OCME inaugurates a new production unit in Collecchio

This is a new milestone for OCME (Aetna Group), which further strengthens its presence in the area, reaffirming its commitment to promoting development, innovation and employment

The event began at OCME's historic headquarters in Via del Popolo in Parma, where Vice President with responsibility for Economic Development and Green Economy, Energy, Work Training, University and Research of the Emilia-Romagna region Vincenzo Colla, Parma Mayor Michele Guerra, Collecchio Mayor Maristella Galli and Collecchio Council member for Industry Roberto Dallavalle, along with other institutional representatives, took part in the presentation of the OCME 2 project and a brief company tour.

Of particular interest was the visit to TechLab, a laboratory dedicated to product and process development, which houses a prototype of an advanced packaging machine made with funding from Regional Law 14, a project co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund. This is an adaptive packaging machine capable of efficiently handling different formats and objects, a concrete example of technological innovation at the service of production flexibility. An example of how public funding, through ingenuity, can be transformed into innovation to compete in the world markets and into new hires to benefit the local area.

Immediately afterwards, the group headed to the new production facility, located in Collecchio, where a ribbon-cutting ceremony took place, followed by a tour inside the plant. With a surface of over 3,000 square meters, the new site is a key step in the company's growth. At the same time, it emphasizes the enhancement in OCME portfolio of the industrialization of the systems connecting the individual cells that form the production line, for which OCME boasts global coverage among the key players in the Food & Beverage industry.

“This new plant”, Vincenzo Colla noted, “makes it possible to complete the internalisation of a product and create new jobs. An investment also partly supported by the Region through Law 14, which has generated significant opportunities. I saw the pride of doing things well, an entrepreneurial experience of more than 70 years intertwined with technological innovation”.

“Human intelligence has been able to transform the products of our land”, Collecchio Mayor Maristella Galli proudly added, “developing the technology to process and give value to them, making this area one of the most productive districts in the country”.

With this new technological development, Aetna Group shows that it wants to invest more and more in the territory, promoting a solid and rooted business model, as CEO Enrico Aureli said: “This inauguration is not only a step forward for OCME, but also a strong signal of the commitment we have to our country and our region. Aetna Group, with a turnover reaching 530 million euros and exports of 93%, continues to invest in innovation and improvement of production processes. We should never forget that our success is based on solid Italian roots and we are ready to look to the future with an international vision”.

“We intend to invest in and attract talents from our territory”, CEO Valentina Aureli added, “as we consider human resource dimension to be strategic. Today, young people can decide to join our industrial project by choosing to work in our Italian factories or even abroad, thanks to our international profile and branches all over the world. Currently the Aetna Group has more than 2,200 employees, of which 524 work in OCME. Our organisation has grown significantly over the years, with an increase of 150 employees in 2024 (55 of whom in the Parma hub) and a forecast of a further 100 new hires in 2025”.

With the new headquarters in Collecchio, OCME wanted to send a clear message: growth and internationalisation are of vital importance and are based precisely on the enhancement of the territory and local talents. Innovation, international vision and above all a strong investment in people – starting with the valuable contribution of young people – represent the recipe for a successful Italian company, capable of being a leader in markets all over the world.  

On this topic, the Mayor of Parma, Michele Guerra, concluded by emphasising how fundamental continuous collaboration between industry, institutes and universities is, a virtuous link of which OCME is a concrete example.