This story began in Milan, in 1954, with the founding of Società Idroelettrica Alpina. In its early years, the company focused mainly on the design of hydraulic works and plants for the production of hydroelectric energy, developing projects that made the most of the water resources present in northern Italy at the time and generating a total of around two billion kWh, a huge contribution to the strengthening of the Italian energy system. In the 1970s, however, Alpina decided to further broaden its field of action, starting to dedicate itself not only to hydraulics, but also to transport infrastructure, with projects that gave rise to more than 800 km of motorways and various civil and industrial structures. Today, Alpina is at the forefront, both in Italy and abroad, in high-profile projects in the hydraulic, transport, structural and architectural sectors. The company is still strongly committed to the hydroelectric sector, which remains one of the most important strategic assets to guarantee energy security and autonomy for the country.
“This year we celebrate seventy years as a company under the banner of valuing human capital and the respect we have for all our employees,” says Massimo Besio, CEO of Alpina. “Our commitment to promoting a sustainable and forward-looking corporate model is evidenced by the participative form of management we have given our company, a true example of balance, mutual trust and shared responsibility. Our mission is to bring new generations and new talents towards high-level engineering, embracing the challenges of innovation and pursuing the goals that the market places before us’.
Alpina is a space intended to be a school, where gender and cultural differences contribute, together with the passion and dedication of the entire workforce, to the growth and improvement of the company. “We partners are committed to creating a serene working environment, where everyone can feel at ease and express their skills to the best of their ability, while respecting each person’s differences, sensitivities and culture,” explains the CEO. “Today Alpina is an international reality, open to professionals with different experiences and backgrounds. We believe that variety is the key to more effective and efficient teamwork. On the other hand, it is precisely in diversity that we find new tools to face the challenges of the present and anticipate the innovations of the future”.
A lean and flexible organisational structure, an inclusive environment open to discussion: this is how Alpina manages to ensure a perfect balance between the well-being of individuals and company productivity. “Over the past five years, our turnover has increased by more than 130% and in 2024 we will exceed the €16 million mark,” Besio continues. “At the same time, our team has expanded, which can now count on more than 120 talented professionals from different disciplines and cultures. At Alpina, turnover is very low, a sign of the mutual trust and solid bonds we manage to weave day after day”, Besio continues. “This spurs us on to continue to improve, putting in place concrete actions to ensure the well-being of those who work with us. Generative leadership paths and career coaching, training programmes aimed at obtaining important certifications, internal support desks for fragility and vulnerability: we constantly take responsibility for guiding our staff to discover their own inclinations and talents, while striving to enhance the efforts of individuals and the community. Our work provides us with a great opportunity to explore the world in its interdisciplinarity and spurs us to investigate the potential hidden in differences”.
With a 46 per cent female presence in its top roles, an overall representation of women of 30 per cent and the participation of professionals from countries such as Russia, China, Afghanistan, Mali and the Ivory Coast, Alpina can claim to be among the most inclusive engineering companies in the country. In addition, the special attention paid to the work-life balance practices of mothers in the company and the cultural enrichment and exchange initiatives promoted by the company management reinforce Alpina’s status as a leader in the entire engineering sector. “Over the years, we have also tried to direct our social impact towards projects that have enriched us much more than you might think,” concludes Alpina’s CEO. “Involving the new generations in complex projects, raising awareness of environmental issues, the new opportunities offered by technological innovation and reflecting on the ethical dilemmas that lie ahead, allow us to look to the future of Alpina with confidence, while remaining firmly anchored to our values. The infrastructural works we plan are, in a way, a metaphor for what we want to leave to future generations: a collective value, precious assets at the service of the whole community”.
To find out more, visit the website at the link https://www.alpina-spa.it/
