Termini Imerese ora scommette sull’innovazione

In the Innovation Hub 4.0 of Termini Imerese, a five-axis computer-controlled machine is available. A small enterprise can input a component's design, simulate the processing, and arrive at a prototype before deciding on investing in machinery. This is one of the services offered by the Innovation Hub, inaugurated by Meccatronica Cluster Sicilia in the industrial zone of Palermo.

In a town where the last car left the assembly line almost fifteen years ago, the future of the former Fiat, now Blutec, remains tied to an industrial plan not yet made public. The two events intersect within twenty-four hours. At the opening of the facility, the mayor Maria Terranova, the president of the Production Activities Commission Arsenale Gaspare Vitrano, and the regional deputy Edy Tamajo were present.

Tamajo stated, "I have touched innovation, advanced technologies, and met recent graduates who found employment prospects at the Innovation Hub, and entrepreneurs returning from the North who are investing here." Today, at 11 AM, the commission returns to the former Blutec at Palazzo dei Normanni. Representatives of Pelligra, Nicolosi Trasporti, and Caec, the extraordinary commissioners, and the trade unions are expected.

In July, commissioner Fabrizio Grasso had noted deviations from the schedule, while Caec's administrator Sebastiano Caggia had indicated September for the presentation of the revised plan, noting that around 65 workers were already stably employed. By 2024, there had been 350 employees at the acquired company, which Pelligra still owns only by name: it is now controlled by Nicolosi Trasporti with 70.22%, followed by Caec with 19.78% and Pelligra with 10%.

The company was considering an additional twelve months of wage substitution. The question remains whether a portion of the area will be reserved, and how many workers can return. The mechatronics district begins with the problems of companies that already produce. The Hub, financed by the Region with 1.5 million euros, shares 3D scanners, robots, and software to identify plant anomalies.

"The birth of the Innovation Hub represents an important step for enterprises: a place where technologies, skills, and professionalism are made available to tackle the challenges of digital transformation and artificial intelligence," said Meccatronica Cluster Sicilia's president Antonello Mineo. An external enterprise can also work with the technicians at the hub and involve universities, research centers, and suppliers to experiment with a solution.

The Academy will accompany trials with courses for technicians and production staff. For SMEs, the bet is to bring what can be tried in a shared workshop onto their own lines.