Randazzo: “I use less light”
The Randazzo Group is part of “Mi illumino di meno” (I use less light), the campaign promoted by Caterpillar radio for Energy Saving Day 2011. Friday, February 18, some of the lights in over 100 stores in the Optissimo-Gruppo Randazzo chain will be turned off from 6pm to 8pm.
With this initiative the company continues its commitment to environmental sustainability which began with “Zero Impact”, a project that led to the creation of totally eco-sustainable stores. These eco-stores use LED lamps that save up to 70% of energy consumption compared to regular store lighting systems. The electricity used by these particular outlets, and by those of the stores in the chain, comes from totally renewable sources (hydroelectric, geothermal, marine, sun, wind, biomass and waste-to-energy) and not from fossil fuels. In the eco-stores the flooring is made from residual materials transformed into spreadable resins. The drawer units are in larch-effect “eco wood”: old wood that has been ground and re-compacted. The tops of the drawer units and the display walls are in textured, square-patterned “eco fabric”.
In addition to opening new eco-stores and an agreement with E.ON for the supply of electricity from renewable sources, the “Zero Impact” project includes the gradual replacement of the company’s entire fleet of vehicles with hybrids.
During 2011 the Randazzo Group intends to boost its growth objectives by opening ten “eco-stores” in the “Optissimo” chain and five “eco-corners” in mass distribution outlets. The new ecological outlets will join about fifteen undergoing significant renovation to bring the number of “green” outlets to 20% of the total.
The Randazzo Group has 180 outlets in Italy, 79 of which are corners in hypermarkets, and has recently completed a process that unites the Optissimo, Randazzo and Ottica Romani brands under the single Optissimo-Gruppo Randazzo umbrella. The Sicilian company, which has just celebrated its 130th anniversary, closed 2010 with growth in revenues of almost 5% and billings of 120 million euro, which met all the objectives of the annual forecast. Despite Italy’s troubled economy of the past two years, the Randazzo Group recorded 10% growth in revenues, 50% in EBITDA and reduced indebtedness by 40%.
