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Hera Group: with NexMeter the gas meter goes green

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Press releases
19/06/2024
Hera Spa
Price sensitive

Hera Group ranks first in the 2024 ESG Identity Corporate Index (formerly IGI)

<p><em>For the fourth consecutive year, the Group is on the podium of the overall index ranking, which rewards Italian companies that stand out for integrating ESG factors into their governance. This comes as further recognition of the Group’s commitment to creating long-term value for its shareholders and all its stakeholders</em></p>
Online since 19-06-2024 at 11:08
Press releases
11/06/2024
Hera Spa
M&A
Price sensitive

Inrete Distribuzione Energia acquires Soelia’s gas network

<p><em>The Hera Group, through its subsidiary operating in the natural gas distribution sector, strengthens its presence in the area served</em></p>
Online since 11-06-2024 at 11:57
Press releases
15/05/2024
Shareholders’ meeting
Price sensitive
Hera Spa

Publication of documents pertaining to the Shareholders Meeting

Online since 15-05-2024 at 10:35
Press releases
15/05/2024
Price sensitive
M&A
Hera Spa

Hera Group acquires Soelia’s gas network

Through its subsidiary Inrete Distribuzione Energia, the Group was awarded the tender for the gas distribution plants and network serving the municipality of Argenta in Ferrara area

Online since 15-05-2024 at 10:38
Press releases
14/05/2024
Price sensitive
Financial Results
Hera Spa

Hera Group BoD approves results for 1Q 2024

<p>The consolidated quarterly report at 31 March shows improvement in the main operating and financial indicators. The Group’s financial solidity and commitment to sustainability and the ecological transition were confirmed, along with the creation of value for all stakeholders and significant investments in the areas served to improve our assets resilience and to guarantee service quality and continuity</p>
Online since 14-05-2024 at 12:41
Press releases
30/04/2024
Shareholders’ meeting
Hera Spa
Price sensitive

Hera Shareholders Meeting: 2023 financial statements approved and dividend increased to 14 cents

The Group continues along its path of uninterrupted growth, closing 2023 with record performance in the main operating and financial indicators, thus constantly creating value for its stakeholders.

Online since 29-04-2024 at 12:53
Press releases
23/04/2024
Hera Spa
Other press releases

Hera Group at the top of ARERA’s water service quality ranking

The multiutility confirms itself among Italy’s most outstanding operators, securing the first and third positions, with reference to all macro-indicators, as proof of the very high standards adopted by the Group in this field. A commitment that the Hera fulfils with significant investments to ensure the highest quality and continuity of service to around 3.6 million citizens and an increasingly efficient and circular use of resources. Important results have been achieved, particularly in Emilia-Romagna.

08/04/2024
Other press releases
Hera Spa

Publication of the Draft Separate and Consolidated Financial Statements as of 31.12.2023, the Sustainability Report - Consolidated Non-Financial Statement, the Corporate Governance Report, and the Report on Remuneration and Compensation Paid

29/03/2024
Hera Spa
Other press releases

Rigid plastics recycling: one of Europe’s most innovative plants to be built in Modena

<p><em>Thanks to investments totalling approximately 50 million euro, the Hera Group will build a state-of-the-art facility within its own plant complex. Starting from plastic waste that has so far been difficult to recycle, it will produce high quality polymers with characteristics similar to those shown by virgin materials, thus making sectors such as consumer electronics and the automotive industry increasingly sustainable</em></p>
Press releases
27/03/2024
Shareholders’ meeting
Hera Spa

Publication of documents pertaining to the Shareholders Meeting to be held on 30 April 2024

Press releases
26/03/2024
Other press releases
Hera Spa
Price sensitive
Financial Results

Hera Group approves results as at 31/12/2023

<p><em>The year closed with main financial indicators rising and the targets included in the strategic Plan to 2026 exceeded three years ahead of schedule. The Group’s financial solidity and flexibility allowed it to continue along its path of industrial growth, increasing its investments and successfully grasping market opportunities, both internal and external, while continuing to generate value benefitting all stakeholders. The proposed dividend was raised, reaching 14 eurocents per share</em></p>
Online since 26-03-2024 at 12:47
Press releases
11/03/2024
Hera Spa
Other press releases

Green energy and a new urban forest: the Hera Group’s Energy Park arrives in Bologna

<p><em>Sustainability, decarbonisation, liveability and biodiversity protection are the keywords of this project, which will be developed in the northern part of the city and will contain a new urban park with facilities, complemented by areas dedicated to protecting animal and plant species, and an agrivoltaic field that will allow an annual saving of 6,000 tons of CO2.</em></p>
Press releases
04/03/2024
Shareholders’ meeting
Hera Spa
Other press releases

The passing of Hera S.p.A.'s Vice Chairman, Mr. Gabriele Giacobazzi

We hereby inform you that on March 3, 2024, the Vice Chaiman of the Board of Directors, Mr. Gabriele Giacobazzi, passed away.

Press releases
13/02/2024
Hera Spa
Other press releases

Hera Group among Europe’s leaders in sustainability and the fight against climate change

<p><em>The Group achieved the leadership band in the CDP questionnaire and was included among “TOP 1%” Multi and Water Utilities of the S&amp;P Global’s Sustainability Yearbook 2024. These recognitions prove Hera’s commitment to sustainable development and creating shared value for local areas.</em></p>
Press releases
06/02/2024
Hera Spa
Other press releases

Hera Group: over 1 million new electricity customers as of 1 July

<p><em>With the 7 lots awarded in the tender for the Gradual Protection Service for non-vulnerable household customers, the Hera Group consolidates its position as the sector’s third largest operator in Italy.</em></p>
Press releases
25/01/2024
M&A
Hera Spa
Other press releases

Hera Group expands in the industrial waste sector with TRS Ecology

<p><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="line-height:106%"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"></span></span></span></i>With the acquisition of 70% of the Piacenza-based company, the Group reinforces its leadership in the waste management sector. This transaction, at full capacity, is expected to contribute to growth in the Hera Group’s Ebitda with approximately 6 million euro.<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="line-height:106%"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"> </span></span></span></i></p>
Press releases
24/01/2024
Price sensitive
Financial Results
Hera Spa
Other press releases

Hera Group presents Business Plan to 2027

<p><em>Development, resilience and creating shared value for stakeholders are at the heart of the Group’s new strategic document, which foresees investments totalling 4.4 billion to speed up the ecological transition and enhance asset resilience to climate change. The preliminary results for 2023 outperform the previous Plan’s goals that have been achieved three years ahead of schedule, thanks to the numerous development actions implemented and the Group’s ability to grasp market opportunities.</em></p>
Online since 24-01-2024 at 12:02
Press releases
22/01/2024
Shareholders’ meeting
Hera Spa
Other press releases
Price sensitive

Calendar of corporate events

Online since 22-01-2024 at 13:24
18/01/2024
Hera Spa
Other press releases

Hera Top Employer for the 15th Consecutive Year

<p><em>The company reaffirms, once again in 2024, its position among the best performers in human resources management, thanks to substantial investments in welfare, training, and skill development.</em></p>
Press releases
02/01/2024
Hera Spa
Other press releases

Hera Group has obtained the “Gender equality certification”

<p><em>A further confirmation of the importance of Hera’s achievements in terms of gender equality and inclusion</em></p>

Asset Publisher

30/11/2021
Hera Group: with NexMeter the gas meter goes green

Hera’s smart gas meter 4.0, the first of its kind internationally in terms of safety functions, is already prepared for its first experimentation in the network with hydrogen, and its construction in recycled plastic further confirms the commitment to the energy transition and circularity. Not only equipped with outstanding technology and functions, including reducing gas dispersion into the atmosphere, the device is at the centre of the first experimentation in Italy with the use of hydrogen in domestic gas distribution

With the Hera Group, also gas distribution is going green. NexMeter, Hera’s smart gas meter 4.0, the first of its kind worldwide in terms of cutting-edge technology and safety functions, including reducing gas dispersion into the atmosphere, will be made from recycled plastic and can already be used for distributing hydrogen in the network up to a maximum of 20% compatibility, with a trial planned in the coming months.  

This advanced meter is therefore a concrete example of the Hera Group’s commitment to the energy transition and carbon neutrality, focusing on green gases, such as biomethane, hydrogen and green syngas, and contributing to the fight against climate change.

Furthermore, it results from Hera’s experience and know-how in management of the gas distribution service, combined with continuous investments in innovation, research and development, and confirms the Group’s collaboration with outstanding partners: Panasonic, the Japanese multinational global leader in electronic products and components, and Pietro Fiorentini, an Italian company and market leader in creating products and services for the entire natural gas chain.

The advanced version of NexMeter will be previewed today in Milan at Enlit, the most important event in the sector.

NexMeter gets the “stamp” for hydrogen operation

The new NexMeter is now ready to be used with hydrogen distributed through the network, having obtained the “stamp of approval” certifying its compatibility with green gas mixtures. This is thanks to the metrological certification carried out by Tifernogas, a notified body pursuant to the relevant Directives (2014/32/EU MI-002 and MI-008), and the construction analysis concerning the compatibility of its materials with blending hydrogen and methane, carried out by RINA, an international engineering, consulting, inspection, quality assurance and quality control company in the energy sector.

An immediate debut: initial experiments with hydrogen in the domestic gas network soon to be underway

NexMeter’s first field test involving hydrogen will be carried out during the next few months, as part of a wider set of activities aimed at certifying the entire Hera Group’s supply chain as qualified to use green gases. More specifically, it involves introducing a mixture of natural gas and hydrogen into a portion of the distribution network managed by the Group, involving around thirty households in Castelfranco Emilia in Modena province.

This is the first experiment of this kind in Italy as regards domestic gas distribution, and it aims at studying innovative solutions to contribute to the local area’s needs as regards decarbonisation, with benefits for the environment as well.

The trial is also part of the Group’s broader strategy for developing hydrogen in a two-fold perspective: on the one hand, upgrading its assets, starting with the gas distribution networks, and on the other, creating new business opportunities, which Hera can make the most of by leveraging its multi-business expertise, including partnerships with other major industrial operators.

A green device with environmental benefits with over 68% of its elements made in recycled plastic

NexMeter’s advanced functions have numerous environmental and economic benefits: eliminating leaks reduces methane dispersion, which in turn is highly polluting, while the entire process of optimising gas network management has a positive impact on the performance and emissions of user appliances, first and foremost boilers. Its ability to detect and signal to users even the smallest gas leaks also helps contain costs in their bills. But that’s not all: the new NexMeter model will be the first meter on the market with most of its components made of recycled plastic, reaching over 68%.

To achieve this result, the Hera Group, which has always been committed to the circular economy and regenerating resources, can count on the expertise of its subsidiary Aliplast, a leader in plastic recycling and regeneration, with plants in Italy and abroad, and an annual production of around 100,000 tonnes of recycled plastic.

The metre’s manuals are also green and smart, with a QR code included on the meter instead of a classic instruction manual, to avoid paper consumption, and packaging in recycled cardboard. 

300,000 NexMeter meters installed by 2023 in earthquake-prone areas

The previous model of NexMeter, we should recall, was already equipped with advanced functions, including a cutting-edge "mini-computer" offering absolute precision and safety, since it is capable of intercepting in real time even minimal leaks or tremors in the event of earthquakes. Launched in 2019, these devices are still being installed, with 70,000 devices already in operation. Thanks to approximately 45 million in investments, the Group’s goal is to reach 300,000 NexMeters installed by 2023, 200,000 of which will be made of recycled plastic. The areas concerned are those served by the Hera Group’s distribution companies, starting with areas classified as at risk of earthquakes or where the latter have recently occurred, such as Emilia-Romagna and Friuli-Venezia Giulia.

“With NexMeter, two years ago, we gave concrete proof of our ability to invest and innovate in a sector that remains quite traditional, such as gas distribution, paying particular attention to safety and reducing gas dispersion into the atmosphere, a factor that was also at the centre of debates during the recent Cop26 – states Stefano Venier, CEO of the Hera Group – Today, with this new version of the device, ready for hydrogen and made of recycled plastic, we are taking a further step forward, continuing to exploit our in-depth experience in this field with the skills offered by the most qualified partners, nationally and internationally. Actions and investments for the circular economy and innovation guide, indeed, the strategies set out in our Business Plan, in line with European guidelines and the goals on the UN 2030 Agenda. As a local multi-utility, we also have the task of growing while promoting sustainable development in the communities we serve, with advanced solutions that respect the environment and meet the safety and quality needs of citizens. NexMeter is a tangible example of our commitment to carrying out this mission in the best possible way.”

“We are honoured to have contributed to the development of NexMeter which today added the use of green gas, especially hydrogen, to the safety functions, meeting the needs that the ecological transition imposes – states Motokazu Nishii, Head of Meter Device Business, Smart Energy System Business Division, Electric Works Company, Panasonic Corporation – This was possible thanks to Panasonic technology in ultrasonic measurement and safety functions with experience on the market for over 35 years, and, more importantly, to the collaboration with the Hera Group. The result is NexMeter which is a unique reference in the smart gas metering market. Panasonic will continue to work with the Hera Group to create a company where people can live better and more comfortably thanks to the use of clean energy and increasingly innovative solutions”.

“The NexMeter, whose first version was already extremely innovative due to its advanced sensors and safety functions, has in this new phase achieved greater component sustainability and hydrogen compatibility” – states Cristiano Nardi, Executive Chairman of the Pietro Fiorentini Group – The project’s success confirms Pietro Fiorentini’s commitment towards establishing a continuous and constructive dialogue with our partners Hera and Panasonic, in order to work together in creating technologically advanced, competitive and fully environmentally friendly solutions, all of which are very important issues for our Group.”

Online from 30 November 2021 at 12:15:00

Search Results

07/03/2016
Price sensitive
Financial Results

Hera Luce, € 21 million from the Cassa Depositi e Prestiti for investments in public lighting

2016-03-07 hera_luce.1469541514.jpg The deal will guarantee significant benefits for Municipalities served by Hera Luce, estimated at savings for at least 60% in costs for electricity consumed and similar reductions in CO2 emissions. Hera Luce: investments in public lighting Savings are soon to come for Municipalities served for public lighting by Hera Luce. The Hera Group company and the Cassa Depositi e Prestiti have in fact signed a long-term financing deal for approximately € 21 million, destined for energy efficiency investments in public lighting in these Municipalities. The financing consists in two credit lines: the first is intended for concessions that have already been signed, and the second is available for investments involved in new concessions that are expected to be signed within 2016. The two lines will expire respectively in December 2032 and December 2033. This initiative will allow Municipalities to benefit from significant savings, estimated at 60% of electricity consumption at least, and a similar percentage of CO2 emission reductions. The operation bears witness to the significance that energy efficiency has for Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, whose new Business Plan foresees constant attention towards initiatives in this sector in favour of Public Administrations. For the Hera Group, this project is part of a constant commitment towards energy efficiency and innovation across the entire area served. Today, Hera Luce is the second largest public lighting server in Italy. The company projects, creates, maintains and manages public lighting and traffic light facilities in roughly seventy Municipalities in the following regions: Emilia-Romagna, Marche, Umbria, Tuscany, Lombardy and Lazio, in which it manages approximately 300,000 lighting points. Hera Luce: energy efficiency investments in public lighting press_release.1457444770.pdf 2015-11-12 14:54:00 Herambiente acquires Waste Recycling
Press releases
23/02/2016
Sustainability
Hera Spa

Hera in first place for the website "careers" category

2016-02-23 campri_s1.1468598360.jpg This year once again, the research company Potential Park ranked Hera Group among the top ten companies in Italy which are "gaining" recent graduates looking for their first job using the internet. "This recognition is very pleasing because, for some time, Hera Group has been among the top companies in Italy making major investments in updating and in the personal and professional development of its employees also creating many opportunities for listing to employees, like meetings between top management and workers and the internal climate surveys. Human capital is our main resource with whom we wish to share the distinctive values of our corporate culture" commented Giancarlo Campri, Hera Group´s Director of Personnel and Organisation. "The use of various tools (website, LinkedIn page, networking with universities and business schools) to communicate and interact with potential candidates has helped us, in time, become one of the most attractive companies in Italy receiving over 13,000 curricula vitae per year". Giancarlo Campri Hera in first place for the website "careers" category 2019-07-02 sinistra 16:43:58 Hera in first place for the website "careers" category
Online dal 23/02/2016 alle ore 16:43
Press releases
19/02/2016
Sustainability
Hera Spa

Hera: "Un Pozzo di Scienza" (A Well of Science) is 10 years old and it is putting the brains of young people to work in order to change the world

2016-02-19 BLQ_COPERNICO_1_4745_s1.1468599028.jpg The "absolute" Top Utility award went to Marche Multiservizi, a subsidiary of the HERA Group operating in the province of Pesaro-Urbino. For its part, Hera was recognised for its excellent work in business training and human resources. The "absolute" Top Utility award went to Marche Multiservizi, a subsidiary of the HERA Group operating in the province of Pesaro-Urbino. For its part, Hera was recognised for its excellent work in business training and human resources. [block]div:row-fluid::db:hr_press_comunicazione::box:54[/block] These awards were announced on Thursday 28 January 2016 in Rome, during a convention entitled "The Transformation of Utility Companies in a Changing Italy". Marche Multiservizi, a HERA Group subsidiary and this year's "Top Utility", was recognised "for its ongoing commitment to achieving excellent performance throughout its corporate functions and local activities", according to the justification provided for the award. Marche Multiservizi is the leading multi-utility company in the Marche region based on turnover as well as business size and the top merger on a regional level among companies operating in the local public services sector. Hera, which over the years has been recognised as the best utility company and has also received a variety of other rewards in other categories, was ranked first in educational, training and human resources activities this year. In 2015, HERA Group provided a total of approximately 262,000 hours of training, meaning at least 31.4 hours per capita, involving 99% of its staff (including employees in the Triveneto of AcegasApsAmga and in Marche). These figures place Hera at the very top national positions, given that, according to the Top Utility report, the national average is 14.2 hours per worker with an involvement of 76%. Indeed, for the multi-utility company, human capital is considered to be the main resource for sharing the distinctive values of the corporate culture and training plays a fundamental role as an indispensable factor for the evolution and professional development of people and, therefore, for the global growth of business value. To this end, 2011 saw the creation of HerAcademy, the Group's Corporate University, with the aim of further developing excellent skills and behaviours. The corporate university involves all 8,500 employees, from new recruits to managers and operational staff, in a range of training courses, with internal resources accounting for around 40% of the trainers. Lastly, the Group has defined a systematic strategy for working with the education system - Hera Educational - by developing a model for the management of work-study programmes (starting in the coming weeks with 180 work-study programmes and summer internships in 3 years) and launching the "Hera teaches you a vocation" initiative based on the co-design and offer of academic courses at technical institutions in the communities we serve. 'Un Pozzo di Scienza' compie 10 anni e mette al lavoro i cervelli 2019-07-02 14:27:14 'Un Pozzo di Scienza' compie 10 anni e mette al lavoro i cervelli
Online dal 19/02/2016 alle ore 14:27
Press releases
28/01/2016
Sustainability
Hera Spa

Hera and Marche Multiservizi: two awards, one single Group

2016-01-28 The "absolute" Top Utility award went to Marche Multiservizi, a subsidiary of the HERA Group operating in the province of Pesaro-Urbino. For its part, Hera was recognised for its excellent work in business training and human resources. The "absolute" Top Utility award went to Marche Multiservizi, a subsidiary of the HERA Group operating in the province of Pesaro-Urbino. For its part, Hera was recognised for its excellent work in business training and human resources. [block]div:row-fluid::db:hr_press_comunicazione::box:54[/block] These awards were announced on Thursday 28 January 2016 in Rome, during a convention entitled "The Transformation of Utility Companies in a Changing Italy". Marche Multiservizi, a HERA Group subsidiary and this year's "Top Utility", was recognised "for its ongoing commitment to achieving excellent performance throughout its corporate functions and local activities", according to the justification provided for the award. Marche Multiservizi is the leading multi-utility company in the Marche region based on turnover as well as business size and the top merger on a regional level among companies operating in the local public services sector. Hera, which over the years has been recognised as the best utility company and has also received a variety of other rewards in other categories, was ranked first in educational, training and human resources activities this year. In 2015, HERA Group provided a total of approximately 262,000 hours of training, meaning at least 31.4 hours per capita, involving 99% of its staff (including employees in the Triveneto of AcegasApsAmga and in Marche). These figures place Hera at the very top national positions, given that, according to the Top Utility report, the national average is 14.2 hours per worker with an involvement of 76%. Indeed, for the multi-utility company, human capital is considered to be the main resource for sharing the distinctive values of the corporate culture and training plays a fundamental role as an indispensable factor for the evolution and professional development of people and, therefore, for the global growth of business value. To this end, 2011 saw the creation of HerAcademy, the Group's Corporate University, with the aim of further developing excellent skills and behaviours. The corporate university involves all 8,500 employees, from new recruits to managers and operational staff, in a range of training courses, with internal resources accounting for around 40% of the trainers. Lastly, the Group has defined a systematic strategy for working with the education system - Hera Educational - by developing a model for the management of work-study programmes (starting in the coming weeks with 180 work-study programmes and summer internships in 3 years) and launching the "Hera teaches you a vocation" initiative based on the co-design and offer of academic courses at technical institutions in the communities we serve. 2019-07-02 14:13:03 Dalle Marche al Nord Est, il Gruppo Hera è al 'Top'
Online dal 28/01/2016 alle ore 14:13
26/01/2016
Price sensitive
Financial Results

Calendar of events

2016-01-26 sede_HERA.1469540900.jpg Calendar of events CALENDAR OF EVENTS (*) We here by communicate, in accordance with art. 2.6.2. (Required reporting) of the "Rules of the markets organized and managed by Borsa Italiana S.p.A.", our annual calendar of corporate events: 22 March 2016 - Meeting of the Board of Directors to approve the financial statement draft for the previous fiscal year. 28 April 2016 - General Shareholders Meeting to approve the financial statements for the previous fiscal year. 11 May 2016 - Meeting of the Board of Directors to approve the financial report for the quarter ending 31 March 2016. 28 July 2016 - Meeting of the Board of Directors to approve the financial report for the six months ending 30 June 2016. 9 November 2016 - Meeting of the Board of Directors to approve the financial report for the nine months ending 30 September 2016. (*) subject to changes Annual calendar of corporate events Our annual calendar of corporate events press_release_Hera_20160126.1453739507.pdf 2016-01-25 11:05:00 Calendar of events
11/01/2016
Price sensitive
M&A

Hera Group Approves Business Plan to 2019

2016-01-11 bp to 2019 eng.png A Plan once again envisaging growth, aimed at a 2019 EBITDA of over € 1 billion. Development to be based on a balanced mixture of internal growth and M&A, including the benefits expected from gas tenders, in line with the Group's track record. Hera Group Approves Business Plan to 2019 https://eng.gruppohera.it/documents/1514726/4210782/GruppoHera_PI_15_19.1452518218.pdf/ca55eb69-caf4-0c7c-fda4-e8c284b91ccd?t=1597911786099 https://eng.gruppohera.it/documents/1514726/4210782/ANALYST_presentation_bp_to_2019.1452518644.pdf/83fa3cc5-4f9d-744c-aebe-62f9acbfd3b3?t=1597911786585 https://eng.gruppohera.it/documents/1514726/4210782/Hera_numero_straordinario_ENG.1452518583.pdf/a8851db5-76da-edc0-baa0-94a269d96131?t=1597911787492 null Press release Analyst Presentation Business Plan to 2019 Newsletter Business Plan to 2019 null Higher operating and financial objectives, in spite of an ever more challenging scenario This morning the Hera Group's Board of Directors approved its Business Plan to 2019. A Plan oriented towards growth, thanks to the solid positioning of the Group - whose activities are concentrated in areas it has uninterruptedly covered since it was established - aimed at creating value within its current operating area and making the most of future prospectives for sector consolidation. The strategies that have guided the Group until present have been reconfirmed, with a focus above all on expansion and efficiency, as a response to today's challenging scenario, without neglecting the cornerstones of innovation and excellence. From an operating and financial point of view, for 2019 the Plan foresees a total revenue of over € 5.8 billion compared to € 4.7 billion in 2014, an EBITDA of € 1,030 million against the € 868 million recorded in 2014. The ratio of net debt to EBITDA, which is already among the best in the industry, is expected to decrease to 2.9x (vs. 3.04x in 2014), confirming the Group's sustainable growth in terms of financial strength, with an increase in cash flow. Moreover, the Business Plan to 2019 confirms that one of the strategic elements at the root of Hera's business model is sustainability, in all its aspects: environmental, social and economic. The strictly economic objectives are flanked by targets such as reduced environmental impact, greater attention towards energy efficiency and a continual improvement of customer service, fully aware of the important role played by the company across its operating area. A context marked by regulatory, economic and competitive complexities The Plan to 2019 has been elaborated with an eye to a more complex scenario than the one envisaged in the previous strategic document. The most notable new factor that creates challenges for utilities consists in the new regulations concerning return on invested capital in regulated services, which will have a significant impact on operators' revenues. Furthermore, on a macro-economic level, Italy's economic upturn still appears to be weak, while the level of competition is rising in all businesses, including regulated ones; indeed, during the period covered by the Plan, both gas distribution and urban hygiene services will be put to tender. Lastly, regulatory changes are also expected, having been repeatedly called for by national institutions, and alongside competition in tenders they will lead to a progressive consolidation among the operators active in Local Public Services, in such a way as to increase the overall efficiency of these sectors. Over 1 billion of EBITDA in 2019: focus on efficiency improvement, synergies and external growth The Business Plan includes two tools that will be used to reach the objective of € 1,030 million of EBITDA in 2019, with an increase of € 162 million compared to 2014: internal growth and M&A. These tools are both part of the Group's history, having contributed constantly over the years to developing a growth model that has been confirmed in the Plan and thus represents an important factor of continuity in the strategy pursued until present. As regards organic growth in particular, on the one hand initiatives will be taken to increase efficiency and curb internal and external costs for € 72 million, taking advantage among other things of partnerships with the Group's suppliers. On the other, plans have been made to extract a further € 21 million in synergies from integration operations that have already been concluded (AcegasAps, Isontina Reti Gas, Est Reti Elettriche and Amga Udine), to be added to the € 15 million already reached in 2014. This will allow further improvement in the high level of Ebitda per employee, which is expected to go up over the next five years by approximately 6% compared to 2014. Thanks to these results, Hera will be able to withstand and more than compensate for the impact expected over the period covered by the Plan of regulatory changes, among which lesser incentives for roughly € 30 million, and the negative effect - estimated at roughly € 25 million - of the new return on capital in regulated services (WACC) recently revised by the Authority. As regards growth by M&As, four mid-sized consolidations are expected to be completed within the period covered by the Plan, with an overall contribution of over € 110 million to EBITDA growth in 2019. This objective is in line with the average results achieved in the M&A operations successfully completed since the Group's establishment. External growth will be further enhanced, by an estimated € 14 million, by the confirmation of the Group as manager of gas distribution services in its own reference areas, thus being able to benefit from the application of its own efficiency and service quality standards to new networks. Capital expenditures for over € 2 billion In the 2015-2019 period, total capital expenditures will amount to approximately € 2,200 million, predominantly (72%) allocated to networks, which also includes over € 300 million to be used for gas tenders. An even distribution of investments over the geographical areas served will once again be guaranteed, according to their size and their specific requirements as to modernisation and optimisation. Excluding gas tenders, over the period covered by the Plan the Group expects to reach an overall balance between capital expenditures and depreciations, in order to maintain the operating and financial sustainability that has already been reached in recent years. Networks: the challenges presented by gas tenders and the pursuit of efficiency Approximately 40% of the growth foreseen through 2019 will be due to the results achieved in the network sector, which includes integrated water services and gas and electricity distribution services, and whose EBITDA at 2019 is expected to rise to € 483 million, compared to € 416 million in 2014. Over the period covered by the Plan, overall investments in infrastructures are foreseen for € 1,610 million, including the effects of gas distribution tenders. The objective of confirming service management in all areas currently covered will be pursued by relying on the Group's highly compact presence in the areas served, its deep knowledge and the experience it has gained over the years, the high levels of efficiency already reached and its notable investment capability. Confirmation of current concessions will be expressed as a variation in the Group's operating area that can be estimated at 260,000 extra re-delivery points to be served. Thanks to gas tenders, it is estimated that the value of the distribution networks managed by Hera (RAB) will go from roughly 3 billion in 2014 to 3.5 billion in 2019. In order to reach the EBITDA objectives, attention to efficiency is once again considered to be essential, in particular in the supply network, where scale economies can be further pursued, synergies extracted thanks to geographical proximity, and innovated technologies implemented (e.g. electronic gas metres, remote management of the water network, smart grid in electricity distribution), allowing the Group to compensate for the negative impact of the recent reformulation of tariff systems. Environment: growth increasingly oriented towards recovering materials and energy The Hera Group is a national leader in the environment sector and expects this position to be further reinforced over the period covered by the Plan, thanks among other things to better market conditions, as recorded over 2015, which saw a trend towards recovery in prices and demand. Sector EBITDA is expected to grow from 242 million in 2014 to 302 in 2019, while overall investments in the period in question will amount to roughly 460 million and will be dedicated to sustaining the development of existing plants, in order to face the rise expected in market volumes, with treatments ever more oriented towards recycling and greater environmental sustainability. This framework also includes the objectives of bringing sorted waste to 65% in 2019 (from 54% in 2014) and decreasing to below 10% the use of landfills for solid urban waste, in line with EU legislation on landfill diversion, and in any case well under the national average. The plants will be progressively rationalised, maximising their yield and above all aligning the range of plant types with the evolution of sorted waste and objectives concerning the recovery of materials and energy in the areas served. Furthermore, authorisation has recently been obtained for the construction and management of the Sesto Fiorentino waste to energy plant. A great degree of attention will be dedicated, lastly, to developing commercial activities, with the objective of increasing the volumes of waste treated through a stronger presence in the market of industrial clients. The Group will be able to pursue this strategy thanks among other things to the recent acquisitions of Geo Nova and Waste Recycling, that offer solid coverage in the Tuscany and the Triveneto region markets. In terms of waste collection, the Group aims to reconfirm its services in those areas of Emilia Romagna in which tenders are expected to be held during the years covered by the plan. This will be possible thanks to the substantial efficiency and automation projects that the Group has already set into place and that will contribute to combining cost-effectiveness for citizens with a progressive increase in sorted waste and a higher quality of the services provided. Energy: customer base development and efficiency, to overcome the challenges of competition In a context that foresees a slight recovery in demand for both gas and electricity, this sector's EBITDA at 2019 will settle at 214 million, up 188 million compared to 2014, while total capital expenditures for the period will amount to roughly 80 million. Protection of the current customer base, growth into new geographical areas and cost-curbing remain the essential elements of the strategy adopted in this segment. Greater efficiency in customer management, which will allow costs per unit to be reduced, is also fundamental in increasing competitiveness. The Group will also dedicate its attention to the expectations of a smarter customer base, more attentive to the issues involved in energy efficiency, introducing innovative commercial offers that are able to meet the new demands of the retail market. Today, the Group is a primary operator in gas and electricity sales in Italy, with over two million customers, and aims at reaching over 2.3 million contracts in 2019. Tomaso Tommasi di Vignano, Executive Chairman of Hera "The recently approved Plan is fully in line with our tradition of growth, which has allowed us to consolidate competitive advantages on which we will rely while facing the challenges and the higher level of competition, expected in coming years, in all business areas found in our portfolio. This strategy is aimed at creating internal growth by pursuing greater efficiency and market expansion, in addition to taking advantage of our "open" governance model to achieve further sector consolidation. The growth envisaged will imply a cash flow sufficient to cover all expected capital expenditures and a continuation of our policy of dividends with an annual return of approximately 3.6% (based on current stock exchange values), and will guarantee room for further expansion through M&A with mono-business companies, as was recently seen with the acquisitions of Geo Nova and Waste Recycling in the sector of waste treatment." Stefano Venier, Chief Executive Officer of Hera "Our Plan has been designed, respecting the financial balance that has characterised our Group until now, with the dual objective of reinforcing our credit standing by maintaining a conservative risk profile, and creating ever greater value for all our stakeholders, from investors to customers, by further improving service quality, as well as suppliers, by creating partnerships. In addition to reconfirming all aspects of sustainability, from environmental to social and economic stand points, as the underlying strategic element of our business model, we will pursue new challenges in terms of innovation and excellence, to reconfirm our current concessions in regulated services and continue expanding in liberalised markets." 2016-01-11 14:55:31 Il Gruppo Hera approva il Piano industriale al 2019

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Group Director of Communication And External Relations

Giuseppe Gagliano

Director

 

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MEDIA AND PRESS CONTACT

Contacts

Telephone: +39 051 287111

HERA SPA

Viale Carlo Berti Pichat nr. 2/4 - 40127

 

Bologna

Contacts

Telephone: +39 051 287111

HERA SPA

Viale Carlo Berti Pichat nr. 2/4 - 40127

 

Bologna

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Interactive financial statements and sustainability reports
The consolidated economic results at 31 December 2023 and the 2023 sustainability report were approved by the Board of Directors of the Hera Group on 26 March 2024

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Hera SpA, Viale Carlo Berti Pichat 2/4, 40127 Bologna, Tel.051287111 www.gruppohera.it