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The Hera Group is moving swiftly towards the circular economy of the future and has inaugurated, in Imola (Bologna), the first plant of its kind in Europe, capable of regenerating carbon fibre on an industrial scale. It is called FIB3R, a name that reflects the 3 R's that stand at the basis of the project: recover, reduce, reuse. Carbon fibre is thus recovered and reused, reducing the use of virgin fibre and therefore the environmental impact that would be required to produce it. There is one important competitive advantage: the fibre regenerated from FIB3R retains the virgin fibre’s characteristic lightness and high strength, guaranteeing - through a state-of-the-art pyrogasification process - that the regenerated product is ready to be reused, rewoven and/or impregnated, for the high-performance purposes for which this type of material is intended. The number of industrial sectors interested in these outstanding features is increasing, ranging from automotive to aerospace, nautical, furniture, textiles and fashion in the broadest sense, only to give a few examples.   The Hera Group’s commitment to advancing the ecological transition, as well as the expected increase in demand for carbon fibre over the next few years, have led it to anticipate this megatrend, accepting the challenge of applying it to this material as well, on an industrial scale. This will reinforce the virtuous path towards the circular economy that has been the basis of its strategy for years, combining economic growth with environmental sustainability. This path is the right one, as confirmed by the interest of the European Union, which has allocated FIB3R financing coming to more than 2.2 million euro as part of NextGenerationEU for its innovative technology and the strategic importance of the materials processed. The total investment planned by the Hera Group to build the Imola plant amounts to 8 million euro. At present, the plant is expected to produce 160 tonnes of recycled carbon fibre each year, with energy savings coming to 75% compared to virgin fibre. “FIB3R is the first plant of its kind in Europe able to recycle carbon fibre. It is aimed at promoting short and circular supply chains, in line with the strategy of making our served areas more competitive and resilient,” states Orazio Iacono, CEO of the Hera Group. “FIB3R is also a concrete example of how the Hera Group is able to combine technological innovation and sustainability, by exploiting the cross fertilisation between the advanced skills of the Group’s various sectors. Recovering carbon fibre not only reduces the environmental impact of this waste, but also creates new market opportunities in strategic industrial sectors. Investing in this kind of circular infrastructure increases the resilience of production chains, reduces dependence on imports of critical raw materials and, at the same time, creates value through sustainable business models. With over 100 advanced plants and 5 new facilities under construction, we have consolidated our country’s largest and most modern set of plants for material treatment and recovery, strengthening our role as a reference operator in the sector and a driving force for the circular economy in Italy. Our Business Plan confirms this strategy, with 2 billion euro in investments for 2024-2028 destined for regenerating resources, a commitment intended to generate value for all our stakeholders.” The inauguration of the FIB3R plant within the Group’s main facility in Imola, near Bologna, offered a chance to engage in a debate on the future of carbon fibre, combining innovation and sustainability. After the institutional welcome given by Marco Panieri, Mayor of Imola, and Irene Priolo, Councillor for the Environment, Local Planning, Mobility and Transport and Infrastructures of the Emilia-Romagna Region, Herambiente CEO Andrea Ramonda opened the event. This event saw the participation of important representatives of the industrial and academic communities: Davide Abate, Ferrari’s Chief Technologies and Infrastructures Officer; Roberto Frassine, Chairman of Assocompositi; Loris Giorgini, Director of the Department of Industrial Chemistry at the University of Bologna; Raffaella Luglini, Chief Sustainability Officer Leonardo; Horacio Pagani, Founder of Pagani Automobili; Andrea Rangone, Full Professor of Entrepreneurship and Digital Business Innovation at the Milan Politecnico; Ferruccio Resta, Chairman of the Fondazione Bruno Kessler FBK. The meeting came to a conclusion with a contribution by Orazio Iacono, CEO of the Hera Group. For further information Find out more on FIB3R webpage Press release https://eng.gruppohera.it/group_eng/innovation/carbon-fiber-recycling-fib3r fib3r Innovation and performance define the first plant of this kind in Europe to operate on an industrial scale, built in Imola to recycle carbon fibre composites while reducing environmental impact M_fiber-PP_CS (1).png

Binding agreement for 100%. Closing within 1H 2025 The Hera Group continues to grow in the Northeast with the acquisition, from the Marzotto Group, of Ambiente Energia Srl, a company involved in industrial liquid waste treatment at its Schio (Vicenza) plant. In Bologna, a binding agreement was signed for the acquisition of 100% of Ambiente Energia Srl, between Herambiente Servizi Industriali Srl (a subsidiary of Herambiente, which in turn is part of the Hera Group) and Manifattura Lane Gaetano Marzotto & Figli Spa. The acquisition will be closed within the first half of this year, following the usual conditions precedent for transactions of this kind. Transaction in line with the Business Plan to 2028 This transaction is part of the Hera Group’s growth strategy in the Waste management area, as defined by the recently approved Business Plan to 2028. More specifically, Ambiente Energia will extend Herambiente Servizi Industriali’s global waste management offer in one of the most productive and dynamic areas of Italy, where the Group is already well established with its subsidiaries Vallortigara in Torrebelvicino and Marano Vicentino (Vicenza), Aliplast in Ospedaletto d’Istrana (Treviso) and Recycla in Resana (Treviso) and Maniago (Pordenone). A multipurpose plant with an annual capacity of over 120,000 tonnes The Ambiente Energia plant, with an annual capacity of over 120,000 tonnes, thanks to its advanced technology, is able to treat numerous types of liquid waste and sludge, both hazardous and non-hazardous, such as paint and washing water, acids and bases, and water from chemical-physical treatments. The industrial added value of the agreement This capacity will give Herambiente Servizi Industriali greater flexibility and capacity in putting together its waste management and recovery projects proposed to companies in the area. Existing Ambiente Energia customers will have access to the know-how of Herambiente and its subsidiaries to develop resource valorisation and circular economy projects, above and beyond the treatment of liquid waste and sludge. For further information Press release acquisizione-Ambiente-Energia_870 1.png A binding agreement has been signed for the acquisition of Ambiente Energia, based in Schio near Vicenza and part of the Marzotto Group, through subsidiary Herambiente Servizi Industriali acquisizione Ambiente Energia_110.jpg

According to Standard & Poor’s, the Hera Group is the world’s best company in the Multi & Water Utility sector and has been included, for the fifth consecutive year, in S&P Global’s Sustainability Yearbook, for its best performances in three areas: Governance&Economics, Environment and Social. This result comes after Hera was included in S&P Global’s Dow Jones Europe & World Indices, two authoritative international stock market indices that include outstanding listed companies based on their performance in the areas of environmental, social and governance sustainability. More specifically, Hera is in the “Top 1%” of the best performing companies in its sector, with a score of 80/100, compared to a sector average of 35/100. This leadership is based on its exemplary ability to seize “market opportunities” and to carefully control and manage “risks and crisis” and “cybersecurity”. This analysis by S&P’s Global portrays a company at the forefront that, for the fifth year in a row, leads a benchmark made up of outstanding companies in the industry worldwide. Morningstar Sustainalytics has also included the Hera Group in its 2025 list of the best companies in terms of performance in the quality of risk management. In particular, the Group also stood out as “Industry Top Rated”, obtaining a score that places it at the top of its reference sector, alongside companies with one of the highest risk/return profiles, having fully regulated businesses and being highly protected from risks arising from the macro environment. These positive assessments confirm the Hera Group’s ability to pursue a sustainability strategy along a path that includes a constant commitment to developing the entire value chain, with a careful eye to global best practices. These recognitions come shortly after the presentation of the new Business Plan to 2028, in which the aspects highlighted by analysts are confirmed: a company that continues to sustain a significant creation of shared value, which translates into an average annual Total Shareholders Return expected at a double-digit percentage rate. For further information Press release HERA---SPGlobal_Yearbook_Emblem_2025_870 1.png For the fifth consecutive year, Hera has been included in S&P Global’s Yearbook, published today, in the “Top 1%” category among the world's best performing companies in the Multi & Water Utility sector HERA - SPGlobal_Yearbook_Emblem_2025_110.jpg

Acantho, the Hera Group’s digital company, which since October 2023 has also included the telecommunications company Asco TLC, now introduces its new HERABIT logo. Thanks to its fibre optic infrastructure network and four data centres located in Imola, Siziano (Pavia), Santa Lucia di Piave and San Vendemiano (both in the province of Treviso), the HERABIT brand will be used to offer Data Centre, Hybrid Multicloud, Data & Voice Communications, Cyber Security e Smart Solutions services to household customers and private and public companies, with a particularly strong presence in Emilia-Romagna and Northeastern Italy. The new HERABIT logo, which expresses the values of the Hera Group, of which the digital company is part, effectively conveys the key words that sum up its activities: digital innovation through Data Centre services and broadband network connections for businesses. The acronym BIT (Business Innovation Technology), in fact, perfectly encapsulates not only the company's skills, but also its daily commitment to turning technology into a value for the people, communities and companies that live and operate in the areas served, given that a “BIT”, as is well-known, is also the unit of measurement of digital space. This new brand expresses the dynamic evolutionary direction in which the digital company is now headed, in order to make the most of market challenges, with distinctive commercial offers, consistent with the values of the Hera Group, and competitive, sustainable and highly innovative solutions. In particular, this path includes expanding the Data Centre services offered, which are essential to guarantee the security, reliability and operational continuity of customers’ business, enhancing the skills acquired and strengthening synergies with the Hera Group. For further information Press release   Cookies disabled - content not available   HERABIT_Logo_870 1.png Acantho, the Hera Group's digital company, has been renewed to offer increasingly advanced services HERABIT_Logo_110.jpg