NEXT was born in Capaccio Paestum, in the province of Salerno, as a trade fair and events center. The real estate complex of the former tobacco factory is located 1000 meters from the archaeological area in Borgo Cafasso, a rural center that originated at the beginning of the last century.
The former tobacco factory Cafasso represents a wonderful example of how at the beginning of the twenties the entrepreneurial reality was taking shape, first through the fruit and vegetable sector, then with the production of tobacco and the flourishing of the industry itself.
The origin of the NEXT structure dates back to 1922, when Gaetano Bonvicini, a naval officer and heir of “Massalombarda S.p.A.”, during one of his business trips to the south of the country, noticed that fruit production in the Paestum area was much earlier than the production of the family business and decided, consequently, to open a canning industry near the archaeological area of Paestum, in the Cafasso estate, purchasing 350 hectares of land owned by the marquises Vincenzo di Pinto and Maria Belleli.
Bonvicini began to reclaim the surrounding marshy and brackish land due to the presence of the waters of “Capo di Fiume”, allowing, among other things, to eradicate malaria. Together with the reclamation works, the masonry work of the rectangular building, on three levels in reinforced concrete, was also completed.
The building was intended to contain, in addition to the fruit warehouse, the processing room for about 100 workers, the cold storage rooms and the ice factory to refrigerate the fruit placed in the goods wagons destined for the markets. In addition, on the west side, a livestock center was built with a stable with innovative features, capable of housing about 200 adult animals. Five homes were subsequently built, three for employees and two for management and administrative staff, the church and a nursery for working mothers.
A road was also built that connected the company to the National road (now Via Magna Grecia), to connect the town of Capaccio Scalo to the archaeological area of Paestum and a track of about 1500 meters long was built, which connected the processing warehouse to the station. The fruit on the goods wagons was transported using the slope, towed by to get to the Capaccio Scalo railway station.
HOW TO ARRIVE
By car
A2 “del Mediterraneo” motorway (Salerno-Reggio Calabria)
BATTIPAGLIA exit
Continue on SS18 for 17 km towards Paestum
Take the Cafasso exit
By train
Capaccio-Roccadaspide – Paestum railway station
Alternatively, get off at Agropoli station
By plane
Naples Capodichino Airport (100 km)
Salerno – Costa d’Amalfi Airport (25 km)
