Getting back to normal after the fire thanks to a group of extraordinary people

Pont-Saint-Martin, 5 November 2021 - Restoration works have been immediately undertaken, and our action plan will allow us to recover full capacity within a short time, getting back to normal. In the morning of Thursday 28 October a fire, caused by an accident during the assembly operations of a prototype battery pack, broke out inside our premises in Pont-Saint-Martin, severely damaging some laboratory areas, walls and ceilings. Such adverse eventuality is highly unlikely, yet unfortunately it may happen even adopting - as we have been doing since the beginning of our activity - high workplace safety standards that are strictly followed by everyone in all circumstances. Thanks to these procedures and to the prompt response of the local fire brigades which rushed immediately to our factory - Corpo Valdostano dei Vigili del Fuoco, aided by the volunteer corps of Pont-Saint-Martin and Donnas - no one has been hurt or intoxicated. Also, most important items and materials of our clients have been preserved from the flames. Since the early afternoon of the same day, most of the activities have been gradually resumed, thanks to the extraordinary effort made by all the people working in Podium. Restoration works have been immediately undertaken, and our action plan will allow us to recover full capacity within a short time, getting back to normal. “Luckily, our organization is not made up of structures and stuff; instead it is made up of people. We were not the white walls we used to have in front of us before as well as we are not the blackened walls we see today”, Podium Advanced Technologies CEO Francesco Monti stated. “I warmly thank everyone: those who tried to control fire with extinguishers, those who got out following the emergency procedures, those who helped their colleagues, those who protected people and backups, those who brought coffee to firemen, those who immediately took action for restarting, those who were busy cleaning their tools and instruments over the long weekend following the event, those who continued to carry on projects in order not to jeopardize deadlines with clients. Without these extraordinary people Podium would not exist. A warm thank you goes also to our friends of Confindustria Valle d’Aosta, who immediately made themselves and all the organization available to help us start again”, Monti added.