The new production and office building of the confectionery manufacturer Ferrero combines industrial structures with a green landscape – and thus focuses on the well-being of the employees. Lindner supplied heated/chilled ceiling systems for additional comfort inside the building.

The Ferrero Technical Center

Ferrero's new technical innovation center in Alba, Italy, has been in operation since the beginning of 2022. With the new 12,700 m² building, the confectionery manufacturer aims to optimise its own production processes and exploit synergies. The Alba site is Ferrero's largest Italian production facility and will employ around 200 people. The ground floor houses the production department with modern technical facilities and a workshop. The upper part of the building is home to offices and meeting rooms.

Comfortable Temperatures in the Office

Lindner played a major role in the interior fit-out of the offices: A total of 3,200 m² of Lindner's Plafotherm^® B and Plafotherm^® E heated and chilled ceiling systems – designed with a MOODline surface – ensure a pleasant indoor climate in the work and conference rooms. The ceilings are finished with a low gloss, deep matt powder coating to emphasise the elegant and timeless character of the building. The design of the open-plan office areas is based on a small number of fixed elements and coordinated geometries in order to offer users maximum flexibility in their daily work. Additional Plafotherm^® GK HEKDA gypsum plasterboard heated/chilled ceilings with a seamless surface complete the project.

In Harmony with Man, Machine and Environment

The Ferrero Technical Center was designed by the Frigerio Design Group: Industrial architecture meets straight lines, plants and technology. Visually, the design concept of the building moves between land and sky, transparency and opacity: While the work and conference rooms on the upper floors are visible through glass facades, the production areas of the Ferrero Technical Center are hidden on the mezzanine floor and the technical systems are integrated into the facade. The architecture blends in seamlessly with the surroundings, using warm colours and abstract geometries to evoke the characteristic elements of the Langhe, an area declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Frigerio Design Group followed its standard Slow Architecture approach for the Ferrero Technical Center: The project has a low environmental impact and uses durable and local resources.

Sustainable Heating and Cooling

Sustainability plays an important role in the new Ferrero Technical Center: It has been designed as a bioclimatic and nZEB (nearly Zero Energy Building) building to minimise carbon dioxide emissions. The resources required for its operation are also minimised by maximising the passive use of light, air and sun. In addition to photovoltaic panels on the roof and intelligent lighting systems in the car parks, the sustainability concept is also continued in the building's air conditioning: The Lindner Plafotherm® B and Plafotherm^® E air conditioning ceilings in the offices are Cradle to Cradle Certified^® Silver. The tile grid and suspended heated/chilled ceilings contribute to sustainable construction through a high proportion of recycled material and low-emission material components.