A five-million-euro gift is helping the Lucca area shoe manufacturing district build its very own research centre.
The centre will foster technological advancement, carry out test-runs and develop management centres for the fashion industry.
The project includes construction of a 1,360 sqm building in Segromigno in Monte (Lucca) where businesses and university departments will be housed side-by-side.
The official management company will be formed by late July and will become the implementing party for the entire operation. The company will then present the final project plans to the Regione Toscana in October.
Letters of intent were recently signed with the city of Capannori, the Provincia di Lucca and the Chamber of Commerce in order to activate the financial, technical and administrative procedures necessary to complete the new all-inclusive structure.
The five-million-euro investment comes from various sources including 1.5 million from three private entities, 2.7 million from the Regione Toscana and 700,000 from the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Lucca.
