Italy: Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi officially switched on the new kiln at the Italcementi cement plant in Rezzato on 5 November 2013. The 1Mt/yr plant has undergone an extensive production and environmental upgrade that cost Euro150m.

"The new Rezzato plant is the best expression of the Group's strategy: industrial development combined with a firm commitment to innovation and environmental performance," said Italcementi CEO Carlo Pesenti.

He added that the Rezzato upgrade was part of the Pact for the Environment signed by Italcementi and the Ministry in July 2009, which set out an investment programme for the renewal of our industrial network and attainment of ambitious environmental targets. Other targets include Italgen, the Italcementi Group company that produces energy entirely from renewable sources. The Italcementi investment plan has also seen a technical upgrade at the Matera cement plant.

Products manufactured in Rezzato include white cement and the basic material for a new biodynamic cement to be used to construct the external structure of Palazzo Italia at Expo 2015. The Rezzato production facility currently employs 118 people and provides work for an additional 160 people in ancillary industries.