news
year 2016
At OCEM Airfield Technology, we know that our story is not just the story of one company; it its also the story of our agents, customers and above all our partners. Today we are launching a new feature, “Committed to Your Success,” to follow what happens after our airfield ground lighting and control systems leave our headquarters and become part of airport operations all around the world.
We are excited to start the series with Caravaggio International Airport Bergamo – Orio al Serio, which experienced record growth in 2015. The airport has embarked on a significant renovation project in recent years, and in 2014 it refurbished its runway with 2,000 lighting signals by OCEM.
The Story of Bergamo — Orio al Serio
Caravaggio International Airport Bergamo — Orio al Serio, managed by S.A.C.B.O. SpA, is located about 5 km from Bergamo and about 50 km from Milano. It is Italy’s third largest airport in terms of passenger volume, and together with Milan Malpensa Airport and Milan Linate Airport it forms an airport system serving more than 36 million passengers annually. It’s named for the famous painter Caravaggio, who was born Michelangelo Merisi in Bergamo in 1571.
The airport was founded in 1937 and was originally used for military purposes. In 1972 it became a civil airport with the creation of S.A.C.B.O. (the Società per l’Aeroporto Civile di Bergamo — Orio al Serio, or Company for the Civil Airport of Bergamo — Orio al Serio).
Over the next four decades, Bergamo — Orio al Serio become the cornerstone for the region’s low-cost flights, both domestically and internationally. It took on even greater importance in the early 2000s, when Linate was closely temporarily and Bergamo demonstrated it could handle a much higher flight volume that its previous load. This attracted the attention of major companies such as Ryanair and Wizz Air, which today maintain their Italian bases in Bergamo.
Last year Orio al Serio accommodated a record 10.5 million passengers and managed 73,063 flights – all while launching nine new international routes, most recently Bergamo-Moscow and Bergamo-Munich. The airport isn’t stopping there, though. It has plans to expand through 2030, with a new Milan railway stop, increased cargo capacity, expanded passenger terminal and boarding areas, and additional parking space envisioned.
OCEM Airfield Technology provided 2,000 lighting signals — of which 1,400 were LED — and 20 regulators for the Bergamo — Orio al Serio runway renovations in 2014. OCEM is proud to partner with airports such as Bergamo that have big plans for the future, and we congratulate the airport on its record year in 2015.
OCEM Airfield Technology
Lighting the future
ABOUT OCEM
OCEM Airfield Technology is a leading global airfield lighting provider with close to a century of experience in the airfield industry. It has supplied AGL solutions and systems to more than 1,100 airports on six continents and has installed more than 200 airfield control monitoring systems worldwide. Headquartered in Italy, OCEM has production activity in Italy (Bologna), the U.S. (Chicago), France (Nice) and China (Suzhou), and sales and technical support in South Korea, India, China, the UK, Italy, France, U.S., Mexico and Brazil.
Together with Multi Electric (U.S.) and Augier (France), OCEM forms part of Aretè & Cocchi Technology, a holding group focused on high-tech businesses leading industrial fields.