Arneg Donates €500,000 to Hospital in Italy to Fight Coronavirus

Italian OEM Arneg SpA, headquartered near Padua in Italy’s hard-hit northern region, has donated €500,000 (US$538,325) to Padua hospital, helping to fund local healthcare activities during the coronavirus pandemic.

“Hospitals ad healthcare workers, of course, are in the front line,” said Arneg, major producer of CO₂ refrigeration equipment, in an email message to its customers and partners.

The company, like all “non-essential” manufacturers in Italy, was forced to shut down production in late March. But since April 14, “with the approach of ‘phase 2,’” itis gradually returning to normal production “while still guaranteeing the safety of all collaborators and respecting the Covid Protocol published by the local health authorities and agreed with representatives of the workforce,” Arneg said.

Stressing the safety of its more than 700 employees and their families, Arneg HR Manager Armando De Crescenzo said in the email, “All those returning to work do so on a voluntary basis.” 

“Wherever possible, our office staff are continuing to work from home and all relevant safety measures are being respected for those coming into work,” De Crescenzo added.

The relevant measures include social distancing, use of face masks and disinfectants, frequent cleaning of work areas, and cold spraying of bactericides and virucidal products, according to Arneg.

Arneg ended its email by saying, “If we continue to ‘dream with courage, imagination, ethics and common sense,’as the Arneg vision states, we shall come out of this stronger than ever,” and added the hashtag #NeverGiveUp.

Arneg was started in Padua in 1963 and now has 20 production plants, and 17 international offices. The company specializes in CO₂ retail refrigeration, and prides itself of its ability to “combine excellent performance, sustainable innovation and energy optimization with superb Italian design.”