Development

Mpe Holding issues 8 million minibonds to expand in Italia and abroad

These loans, provided by UniCredit and Mediocredito Centrale, will finance the new logistics hub in Montichiari, the expansion of production capacity and the redevelopment of the former Hotel delle Cave in Favignana

by Nino Amadore

29 July 2026

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3' min read

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Versione italiana

Key points

Electrical substations at the heart of our business
The new Montichiari campus
Generational change
Diversification in tourism

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

An €8 million minibond to expand production capacity, build a new logistics hub in the Brescia area and also support a tourism investment in Favignana. This is the deal finalised by Mpe Holding, a Sicilian group owned by the Melodia family, with UniCredit and Mediocredito Centrale.

The bond issue was subscribed to the tune of 6 million by UniCredit and 2 million by Mediocredito Centrale, and will be used to finance the group’s 2026–2028 business plan. The bulk of the funds will be allocated to the construction of a logistics hub in the Montichiari industrial area, in the province of Brescia, where Mpe already operates a production plant. The aim is to increase production capacity and support significant growth in turnover by 2028.

Electrical substations at the heart of our business

Founded in the 1990s in Alcamo by Luciano Melodia and his wife Carmela D’Angelo, together with their children Roberta, Mario and Massimo, Mpe Holding is now the parent company of a group of firms operating primarily in the manufacture of prefabricated electrical substations.

The industrial core of the group consists of Cep Italia SB, which manufactures reinforced concrete cabins for the domestic market, and Cep SB, which focuses on exports and operates in over 70 countries. These are complemented by Cep USA, established in 2025 to meet the needs of the US market, and the property company Sre.

Prefabricated electrical substations are structures in which transformers, switchboards and other equipment required for the transformation and distribution of electricity are installed. They are assembled and tested prior to delivery and can be used in electricity networks, industrial plants and infrastructure related to the generation and distribution of electricity.

The group has thus developed into a sector closely linked to the growth of electricity grids, renewable energy plants and, more generally, the investment required for the energy transition.

The new Montichiari hub

The new logistics hub in Montichiari will be needed to support the increase in production and to facilitate the group’s expansion into Italian and international markets. The project marks an important step in the transformation of a company founded in Sicily into an industrial group with a presence beyond the island.

“The structured mini-bond issued in favour of Mpe Holding, underwritten in collaboration with Mcc, is a concrete example of UniCredit’s approach to strengthening Sicily’s manufacturing sector,” said Salvatore Malandrino, UniCredit’s Regional Manager for Sicily.

“We believe in the potential of this region and in the value of its businesses,” he added, “and, alongside traditional finance, we offer alternative solutions designed to enhance support for investment, with a view to promoting sustainable economic development.”

According to Mario Lio, deputy general manager of Mediocredito Centrale, the financial support “forms part of an ambitious growth plan aimed at further strengthening the group’s international presence and its production capacity”.

“Over more than thirty years in business,” Lio emphasised, “the Melodia family has transformed a Sicilian family business into a leading international player in its sector. It is to support businesses like this one – capable of investing, innovating and creating value in the local area – that we work every day to foster the growth of Italia’s manufacturing sector and the South.”

Generational change

This expansion plan is also accompanied by a generational handover, with the third generation of the Melodia family taking up positions of responsibility within the various companies.

A move which, according to the group, aims to strengthen governance and ensure continuity in the corporate culture and strategy that have guided its growth.

“We are proud to have secured the support of UniCredit and Mediocredito Centrale in the underwriting of this extraordinary financial instrument,” said Mario Melodia, Chairman of MPE Holding.

“For our family and for those who work with us every day,” he added, “the realisation that we have earned the trust of two of Italy’s most important institutional partners in support of our industrial development plan is further confirmation of our vision and our strategic and operational capabilities.”

Melodia then thanked the working groups at Mpe, UniCredit and Mediocredito Centrale, as well as the advisers from Pelm who oversaw the transaction.

Diversification in tourism

Part of the 8 million will also be used to cover the costs of renovating and converting the former Hotel delle Cave in Favignana, now known as Pirrera Carved Oasis.

This initiative forms part of the group’s property activities and complements its industrial growth strategy by diversifying into the tourism and hospitality sector. The funds raised through the minibond will therefore simultaneously finance the strengthening of production, international expansion and the development of a property investment in Sicily.