Vitrociset Intends to Invest and Develop its Business in Turkey

Defence Turkey: First of all could you please inform us about Vitrociset’s structure, capabilities and products?

Vitrociset was founded in 1992 from the merger of two companies, Ciset, which had a long history in air traffic control and the ground segment for space missions, and Vitroselenia, specialising in logistical support for defence.

In addition to these highly strategic and mission & safety critical sectors, since the purchase in 2009 of Enterprise Digital Architects, a company founded in 2000 as a spin-off of Ericsson Telecommunications, the company has also offered ICT solutions and services in Homeland Security, Transport and Public Administration. This systematic growth and diversification strategy has now made Vitrociset one of Italy’s leading companies with an integrated portfolio of skills and solutions for both civilian and military use, featuring the highest levels of quality, safety and innovation fuelled by continuous investment in Research & Development.

We are present not only in Italy, but in eight other countries including, of course, Turkey.

We closed 2013 with a more than satisfactory result. Our revenues were EUR 217 million with an EBITDA of 13% and new orders worth EUR 213 million.

Both the military and civilian sectors will face major changes over the coming years, in which telecommunications and information technology will play a decisive role in a world that will become increasingly “Smart & Interconnected”.

To compete in this scenario it is important to have the “Key Technologies” in which Vitrociset has made significant investments: Sensor Networks/Internet Of Things, Big Data Fusion & Analysis, Modelling & Simulation, Decision Support, Cybersecurity, and Mobile Working. These “dual use” assets enable our company to implement any complex system, such as an army range for weapons systems testing, a space mission control centre and an intelligent building in terms of safety and energy consumption.

Defence Turkey: You have an office in Ankara. What was your vision to establish an office in Ankara? What is your Ankara office mission and activities?

We opened a representative office in Ankara over a year ago. It is a clear signal that we intend to invest in and develop our business in Turkey. We know the Turkish industrial world well but we have no wish to go it alone. We want to cooperate with Turkish companies in the world by offering them our products and our ability to integrate complex systems. Due to growing demands, we are turning the original representation office into a real branch. Our Turkish office creates relationships with all our possible stakeholders, managing programmes in the country and in neighbouring countries, providing after-sales assistance and making the necessary link between us and local companies for the international programmes we intend to develop together.

Defence Turkey: Could you please enlighten us about Vitrociset’s activities, the programmes and projects that you carried out in Turkey?

We are working with the Turkish company Roketsan to modernise the Firing Range of Karapinar. It is a demanding programme in which we are taking a lead due to our experience in the design and management of test ranges for the validation of weapons systems. Indeed, for over 20 years Vitrociset has had full responsibility for the running, management, development and modernisation of the Interforces Range at Salto di Quirra in Sardinia, the largest land/sea test range in Europe.

The services we provide ensure the full operation and constant technological upgrading required by a modern test range, including the integration of sensors of different types, fast and highly resilient telecommunications networks, real time data fusion, command and control of the mission, 2D and 3D multitouch operator workstations, education, training, transfer of know-how and, of course, constant logistical support. 

We are also developing modelling and simulation platforms, which create virtual environments to reproduce the test and training activities typical of a test range, in order to reduce live fire testing and mission costs, and to improve safety.

The development and modernisation of the Turkish Karapinar range is proceeding to the satisfaction of both Roketsan and the Turkish Ministry of National Defence (MoND), which bodes well for the development of new opportunities for both companies.  We have also embarked upon a partnership programme with Roketsan in other areas, such as space and security, where we intend to work together on the international market along with the Turkish one, as well as in research and development.

In addition, we are cooperating with Selex-ES in the development of Air Traffic Control programmes and we hope to extend this cooperation to Coastal Vessel Traffic Control and road transport safety.

Defence Turkey: It is well known Vitrociset has cooperated with Turkish companies over the years like Roketsan. Could you please inform us about your cooperation with Turkish companies?

We are proud to have been selected by a large internationally important Turkish firm such as Roketsan to work together on major programmes. We hope to expand this cooperation to the space sector where our experience as prime contractor for the Ground Segment of the Vega programme could be put to the service of Turkish space programmes. We are therefore ready to cooperate with the companies of the Turkish Armed Forces Foundation, with which we already have some contacts for both national programmes and for cooperation on international programmes. We also have excellent relationships with companies such Milsoft, Bites, and Meteksan.

Defence Turkey:  Do you have some future plans on export to 3rd countries with Turkish companies?

Certainly. We have developed a very aggressive business model in relation to other countries for which solutions and systems offered jointly by Vitrociset and Turkish companies could be attractive. We cover five business areas: Defence, Homeland and Cyber Security, Space, Transport and Logistics, and Smart Cities and Public Administration. Based on our business model, we expect success from each of these areas, sharing technology and Customers with our Turkish partners.

We are willing to share our Customers and our abilities with them if they do the same with us. Synergy is the focal point.

Defence Turkey: Vitrociset has capabilities on Cyber Defence as well. Could you please inform us about your activities in this field?  Could “Cyber Defence” be considered as a mutual area between Vitrociset and Turkish defence companies?

Since its founding Vitrociset has worked in the security sector, managing critical infrastructure such as the interforces national network, one of the largest private telecommunications networks in Europe. Our range of computer security for this new, growing demand for the protection of critical information infrastructures, includes solutions for data centres, telecommunications networks, SCADA and intelligence platforms, in particular as regards threats that exploit unknown vulnerabilities of systems such as Zero-Day Attacks and Advanced Persistent Threat, and is completed by a specialised team that effectively implements remediation and countermeasures (so-called CERT/CIRT).

I think this is an important area of cooperation between Italy and Turkey that will create centres of excellence capable of providing advanced cybersecurity services to public bodies and private companies, to ensure the security of the nation and its citizens, making a significant contribution to the economic and technological development of the two countries.

The danger of cyber attacks is real and totally revolutionises our vision of national defence. In the past we had to protect our borders to prevent attacks by enemy forces. Then we had to step up security to prevent terrorist infiltration, but with a cyber attack we can be hit silently by someone thousands of miles away from us, armed only with a computer. No nation, not even the most peaceful surrounded by friendly countries, can be considered safe, which is why there is great demand for specific skills. We have them and Turkish defence companies have them, but these skills must be continually updated to avoid obsolescence. This is a substantial investment that we would like to share with our partners.

Defence Turkey: What are Vitrociset’s R&D activities, capabilities and plans?

The mission of our R&D Centre is to research and develop innovative capabilities that respond to the specific needs of actual or potential customers, in order to increase the company’s competitiveness on international markets. The international focus of our R&D is also shown by the fact that we have staff working with universities, research centres and international organisations, both in the civil sphere such as the European Commission and agencies connected to it (e.g. Frontex), and in the military field such as NATO and the EDA.

Our R&D projects at the European level are mainly for the European Commission and, for the most part, relate to Homeland & Cyber Security. In addition, we are also pursuing ICT and Smart Cities projects. In contrast our projects with the EDA and NATO focus on dual use technologies.   

End-users play a central role in Vitrociset’s R&D. We always involve our Customers in projects as domain experts. This enables us to develop solutions that respond accurately to the needs of the customers themselves and to propose these solutions as “best practice” at the most general level within the sector.

Defence Turkey: It is known that Vitrociset gained expertise on R&D during its activities with EDA. Do you think there could be a business model that you can transfer your expertise to Turkish companies?

The secret of successful R&D is to focus the areas of innovation on the real needs of customers by anticipating the challenges of the future to which they must tailor their core business. The additional element that makes R&D into a competitive lever that enables us to achieve results that deliver industrial returns in a short time, is the careful selection of partners, universities and research centres with whom we share the research goals and schedule right from the project’s conception. This is our successful business model that has brought us over forty national and international R&D projects so far, and that we want to share with Turkish companies that, like us, want to invest in anticipating the market and its needs.

Defence Turkey: Finally would you like to add a message to our readers?

Turkey and Italy are wonderful countries, rich in history and tradition, both blessed with a favourable strategic geographical location for business development.  My hope is that these two nations will increasingly work together to increase their competitiveness in the international arena. We are proud to have had a first opportunity to work together with a Turkish company and we are confident that this is only a first step on a long and satisfying path of strategic vision, of the sharing of goals and therefore of reciprocal development and satisfaction.