Building the future
Infrastructure for the South of Italy
Italy's revival begins in the South: Webuild and infrastructure as the driving force for growth
In 117 years of history, has built 82,509 kilometres of , and 14,118 km of globally, bringing together nations, cities, people, while also contributing to the economic and social development of those countries. These large infrastructures have transformed these countries into a more modern version of themselves, while also providing a better future for the generations to come.
Today, Italy also needs this modernization: from high-speed railways to road networks, to metro lines, Italy needs to modernize itself, and can only do this with a maxi plan to relaunch the country, which must begin from infrastructure to create growth and more jobs.
The South of Italy runs on its infrastructure: today's but especially tomorrow's. Many construction sites are already open and many more will be in the future, contributing to providing the South of Italy with modern sustainable works. The South of Italy will now become a strategic hub of the Mediterranean thanks to its infrastructures: from high-speed railways that, following the Naples-Bari section, are destined to reach Calabria, to the high-capacity rail of the Palermo-Catania-Messina section.
High-speed railways, new roads, metros, bridges, urban re-qualification projects: These are the great tools that the PNRR, European funds, national resources and local ones can be put in the hands of Italy's Southern regions. This new huge change of direction will see the new railway lines contributing to completing the ambitious and visionary connection of the Ten-T (Trans-European Transport Network) ones, which has been drawn on paper, which will connect in just one journey Palermo to Helsinki.
The South of Italy is in fact at the very heart of the TEN-T network, the European investment programme that will create an infrastructure network capable of efficiently connecting in a modern way Europe's most extremely distant locations, while also favouring a rapid exchange of people and goods.
The Webuild Group has built over 300 public works in the South of Italy since the 1930's. Of these, 190 were completed from 1990 to this day. The first works built were dams and hydroelectric plants in the Palermo area. Other fundamental works followed for the infrastructural development of all regions.
Today, the Group is working to design and build some of the largest complex infrastructures in the South, together with a supply chain that are contributing to the growth of the South of Italy.
Webuild is building 19 large projects for the South of Italy, among which the high-speed, high-capacity Naples-Bari railway line sections, the HC Palermo-Catania and Messina-Catania HC lines, and the . These are fundamental works for the future of the South of Italy, and the country as a whole. These works involve about 4,700 people (both direct and indirect), along with a supply chain of more than 3,900 suppliers who have been making their contribution to the growth of the South of the country since work began, for an overall contractual value with suppliers of 2.5 billion euros.
Roboplant is part of our partnerships with the supply chain. The fully robotized factory in Belpasso (Catania, Italy), will produce the pre-concrete segments that will line the tunnels of the high-capacity railway lines along the Messina-Catania route, in Sicily, therefore playing a particularly important role.
Particular attention is placed on creating growth opportunities in the sector for the young in Southern Italy. Today, they represent approximately 20% of Webuild's total workforce. They will evermore be involved in the Group's activities, both in managerial roles and as workers.
Investments for Italy's future take off again from the South of Italy. Large infrastructures that create employment and growth.
From Campania to Sicily, work at the heart of everything
Calabria, Campania, Apulia, Sicily. Numerous regions are interested in the TEN-T network where the Group is committed to building public works that are at the very core of the great plan to relaunch Italy.
Starting in Sicily, Webuild is currently involved in the construction of seven rail routes on the Palermo-Catania-Messina route and one section of the Ragusa-Catania Highway Corridor. On the Palermo-Catania route, it is building: Lot 1+2 , Lot 3 , Lot 4a , Lot 4b and Lot 6 . On the Messina-Catania line, however, it is building Lot 1 and Lot 2 .
Overall, the eight contracts involve the design and construction of about 171km of new railway line and 18 km of highway, with a total awarded value of €6.9 billion. This is a major employment and growth opportunity for the area and the entire supply chain: in fact, it is estimated that up to 7,000 direct and third-party new jobs will be created, with the involvement of about 800 suppliers from when works begin.
These are interventions that aim to ensure the interconnection and interoperability of the railway line (by bringing it up to European standards), by improving the connection between the island's inland areas and the three coastal cities and increasing transport capacity and speed. The entire infrastructure will make the railway sector more competitive compared to tyre transport, reducing travel times to 2 hours between Catania and Palermo (60 minutes less compared to current travel times) and to 45 minutes between Messina and Catania (30 minutes less).
The Palermo-Catania-Messina route is an integral part of the Mediterranean-Scandinavian Corridor of the TEN-T trans-European network. Building these six sections will avoid the emission of approximately 45,500 tons of CO2 per year.
Adding to the rail projects is the project to double and modernize the Ragusa-Catania Highway Corridor, also known as . The work awarded to Webuild involves Lot 1, with a total development of about 18km, with a viaduct of more than 500 meters, 6 overpasses, two interchanges and 3 underpasses.
Works to build the where Webuild is building 4 sections: Naples-Cancello, Apice-Hirpinia, Orsara-Hirpinia and Orsara-Bovino are being carried out in Campania. The HS/HC Naples-Bari line wishes to become a strategic asset for developing sustainable mobility in the South of Italy, with travel times reduced from 20% to 45%. Building the new line is also a driver for the economic development and employment levels of the area: the section where the Group is working currently have over 2,000 men and women working on the project (indirectly and indirectly hired) and a long supply chain with approximately 400 companies.
In the Neapolitan area works for other infrastructure are also being built. Among these, the , foreseen for Line 1 of Naples' metro, where the Capodichino Airport is located. Inspired by the "Pozzo di San Patrizio", the station is totally underground and has a the shape of a propeller. The and the interventions foresees b y the , including a section of Line 7 of the Regional Metro of Naples.
Moving over to Puglia, the Webuild Group is committed to building the the . It is an innovative, sustainable that respects the territory, which once finished, will take to creating a premium health facility with strategic value for the territory. The structure will ensure strengthening and modernising the capacity of the hospital's offer in the entire region, benefiting a user basin of 260 thousand people.
To conclude, the Webuild Group in Calabria is committed to building the : a work that stands for new economic growth opportunities and employment in Southern Italy, which levers on relaunching infrastructure. This strategic artery, which runs from Sibari to Roseto Capo Spulico connecting the coasts of Calabria, Basilicata, and Apulia, will play a central role in interregional exchanges. It will be a more modern and safer infrastructure compared to the previous one, guaranteeing a low landscape impact also thanks to the redevelopment of the Archaeological Park of Sibari. The new Ionica 106 trunk road is already a symbol of the revitalization of the South: about 1,200 people are working on it, including direct and third-party personnel, with a production chain from the start of work that consists of more than 380 companies, guaranteeing a future for numerous families.
The new section of the Palermo–Catania railway is an opportunity to create jobs in Sicily