The deal remained hush-hush until the signing. Bertolotti acquired the Villacidro facilities and prepared the industrial plan. Few rumors about the project have leaked out, while the industrial consortium remains strictly confidential.
A new chapter could open for Keller Elettromeccanica. After years of failed acquisitions, often accompanied by controversy over the use of public funding, the former railway plant is once again at the center of an industrial project aimed at revitalizing an area that has been marginalized for too long. This change of pace is not a foregone conclusion, considering that the plant's poor state of repair and the almost total disuse of the equipment intended for the construction and maintenance of the train carriages had been repeatedly highlighted in the past, including by the Cagliari Bankruptcy Court.
In recent days, the agreement for the former Keller facilities was signed with Bertolotti Spa, a company based in Pontassieve, in the province of Florence, specializing in complex logistics, automation, and maintenance systems for the steel, railway, and industrial sectors.
From the few leaks that have emerged, it appears that the relaunch would first require a major overhaul of the facilities, which currently require renovation and modernization before they can return to operation. Only after this phase could Bertolotti also establish a dedicated rolling stock line in Villacidro.
This time, the deal remained under wraps until the very end. Nothing leaked from regional and municipal circles before the signing, a stark contrast to previous deals that have been the subject of press investigations. Serious issues had emerged in the past, including the case of identical proposals submitted under different company names.
Political circles in the Medio Campidano region, where they prefer not to make any public statements before the official presentation, are nevertheless pleased with the operation, which is considered strategic for the region and for employment prospects in the entire area.
The first public test is scheduled for Monday, September 14th, early in the afternoon, at the Industrial Consortium headquarters. The project will be officially presented on that occasion, with the Regional President, the Regional Councilor for Industry, and the top management of Bertolotti and the Consortium expected to attend.
However, several questions remain about the transaction concluded by the industrial consortium. For now, silence prevails: tight-lipped lips and no disclosures about the agreement's content, cost, earnings, and benefits, beyond the announcement of the presentation.
