OBJECTIVES

  1. Support the Cluster’s internationalization in the European market by promoting Emilia-Romagna as an integrated intermodal platform, particularly for connections to/from Central Europe, and as a gateway to Southern Italy and the Eastern Mediterranean.
  2. Enhancing the technical skills of the sector through the creation of continuous training programs, both for managerial and operational roles, to meet the demand for new logistics-railway-intermodal skills.
  3. Supporting the intermodal transportation system through innovative collaboration projects in strategic areas, reinforcing the interaction between the main public and private stakeholders.
  4. Encouraging sustainability in business transportation by promoting a modal shift from road to rail to reduce the environmental impact of transportation, as well as by raising awareness and actively involving the demand in the design of services.

INTERNATIONALIZATION

ER.I.C aims to identify and promote actions to develop new international intermodal services towards specific areas / countries of interest, in order to build strategic-operational partnerships, including institutional ones.

The internationalization activity of the Cluster is aimed at promoting Emilia-Romagna as an integrated intermodal platform and gateway to Southern Italy and the Eastern Mediterranean.

Promotion of the Cluster in the international context plays a fundamental role in achieving this objective. ER.I.C periodically identifies strategic areas to develop targeted actions through the organization of roadshows, international events, and missions that foster interaction among key public and private stakeholders, thereby increasing collaborative opportunities in the European context.

ER.I.C opens Emilia-Romagna to the European intermodal network.

TRAINING

Training plays a fundamental role in revitalizing the region’s intermodal logistics system. ER.I.C. aims to improve the technical skills of the sector through the creation of continuous training paths, for both managerial and operational figures, capable of responding to the demand for new skills on the intermodal and railway logistics theme.

In detail, the objectives are:

  • Promote and encourage training activities and specialization courses that favour employment opportunities at different levels within the intermodal and railway sector.
  • Generate a pool of technical-operational and managerial skills to make them available to the regional context.
  • Facilitate the insertion of these professional figures within the logistic and intermodal operators connected to the regional intermodal transport.

The activities carried out and promoted by the Cluster are:

Railway Logistics: Job Opportunities, New Skills, and Professional Development.

INNOVATIVE AND COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS

ER.I.C. Cluster’s distinguishing feature is its collaborative approach, which is the core principle underlying the entire initiative. The shared values and vision for sustainable, innovative, and competitive development of intermodal transportation lead to the constant exploration of new areas of investigation, ranging from operational to highly strategic fields.

The sector is undergoing significant innovation in terms of organization and production, particularly related to digitalization, including the introduction of robotics and automation, the Internet of Things (IoT), and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The Cluster’s objectives:

  • promote strategic, operational, and infrastructural aspects for improving the service system and accessibility level of the territory;
  • develop projects related to technological, energy, and / or environmental sustainability innovation;
  • monitor the evolution of global competitive scenarios affecting freight transport and logistics.

Activities carried out by the Cluster:

  • supporting the development and updating of the Emilia-Romagna regional transport model by implementing pilot actions to overcome bottlenecks affecting the freight railway network in the region, as well as its connections with the national and trans-European railway networks;
  • researching and investigating technological innovation in the railway sector.

SUSTAINABILITY

The concept of sustainability is a strategic point for the Cluster to focus its investments and initiatives on. Developing low-impact environmental transport and increasing freight traffic from road to rail are priorities for the members of ER.I.C.

In fact, freight transport plays a fundamental role in achieving the environmental sustainability goals required in domestic and European policy documents, and the rail transport sector can provide an immediately available alternative to the need to make business transport more sustainable.

Training courses also aim to develop skills related to intermodal transport management and logistics services, orienting them towards a new mobility that combines high efficiency and sustainability objectives.

ER.I.C.’s activities contribute to reducing CO2 emissions and road congestion. The green theme is evident among its members who have launched energy-saving and renewable energy initiatives to reduce air pollution and noise, reduce energy consumption from fossil fuels, and protect public and private spaces while promoting public health.