SITA Euro IT Summit 2019: SITA acquires Naples-based Software Design

By November 6, 2019 January 16th, 2020 News

During a press conference at its annual Euro IT Summit being held this week in Lisbon, SITA has revealed that it has acquired 100% of Software Design – an Italian software and solution integrator tailored to airports. The Italian company is also the main IT service provider to Naples Airport – one of the fastest growing airports in Italy.

Software Design SITAWith more than 50% of its revenue now derived from application-based solutions, SITA is experiencing strong growth in its airport-specific integration capabilities. The acquisition will further enable SITA to strengthen its ability to help airports in Italy and throughout Europe seamlessly manage and integrate technology across numerous systems and providers. “Airports are increasingly implementing digital transformation programmes to keep up with rapidly changing passenger expectations as well as their quest for operational excellence,” said Sergio Colella, SITA president for Europe.

Through the acquisition, Naples Airport will now be able to leverage SITA’s experience in passenger and baggage processing, border management and airport operations to drive a major modernisation of the airport’s IT and digital infrastructure.

Software Design has been purchased from its managing shareholders and 2i Aeroporti S.p.A – a joint venture between F2i, the largest infrastructure fund in Italy, and Ardian, a private investment house. The two companies control one of Italy’s main airport networks serving more than 58m passengers and 650,000 tonnes of freight every year. This network includes Naples, Milan, Turin, Alghero, Bologna and Trieste airports.

In welcoming the 70-strong Software Design team into the ‘SITA family’, Colella confirmed that the company would continue to operate from Naples Airport with SITA leading an investment and transformation programme to strengthen the team’s capability to grow its presence across airports in Europe.

Roberto Barbiere, CEO of GESAC, which operates Naples Airport said: “In 2018 Naples Airport achieved passenger growth of 16% and today serves more than 10m passengers. This growth requires a new approach and investment in the airport’s digital systems so that we can have in place a robust infrastructure to provide a great customer journey to a growing number of passengers in the future.”

Commenting on how this acquisition will place SITA as a “reference point for airports in their digital transformation,” Colella concluded that looking beyond Naples Airport: “Going forward this acquisition enables us to position ourselves as a key player in Italy’s aviation sector.”

 

 

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