The renovation of the stadiums? Let's start from the seats

June 2011
Interview with Cleto Cimati, CEO and founder of Bericoplast

Cleto Climati CEO and founder of Bericoplast

"The same product installed in Stockholm for example, can last more than another installed in Palermo. In Italian stadiums, with few exceptions, the plants are old enough to see that these are works made in the 90s and Most of the time long before "

Continued our journey by meeting Italian companies supplying the production sector of the sports system, and in particular companies in the plant market. With Bericoplat, of which we hear the founder Cleto Cimati, a company specializing in monocoque operating in Vicenza more than thirty-five years with major installations abroad, we have confirmation of the presence of production capacities for the construction of stadiums and arenas, large enough in the panorama of Italian industry, including little chairs. We wonder if, in expectation of new plants, to renew those who will take three to five years, we began to make them more comfortable now?

Your company is responsible for sports facilities, which dimensions has it and in which countries are  you present?

Cleto Climati: We cover sports seats but also for the community seats. These are quite similar, although the construction of sports seats involves technical knowledge other than that of the classic seats for the community. It is a more technical product that it must adapt to the situation. Our is a sector particularly in the sense that there is a charge two million to three million, as well as Euro 100-200000. Everything depends on the presence or absence of an important event, as might be the European or World Cup. We also work abroad, we have made supplies of the stadiums in Ghana at the Africa Cup of Nations, and more recently we have been operating in Austria, France, Germany and in Italy we are doing maintenance at the stadium in Palermo.

How is organized the market in which you operate? For you it is a market divided into segments related to the client, which can be public or private, or type of equipment?

Cleto Climati: For patrons. A seat that can fit in a football field can also be applied to other sites, arenas or other sports. The deadline for the stadium seating is a bit 'forced, we call for sports seats, which can be installed in any environment where there is a staircase, where there is the possibility of installation. Then the client is public or private for us, from a commercial point of view, does not change much. Currently, 99% are public institutions, private ones are very rare.

The seat is a simple product but in reality has its own technological evolution, and yet we wonder when the thugs set fire to the stage in little chairs: how is it possible, should not be fireproof?

Cleto Climati: The seats are fireproof, but this does not mean that they can not burn. The legislation with which we work does not distinguish the fire retardant from self-extinguishing. The product can catch fire, but must go out within certain criteria, then does not mean that the fire can not take root, but must behave in a certain way described by the standard. Moreover the test is not done on the seat of the specimens, but then it's all pretty relative. The rule should be revised, in the style of the English. The British are the tests directly on the seat by determining the classes of self-extinguishing, as time goes, if you turn off, how it burns. Furthermore the same additives can migrate as a result of sun exposure and may lose their original chemical properties.

In the panorama of Italian stadium seating in most cases is bleak. Have these seats a duration?

Cleto Climati: Yes, quite a long time even though a lot depends on exposure to sunlight. The warranties vary from site to site, in the sense that the same product installed in Stockholm for example, can last more than one installed in Palermo. In Italian stadiums, with few exceptions, plants are quite old as these are works made in the '90s and most of the time much sooner.

How much does an average seat costs?

Cleto Climati: It can cost from 8 euros to 15 euros depending on material used, the characteristics, if they are to self-extinguishing, polyamide, polypropylene. Prices also vary according to fluctuations in raw material costs, the type of steps etc ... there are many variables. In some cases it may cost much more, if it becomes necessary to install a support structure. Our company is also installing and starting from a base cost, you must add variables related to logistics, distribution, and the dismantling of an existing product.

Until now the market for the supply of plant has been managed exclusively by the public. Today, the law calls for a transition to the private: for you will change anything in terms of approach to the marketing of these products?

Cleto Climati: I assume so, although in Italy the situation is a bit 'different from other countries. It often has to do with existing systems so you have to figure out if he should consider these private entities to dispose of, or remodeling the existing one with the works of extraordinary maintenance. The projects are many but ultimately lack the funds to be able to intervene de novo, as it is doing for example Juventus. The law does not give grants, but will facilitate investment, complementary, and which address not only the sports equipment, but real estate investments around the stages related to other activities such as shopping malls, multiplexes and more. This will allow more investors interested beyond the management of the sports event, so you need to work at 360 degrees.