26 March 2007: Mercamadrid International GOLDEN HERMES 2007 Awards Ceremony

Mercamadrid has held the Golden Hermes Awards Ceremony to honor and recognize the persons, entities and organizations that, through their professional and entrepreneurial achievements, contributions towards technological development and innovation, internationalization or social cohesion, have contributed to social transformation and the improvement of society at large.

The GOLDEN HERMES awards are granted in the following categories:

-          Professional and entrepreneurial achievement.

-          Technological innovation.

-          Internationalization.

-          Special mentions of the Board of Directors.

The Golden Hermes 2007 awards ceremony will be held on March 26. During this ceremony Mercamadrid International will present its Corporate Report for 2006, together with the Report from the Mercamadrid Foundation and the Consulting Board to the corporate world of Madrid related to the food sector.

This year the recipients of the Awards have been:

Golden Hermes 2006 Award for Professional and entrepreneurial achievement

For their contribution to the evolution and development of the Market through their companies that have also contributed to the strengthening and empowerment of the wholesale and Markets activity:

1. Angel Mozos Ramírez, from Angel Mozos Ramírez, S.L., of the Central Fish market.

Ángel Mozos has been distributing and marketing fish products since the 1960’s, having therefore a formidable professional expertise in this area.

His company is currently expanding both nationally and internationally, consolidating its position of leadership in the fish and seafood industry.

2. Manuel Carrasco Alfonso, from Centrimerca, S.A.

Manuel Carrasco started his professional activity as retailer in establishments located in Carabanchel and Aluche, well known neighborhoods of Madrid.

In 1983 he created the company Centrimerca at the Central Fruit Market located in the grounds of Mercamadrid and has been expanding his facilities moving from said Market to the Multiuse Space and the Service and Warehouse Section of the Industrial Park.

He has been the President of the Fruit and Produce Retailers Association of Madrid and has later occupied several positions at the Board of Directors of the Fruit and Produce Wholesalers Association, such as that of Chairman from 2001 to 2006.

3. José Antonio Carlos Calbacho, from Carlos Calbacho S.L.

José Antonio Carlos Calbacho has been an essential player in the development of the Meat Center of Mercamadrid. He has always defended and supported, at the various fora of the Sector, and before the various administrations, the suitability of the Food Park at Mercamadrid as the place to viable develop the Meat Center.

Golden Hermes 2006 Award for Internationalization and Technological Innovation

1.      Fish Wholesaler Association

For its remarkable effort in internationally promoting the marketing and consumption of fish and fish products as well as promoting the SMEs of the sector abroad, the Board of Directors of Mercamadrid has agreed to award the FISH WHOLESALER ASSOCIATION as represented by its President, Francisco A. Ferrer Alonso, the GOLDEN HERMES AWARD 2007 FOR Internationalization and Technological Innovation

2.      Ibérica de Patatas Naturales S.L.

A pioneer company in the production and marketing of potatoes in Spain, and precursors in using the best certified seed and in preserving the potatoes by washing them and keeping them at a constant temperature in cold storage, as well as for creating various packages to supply the specific demands of the industry and the household uses, in line with their ongoing improvement of the production and marketing processes of the potato.

Special mentions of the Board of Directors of Mercamadrid

1. SAMUR, GENERAL DIRECTORATE OF EMERGENCIES AND CIVIL PROTECTION.

The mission of this Service is to quickly and efficiently resolve medical emergencies that occur in the streets within the Madrid municipal area, as well as intervening in catastrophic events that occur within the city limits.

In 2003 Samur signed an Agreement with Mercamadrid, S.A, to improve the quality of services by implementing an Operational Base at the Industrial Park grounds, equipped with all the means and materials necessary to provide quality services during medical emergencies.

2. Municipal Transportation Company (EMT)

In keeping with the ongoing objective of improving the quality of service at Mercamadrid and the existing need of optimizing access to the Park, in December of 2006 the Municipal Transportation Company, the Regional Transportation Consortium of Madrid and Mercamadrid, S.A. signed a Cooperation Agreement.

As a result of this Agreement bus Line 88 now offers a non-stop service, 24 hours a day, every day of the year except for Sundays and legal holidays; and Line 130 has altered its route, now circulating throughout the street grid of Mercamadrid expanding the lines that offer service to our grounds.