain available for agricultural use. An advanced agrivoltaic plant will be developed on approximately 30 hectares of this agricultural land to generate renewable electricity. The height and positioning of the photovoltaic panels will allow electricity generation to coexist with the continued use of the land for farming activities. The southern section of the site, covering the remaining hectares, will be dedicated to biodiversity conservation. Known as the Urban Forest, this area will comprise a park largely accessible to the public, alongside zones specifically designed to protect plant and animal biodiversity. Approximately 4,000 trees and shrubs will be planted. The authorisation and construction processes for the Energy Park have already been initiated and will progress throughout 2027–2028, with completion of construction expected during 2029. 2026-10-13 sede Hera 110x150 (1).jpg

The multi-utility tops the ranking, marking its sixth consecutive year on the podium, the only Italian company to achieve this result. The recognition rewards the credibility and consistency with which the Group integrates ESG factors into its strategy, governance and corporate culture. centrata Hera Group ranked first in the 2026 ESG Identity Corporate Index, developed by ET.Group to measure the extent to which ESG factors are integrated into companies’ strategies and decision-making processes. The results of the eleventh edition were presented today in Milan at the ESG Business Conference. The Group’s growth, together with the progressive evolution and increasing maturity of its ESG model, has gone hand in hand with continuous advances in governance, enabling the multi-utility to rank among the Top 10 for 9 consecutive years and on the podium for six years in a row. A more selective assessment focused on ESG credibilityThe recognition is even more significant as it is the outcome of a rigorous assessment process carried out against a benchmark that continues to rise. The 2026 edition included a record 109 companies, all demonstrating increasingly advanced levels of ESG maturity. The assessment itself has also become more demanding, shifting the focus from disclosure alone to companies’ ability to demonstrate the effective integration of ESG factors into strategy, decision-making processes and corporate culture. The analysis centres on the development of a robust and coherent ESG strategy geared towards value creation, transparent reporting of results, and the ability to anticipate and manage risks. For Hera Group, particular emphasis was placed on: governance as an enabler, supported by the active involvement of dedicated governance bodies; the integration of ESG targets into remuneration policies and long-term strategies; the ability to foster a cross-functional ESG culture involving all business functions and the entire value chain. Hera Group builds its ESG narrative on its strategy, its commitments and its ability to translate them into tangible results. Over more than twenty years, the multi-utility has combined sustained economic growth with the evolution of its governance towards increasingly demanding targets, clear accountability and measurable performance. The credibility of the Group’s commitments rests on a consistent track record of delivery, as demonstrated by significant investments, completed projects and reported impacts. The same rigour underpins investment in people development through skills, inclusion and professional growth, as well as incentive systems that embed sustainability targets. For Hera Group, ESG is therefore the practical framework through which the company governs, grows and creates value over time. 2026-06-17 sede-hera-110.jpg

centrata Kindly note that as of today the minutes of the Shareholders Meeting held on 29 April 2026 are available at company headquarters, on the Hera Group’s website (https://eng.gruppohera.it/group/) in the section dedicated to Corporate Governance, and on the authorised storage website 1INFO. 2026-05-26 12:26:00 sede-hera-110.jpg

centrata The Board of Directors of Hera S.p.A., which met today, assessed the independence of its directors appointed by the Shareholders’ Meeting of 29 April 2026. On the basis of the statements made by the Directors and the information available to the company, the Board of Directors of Hera S.p.A. assessed that all directors meet the independence requirements set out in Article 148 of Legislative Decree No. 58/1998, with the exception of the Executive Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer and directors Gianni Bessi and Enrico Di Stasi. The Board also assessed that directors Fabio Bacchilega, Benedetta Brighenti, Roberta Calderisi, Marina Monassi, Francesco Perrini, Paola Schwizer, Bruno Tani, Fabrizio Toselli and Alice Vatta meet the independence requirements set out in the Corporate Governance Code. It should also be noted that, in compliance with the provisions of the Corporate Governance Code, the Board of Statutory Auditors verified that all its members meet the independence requirements, reporting the outcome of these checks to the Board of Directors. The members of the Internal Committees were also appointed: for the “Executive Committee”, the following were appointed: Cristian Fabbri, as Chairman; Tommaso Fabbri, as Deputy Chairman; Orazio Iacono and Vanessa Camani, as members; for the “Control and Risk Committee” (whose composition is the same as that of the Related-Party Transactions Committee) the following were appointed: Paola Schwizer, as Chairwoman; Benedetta Brighenti, Marina Monassi and Francesco Perrini, as members; for the “Remuneration Committee”, the following were appointed: Alice Vatta, as Chairwoman; Fabio Bacchilega, Tommaso Fabbri and Francesco Perrini, as members. Finally, with regard to the "Ethics and Sustainability Committee”, the following were appointed: Tommaso Fabbri, as Chairman; Alice Vatta, Filippo Bocchi and Nicoletta Tranquillo, as members. 2026-05-13 13:34:00 sede-hera-110.jpg