Fiat to give Mirafiori a 'second life'

(ANSA) - Turin, July 23 - Fiat's operations at Mirafiori are being given a "second life" with the transfer of administrative jobs there, Chairman John Elkann said Wednesday.
    During an official opening ceremony for Fiat's Officina 82, Elkann said that establishing executive offices and administrative services at Mirafiori confirms the company's commitment to Italy.
    As many as 1,500 staff will be working from Mirafiori, located on the outskirts of Fiat's traditional home base of Turin, in north-western Italy.
    Earlier this year Fiat merged with Chrysler to become Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), and announced it would move many of its operations offshore, including new headquarters in the Netherlands and locating its tax base in the UK.
    Despite that international reach, Fiat has consistently said that it has not abandoned its roots in Italy.
    The new developments at Mirafiori are further proof of that commitment, said Chief Executive Officer Sergio Marchionne.
    "Now, this has become a has become a vital business district," said Marchionne.
    "The goal was and remains to maintain all these (administrative) activities in Turin even in the face of alternatives that exist for a global company like Fiat today," he added.