- The beneficiary of the investment is SAPA, a company specialising in innovative and sustainable plastic components for transport vehicles which plans to start developing new products based on recycling and sustainability and with greater integration of digital technologies.
- The EU bank’s loan is supported by a guarantee from the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) — the main pillar of the Investment Plan for Europe.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is supporting the Italian company SAPA Spa for the first time with a loan of €30 million. The EIB resources will be dedicated to the research and development (R&D) activities of the Campania company, which is active in the market for the manufacture of innovative and sustainable plastic components for the light and heavy transport industry. The aim is to develop injection-moulded components that are lighter and make greater use of recycled and biological material, develop and install digital production technologies and install photovoltaic panels in SAPA’s offices in Italy and Poland.
The EU bank’s loan is supported by a guarantee from the European Fund for Strategic Investments — the main pillar of the Investment Plan for Europe — under which the EIB and the European Commission work together as strategic partners in carrying out financial operations by the EIB itself to boost the competitiveness of the European economy.
The financial operation meets the EIB’s cross-cutting objectives through climate action and environmental sustainability, including the development of cohesion areas such as Campania in Italy and Silesia in Poland. It is estimated that the implementation of the new R&D ecosystem will lead to the recruitment of about 300 people at the end of the project horizon. In addition, the project is in line with the objectives of the Paris Climate Agreement and the EIB’s targets for the development of low-environmental impact, efficient and circular business model products.
The European Investment Bank predicts that SAPA’s green and digital development will have a positive impact on environmental sustainability by supplying components made of lighter materials from recycled resources or which can in turn be reused by numerous car manufacturers worldwide. The benefits will result in greater sustainability, circular materials economy, and resource efficiency.
EIB Vice-President Gelsomina Vigliotti said: “Contributing to the improvement of the productivity of Italian companies is part of a strategy aimed at achieving decarbonisation and recovery of resources to give them new life. This is the decade of great change, the green revolution, the circular economy and inclusion. We are happy to be able to contribute to supporting SAPA in this transition phase, and we hope that it will set an example to inspire recycling of plastic objects and further respect the environment during production cycles.”
“For years we have been engaged in sustainable regional development”, said Mariangela Affinita, Executive Director and CFO of SAPA, “through constant research for mobility that respects the planet. We have created, developed and perfected a method specifically for these purposes: One-Shot®, which we are proud to present as the world's fastest and most sustainable method for creating innovative plastic components for transport vehicles.”
Background information
The European Investment Bank (EIB) finances projects in four priority areas: infrastructure, innovation, climate and environment, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). From 2019 to 2020, the EIB Group provided €23 billion in financing for projects in Italy.
The European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) is the main pillar of the Investment Plan for Europe. It provides first loss guarantees enabling the EIB Group to invest in riskier projects. The projects and agreements approved for financing under EFSI have so far mobilised €546.5 billion in investment, benefiting over 1.4 million SMEs. In Italy, total financing under EFSI so far amounts to €13.3 billion and is set to trigger €77 billion in additional investments.
SAPA, founded in 1974 by Angelo Affinita, is today an Italian industrial group specialised in the production of cutting-edge components in the automotive industry. The SAPA Group is a direct supplier for well-known car manufacturers such as Volkswagen, FCA, CNH, Iveco, VW, BMW, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Rolls Royce, Porsche, Audi, Skoda and Seat. It operates 10 plants in Italy, Europe and Asia with 140 presses and employs over 1 700 people. The company, which in 2021 anticipates a turnover of approximately €250 million, each year produces over 61 million parts for motor vehicles. Production includes components of the car interior, exterior and engine compartment.