PRIME MINISTER MEETS FAMALCO GROUP EMPLOYEES

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi visited the Famalco Group directors and employees to learn more about this organisation and to better understand the challenges of the various sectors in which its businesses operate.

On Friday September 3^rd, the group’s directors welcomed the Prime Minister and a delegation of government members of parliament at the group’s offices in Attard. Dr. Gonzi met several of the Famalco Group companies’ employees including those of Fahrenheit Freight Forwarders, Fruitland, Fulani Properties, Focused Knowledge, Fritz Energy, Coldwell Banker Malta, and Faceworks.

In comments to the press, Dr Gonzi expressed his satisfaction at Famalco Group’s rapid expansion since it was launched in the early 1990s as a small fruit trading business. In less than two decades, it developed into a solid group of companies employing over 120 workers and operating in various sectors both locally and internationally.

He referred to the group’s motto, ‘In Pursuit of Excellence’, insisting that this should be the way forward not only for Famalco but also for the whole country. “In whatever we do it is not enough to attain the bare minimum just to get on with the job. We do not want mediocrity; we want excellence. We have to do our utmost to achieve the best results.”

Managing director Hermann Mallia discussing the Group’s plans with Dr. Gonzi

In every office the respective head of department welcomed the delegation and gave details on the operations of his or her division. At the same time the employees also had time to brief the Prime Minister about the challenges that are currently affecting their operations. The delegation also visited the group’s support offices, including the Accounts, Human Resources, and ICT departments.

“Our growth would not have been possible without the Government’s national investment and support through recent years,” said Hermann Mallia, the group’s managing director, “but we will not stop here. The coming years are very important to us as we embark on a campaign to boost our investments and penetrate new markets, while meeting the challenges affecting current operations.”

Two important challenges for the group are the environment and technology. Mr Mallia explained that Famalco Group is working to be among the first companies that invest heavily in measures to reduce the carbon footprint of its operations. “We have just installed a photovoltaic farm that generates 70 units of electricity out of clean solar energy every day. We will soon be launching in Malta a new range of zero-emissions electric cars, designed and manufactured in Italy.”

In the last months, Fahrenheit Freight Forwarders Ltd, the group’s international transport and logistics division, invested over €2 million to buy new road tractors from leading European brands. All the vehicles acquired comply with the Euro 5 standard, the current EU benchmark for low emissions and fuel economy. It has also applied for EU funds to invest in a high-tech ICT system that enables its clients to use the Internet to keep track of their cargoes in transit across Europe and beyond. This system will not only give details of the cargo’s location, but also specific details such as the temperature within the hold. Such information is particularly important for certain local industries, including the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector and international traders of fresh and frozen foods.

Prime Minister Gonzi was accompanied by government MPs David Agius, Charlo Bonnici, Beppe Fenech Adami and Karl Gouder, as well as Paul Borg Olivier, the Nationalist Party’s secretary general.