Ergon Line, a leading Mantua-based company in the production of professional paint rollers and technical brushes for the cleaning sector, has recently secured a prestigious grant from the European Commission through the EENergy call. This initiative is designed to support European small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) looking to implement energy efficiency measures, offering a maximum contribution of €10,000.

This achievement marks a significant milestone for the company, which was founded in 1991. Having always focused on innovation and product quality, the firm is increasingly prioritising sustainability by reviewing its production processes.

Since its inception, the company's mission has been to develop and manage the entire production process in-house, constantly seeking cutting-edge solutions for modern paints and meeting new application requirements. In recent years, Ergon Line has recognised the importance of addressing the energy challenges associated with manufacturing. Realising the significant impact of its energy consumption, the company decided to embark on a sustainability journey.

“We decided to apply for this grant because Ergon Line’s 2023-27 development plan includes a series of 360-degree sustainability objectives. When we were informed of this opportunity through Confindustria Mantova, we reached out to the Enterprise Europe Network – Confindustria Lombardia,” explains Ergon Line owner Mattia Morini.

The decision to rely on the experts at the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) of Confindustria Lombardia was aimed at submitting an application and participating in the EENergy call.

The EEN team at Confindustria Lombardia, working with sustainability and funding experts from Confindustria Mantova and its EU Liaison Office, supported Ergon Line in drafting and submitting the funding application.

A fundamental step involved assessing the company’s sustainability level against ESG criteria using the Ecomate tool, which yielded exceptional results compared to similar companies in the sector.

Thanks to the network's consultancy, the company was able to develop an action plan to identify the next strategies to implement in order to improve energy efficiency and reduce the environmental impact of its operations.

As the owner of Ergon Line explains, “Thanks to this funding, we will first implement an energy audit for the entire facility to understand our energy requirements and map our consumption. This will allow us to intervene and improve our energy performance. We will also launch training courses, organised with the support of Confindustria Mantova, aimed at raising awareness among all employees and managers regarding consumption and the impact of our behaviour. Finally, as energy matters affect both our professional and personal lives, the courses will also help our employees learn how to read an energy bill or understand offers from market providers.”

Ergon Line’s commitment and dedication led to success in the grant application, which will allow the company to implement its planned growth strategies, leading to further innovation and improvements.

This result strengthens Ergon Line’s position in the national market, but above all, it represents a significant step towards a more sustainable future.

“Our main objective is to achieve a reduction in company consumption of over 5% following the implementation of the necessary actions identified by the energy audit. For Ergon Line, it is also fundamental to raise employee awareness and disseminate knowledge on energy matters. Regarding the support, which was a major strength in securing the funding, we could not be more satisfied: personally, even when working with high-level consultants and experts, I have never encountered such high levels of assistance, availability, and professionalism as that provided, free of charge, by the Enterprise Europe Network – Confindustria Lombardia team. On a scale of zero to ten, I give them an 11,” concluded Mattia Morini.