Power – for today and tomorrow
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The electricity market in Italy is undergoing a significant transformation, both in terms of structure and regulation. Due to an ongoing sector consolidation, it is dominated by a limited number of players. Furthermore, the government’s future policy goals include the implementation of structural solutions to increase competitiveness and bring prices and costs in line with European levels, support for renewables and energy efficiency measures and improvement in the security of energy supply. Sime Partecipazione embraces those challenges and is keen to make the most of them.
“Sime is a well-established market player with a long history,” explains CEO Federico Bonaventura. “Its name is synonymous with stability and consistency. These characteristics make us stand out, as today many new players enter the market and start from scratch. We are interested in long-lasting customer relationships.”
Sime was founded in 1952 at the beginning of methane distribution in Italy. Back then, even small private companies had the opportunity to participate in public tenders to build and manage gas pipelines for municipalities. Since those early days, Sime has witnessed constant growth which has lead to the foundation of several companies.
“Due to new legal regulations, in 2002 we had to separate gas distribution and sales activities,” stresses Mr. Bonaventura, “Società Impianti Metano is currently active in gas distribution in 40 municipalities in northern Italy, while Simecom sells gas and electricity to 150.000 customers throughout Italy.”
The group has continued to grow since then and now encompasses five companies and a total of 140 employees. In 2005, Sime Energia was established, a company that perfectly represents the group’s innovative spirit as it concentrates on renewable energy research and designs, manufactures and manages cogeneration and district heating systems. It runs seven cogeneration plants with traditional sources and four plants working with renewable energies such as biomass, photovoltaic and hydroelectric.
We successfully managed the transition from a small private company into a modern group with efficient structures. Federico BonaventuraCEO
Two years later, in 2007, Sime entered the Polish market through the foundation of Sime Polska. The company is responsible for the distribution and sale of methane gas in Poland and manages a pipeline of more than 370 km of distribution network.
“When we got the chance to take over a project in Poland, this was a promising opportunity and we didn’t think twice about seizing it,” says Federico Bonaventura. “Poland has been a flourishing market and Sime Polska has grown along with the market.”
In 2007, Sime established a further company; Zola Pedrosa Teleriscaldamento, a specialist in district heating that manages a plant of cogeneration and district heating for the municipality of Zola Pedrosa close to Bologna.
Under the umbrella of Sime Partecipazione, the group generates 160 million EUR. “Sime started as a small private company,” sums up Managing Director Giovanna Malponte. “We have successfully managed the transition into a modern and dynamic group with professional and efficient structures. The process mainly concerned the revision of the administrative and control organizational processes in SIME PARTECIPAZIONI, as group operating holding company. In Italy, the gas and electricity sales market is dominated by a limited number of really big players; then, there are medium-sized companies similar to us that have been deeply rooted in an area for a long time. Simecom for instance has 40 sales points which means that customers do not contact call centers but call us directly. This personal approach is extremely important to us. On the other hand, it is pivotal to continue growing and to keep pace with the market. We want to strengthen our position on the Italian market although we face many new challenges. Ultimately, our further development depends on different authorities and the government. Despite numerous uncertainties we are interested in partners who share our vision.”
