In the southern part of the Sardinian territory, located in the alluvial plain between the Cagliari pond and the rio Santa Lucia in the countryside of Capoterra, lies the new destination of our journey through the Italy of enterprises: Macchiareddu.
This new stop gives us the opportunity to explore one of the most important industrial agglomerations in Sardinia, the Region of Italy known for its beautiful crystal-clear beaches and wildlife, but with an industrial sector that has undergone considerable development in recent years.
History and tradition: a journey into the past of Macchiareddu (Assemini)
Macchiareddu is a hamlet of the municipality of Assemini, about 25000 inhabitants, province of Cagliari. Also known for being “Country of ancient ceramic tradition.”
Assemini’s origin dates back to the time of the Nuragic civilization that developed in Sardinia between the mid-2nd and mid-1st millennia B.C. and was named after the “nuraghi,” the famous dwelling structures of the Sardinian landscape.
It was later conquered by the Phoenicians and Romans, who made it an agricultural and commercial hub because of its strategic location, given its proximity to the Tyrrhenian Sea.
During the Sardinian Giudicale period (between the 9th and 15th centuries) it became known for its textile processing, which was even exported to other parts of Sardinia.
During the twentieth century Assemini developed as an industrial area, thanks to the presence of numerous companies for processing ceramics as well as manufacturing. Macchiareddu-Grogastu is the name by which the industrial area is known and, to date, is known to be one of the most important in the region, with an area of about 80 km² and more than 100 companies.
What to visit: from the Conti Vecchi Salt Pans to the Poetto of Assemini
The Conti Vecchi Salt Pans extend over the 2700-acre area of Santa Silla Pond, one of the most important wetlands in Europe and home to numerous species of flora and fauna.
These are the oldest salt pans in the region, located in the heart of Macchiareddu and born from a project by engineer Conti Vecchi to reclaim marshy land in the 1920s and create a salt mine to redevelop the area and contribute to economic development. A thriving and unique industrial reality was born: an eco-sustainable and self-sufficient production facility around which developed the ‘salt community’ equipped with houses, schools and recreational facilities for families and all those who lived and worked in the village of Macchiareddu.
Since 2017, FAI has been in charge of the management and enhancement of this site, which can be visited with a guided tour through what used to be the management offices, the screening of some archival footage, and finally a walk through the salt ponds with the backdrop of beautiful pink flamingos.
This place is thus a perfect blend of history, industry and wildlife.
In Assemini, on the other hand, is Poetto, a green area located just outside the city and an ideal place for scenic walks and picnics, as well as for relaxing.
For all fans of handicrafts, a visit to the Weaving Museum (Assemini) is not to be missed, where you can discover anecdotes about the processing of different fabrics such as linen, hemp and silk, typical of Sardinian culture, or take a walk through the streets of the town to admire and visit the stores of the various ceramic artisans, for which Assemini is famous.
What to eat in and around Assemini: Sa Panada, fregola with clams and more
Typical local cuisine offers a variety of fish dishes as well as meat.
An unfailing dish is “Sa Panada,” a savory cake consisting of a kind of container with a lid and stuffed with different foods, among which the best-known variant is the one with eels, since in the past one of Assemini’s main subsistence activities was precisely fishing, thanks to its proximity to the Santa Gilla lagoon. In 2016, sa panada received PAT certification, that is, typical food product of Sardinia.
Other typical dishes include “fregola con le arselle” (clam-like mollusks), one of many regional variations, and “gnocchetti sardi al sugo di salsiccia.”
Finally, to conclude meals, ricotta fritters accompanied by myrtle liqueur, the island’s famous berry, cannot be missed.
Past and present: the Ursa Spring case and the Nivea laundry.
The Macchiareddu industrial area has seen the birth and growth of several companies and industries, some more virtuous, some less so.
An example of a company that failed to take off, despite the best of assumptions, is the Orsa (Officine Realizzazioni Sarde Automobili) automobile factory, established in the 1970s by the will of some entrepreneurs who wanted to follow in the footsteps of Siata (an acronym for Società Italiana Applicazioni Tecniche Auto-Aviatorie) a small car manufacturer established in 1926, closed in 1970 that had produced the Spring model car, not of great appreciation, but certainly of charm.
The Orsa factory, then, was born with the intention of reviving automobile production right in the industrial area of Macchiareddu. Inspired by the design of the past Siata, they produced about a hundred pieces of a car that they named Orsa 850 Spring, which, however, was not particularly appreciated in Italy, but rather sold abroad.
The adventure of getting this factory off the ground was unfortunately short-lived, and the Ursa closed its doors even before it became famous; however, it remains a testament to the industrial importance of the area since its inception.
In contrast, a different fate befell the Nivea laundry, which to this day we can cite as one of the most virtuous examples of companies in the area, as it is still in operation and one of the most famous regionally.
Inaugurated in 1967 by Martino Ferraguti in Cagliari, to date it has become one of the region’s industrial strongholds, an example of virtuosity and success, with as many as seven plants spread throughout the island.
It is a company that deals with laundry washing for different sectors, especially in the tourism sector (hotels, cruise ships, restaurants…), but also for rental activities.
Its work is closely linked to the tourist season, during which there is a peak in revenue and turnover. The company, however, aims to expand its revenue beyond the tourism sector and extend its business periods. For this it is investing in initiatives dedicated to staff training and environmental sustainability.
The Macchiareddu industrial zone: the CACIP consortium.
The Cagliari Provincial Industrial Consortium was established in 1961 as the Consortium for the Cagliari Industrial Development Area (CASIC), which later became the Provincial Consortium in 2008 (CACIP).. Established with the aim of promoting and enhancing the vast industrial area of Macchiareddu and the province of Cagliari, it can boast among its achievements the construction of a disposal plant for urban and industrial waste and the recovery of reusable materials.
In addition, there are several coastal petrochemical depots and drinking and industrial water networks.
In addition to the aspect related to infrastructure creation, there is that of assistance, training and support for businesses, both in the initial start-up phase and in the subsequent growth phase. For this reason, the Consortium offers numerous seminars and conferences on topics of interest to business entities.
The CACIP deals with and cares about businesses across the board by trying to fully integrate them into the area and providing them with all the most suitable services to develop and grow, including a telecommunications network with fiber optics and broadband, among others.
Looking to the future, Macchiareddu businesses are now ready for the next step in their competitive development: the implementation of advanced services such as Iot, AI, cyber security and cloud, thanks to the deployment of an innovative fiber-optic infrastructure up to 10G with guaranteed transmission speed built by FibreConnect.
Ultra-wideband will foster the development of new services and improve production processes, making these industrial areas even more competitive and attractive to domestic and international investors.
Another step forward for our country’s economy and artisan excellence, toward an increasingly connected and international future.