ATITECH
GROWTH AND SUSTAINABILITY FLY TOGETHER Powered by Inside Sustainability
inside-SUSTAINABILITY.com
ATITECH
I PROFILE
F
rom the ashes of a crisis, a phoenix
Italian-based Atitech is the largest independent MRO operator in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. However; its desire to grow further in a highly competitive sector remains strong. In a discussion with Andy Probert, President Gianni Lettieri outlined the company’s plans and the desire for sustainability to take a leading role. 60 Inside sustainability
always arises. At least, that is the case with Atitech. The market-
leading Italian MRO has effectively come full circle. Born in 1989, in the context of one of the first Alitalia crises, it returned as an independent operator in 2022 to take over the maintenance activities of the airline in extraordinary administration. At the heart of this Italian renaissance has been Gianni Lettieri, an extraordinary
and tenacious entrepreneur whose smart vision and thinking gave
da Vinci
Atitech the uplift it desperately needed in
intercontinental Airport. The
the 2010s. His foresight first saw the dawn
original industrial complex in Naples
of Meridie, the investment company he
extended over 9,000sqm of hangars
founded in 2009 that acquired a 75% cap-
and 4,000sqm of workshops. Today the
ital share of Atitech, and then it swooped
two bases (Naples and Fiumicino) added
to take Alitalia’s maintenance assets.
together – including workshops, offices
Now on firmer footing, Atitech has 1,500 employees spread over two main bases: Naples Capodichino International Airport and Rome’s Fiumicino Leonardo
and parking areas – cover an area of approximately 650,000sqm. Atitech’s activities extend beyond base maintenance. It has a main workshop that
Inside sustainability 61
ATITECH
I PROFILE
has an autoclave for composite mate-
production plant for the processing of fab-
rials, carries out non-destructive tests
rics, dyeing and finishing in Milan and Naples.
(identifying a defect in a structure
It was his first entrepreneurial experience.
without affecting the material being
Over the years, he established himself in the
inspected) and interventions on avionic
textile and clothing sector.
components and cabin interior parts.
In 1989, he created the first European
Additionally, it has line maintenance
company specialised in the production of
operations at 32 airports: 21 in Italy and 11
denim-ring fabric. The product’s potential,
overseas, including Buenos Aires, Osaka,
effectively exploited thanks to an in-depth
Tel Aviv and Paris.
and farsighted knowledge of the market, soon led him to widen his reputation in the
Entrepreneurial vision
USA. He also launched a joint venture in
The career of Mr Lettieri is not, as many
India with the Raymond group, setting up
would think, steeped in aviation. After
Raymond Calitri India, the first denim
graduating as a surveyor, he set up a new
62 Inside sustainability
fabric production company in India.
All the while, he continued to be a visionary industri-
due to the events of the former Alitalia and go back to working on engines
alist and consummate community-minded
and landing gears, for example. The ulti-
individual in Italy. In 2006, he launched a
mate goal is to create a large European
company geared to the development of
maintenance centre in central-southern Italy,
renewable energy and oversaw signifi-
with a consolidated infrastructure in the
cant growth prospects. The following
civil and military aeronautical sector for
year, he established Meridie, the first
our country.”
investment company in Southern Italy
Atitech’s customers are airlines, lessors,
listed on the Italian Stock Exchange
cargo operators service companies and
in Milan.
government bodies, such as the Guardia
He also founded MedSolar, a startup
di Finanza and the Italian Air Force. In its
in the renewable energy sector, before
latest contractual win, Ireland-based
leading the acquisition of Atitech, and its
leasing company Aergo Capital signed
subsequent expansion.
an agreement for Atitech to undertake 12-year checks on five Airbus A330-300
Major goals
aircraft. The work will take place in Naples
Now the largest independent MRO in
and also includes modifications services.
the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA)
“We are also among the few MROs that
market, Mr Lettieri harbours bigger ambi-
convert aircraft from passenger to cargo,”
tions: “Within a year, we have effectively
Mr Lettieri said. In recent months, Atitech’s
doubled our capacity, going from five to
Naples base has been engaged on a Boeing
nine hangars and from 18 to 29 bays
737/800 conversion from a passenger to a
following our 2022 acquisition.
freighter (PTF) aircraft for a client.
“In the future, we want to regain the
Atitech is also developing innovative
heritage of professionalism that was lost
projects with two important universities
Inside sustainability 63
ATITECH
I PROFILE
of Naples, Federico II and Parthenope. “Interaction
growth without responsibility’ to accom-
with university centres is typical of the
pany it. “It is my deep conviction, and
cluster in which we operate: soon around
that of the people who work with me,”
100 recent graduates will start working with
Mr Lettieri added. “Doing business at
us,” Mr Lettieri said. “As I often say, our cus-
levels of excellence does not mean
tomers are not just customers, but partners:
forgetting that everything we do has its
and this also applies to our suppliers. It’s
impact. Every choice we make must be
sharing a vision that goes beyond a simple
made in harmony with the environment
commercial relationship.
and with the protection of people and
“Recently, at our headquarters at
resources. It’s not rhetoric; it’s awareness.
Capodichino, we allocated an entire
We can work well in the present only if our
wing of one of our buildings to the
gaze is projected towards tomorrow.”
representatives of our clients. There
In 2022, the company started the process
are meeting rooms equipped for video-
for the ISO 14001 environmental certification
conferencing, co-working spaces
and launched an investment plan regarding
and a crew lounge. Soon we will also
a new 1,200kWp photovoltaic system and
have a guest house with 16 rooms for
replacing company vehicles from diesel
company representatives.”
to electric. During the peak of Covid, Atitech made
Growing responsibilities
an entire Capodichino hangar available
When Atitech published its first sustain-
and transformed it into a vaccination hub.
ability report last year, certified by
In 2020, it launched the charity canteen
Deloitte, it used the phrase: ‘There is no
initiative by distributing over 200 hot
64 Inside sustainability
meals daily to needy families in some
aircraft fuselages through AI algorithms
neighbourhoods of Naples.
and drones.
“This initiative is now in its third edition,”
“The sector in which we operate is
Mr Lettieri said. “I believe that in times of
challenging, given the history of recent
crisis, it is a duty to offer solidarity to people
years,” Mr Lettieri said. “Additionally, Atitech
in need who live in the same area where
competes with companies that operate in
the companies do business. We have also
territories with low labour costs. But we are
allocated a fund of 500,000 Euros to support
better, more competent and more efficient
the studies of employees' children.”
and must continue to be so in the future.
In partnership with Atitech, Deagle,
“Luckily, Atitech has a well-established
a Naples-based startup operating in the
reputation, and earned the respect and
aerospace and renewable energy fields,
trust of customers and stakeholders in
has been a Meditech tender: a multi-regional
the field,” he concluded. “It has long-term
centre of expertise in Puglia and Campania,
job prospects and ambitious projects.” n
for orientation and training on industry 4.0 topics. Horus is a research project aimed at finding new inspection solutions for
Atitech President, Gianni Lettieri
Inside sustainability 65