Vist & Bailo form Officina Italiana to focus on sportswear

26 Nov '11

4 min read

“Officina Italiana”, a new group, formed by the aggregation and development of Bailo SpA and Vist Srl, two internationally successful companies in Trentino Alto Adige, was presented in Trento.

Bailo is a historical brand representing the tradition and experience of a company that has constantly improved comfort and wellness in active outdoor sportswear for over 50 years.

Vist, founded in 1997 as a manufacturer of ski plates, has become a renown technical-sport brand with everything from plates to bindings, skis to ski clothing, offering elegant, high-quality products that express Made in Italy.

The aggregation of these two companies into “Officina Italiana” stems from the founders' conviction that they are creating a strong, solid company that will further enhance their competitiveness in order to attack the domestic and foreign market.

The operation calls for the formation of a group that will offer a complete product portfolio, differentiated by customer segmentation and covering two seasons. With respect to turnover, the “Officina Italiana”'s forecasts an increase from approximately Euro 20 million (consolidated for the two founding companies) to Euro 36 million in 2016, with EBITDA of about 17%.

The aggregation will also generate a significant increase in resources and professional know-how, with considerable induced activity for the local area. The complementarity and synergies deriving from the aggregation will bring greater resources to be invested in business and product development.

The “Officina Italiana” will focus on growth in Italy (by strengthening its sales network) and abroad (by expanding its distributor network). In addition to its current branches in the United States and Switzerland, others are expected in the medium term to develop the foreign market, with direct presence in strategic areas.

The Group's Board of Directors includes Bruno Zotta (Chairman), Elmar Stimpfl (Managing Director), and Roberto Jorio Fili, top manager in the fashion industry, who in the past held prestigious positions such as General Manager of Roberto Cavalli, Managing Director of Gianfranco Ferrè, and President of the Valentino Group.

Bruno Zotta Bailo, founder and President of Balio Spa, as well as President of the “Officina Italiana”, declares: “Bailo's entire history and business strategy have been marked by perseverance in the achievement of goals and by constant attention to growth opportunities offered by the market. Today, we hold true to our principles with this ambitious and competitive business plan, driven by Elmar Stimpfl's energy, which will allow us to reach the size that we have always desired.”

Elmar Stimpfl, founder and President of Vist Srl, as well as Managing Director of the “Officina Italiana”, declares: “We have created a company that will be the reference point for the ski and outdoor winter sports market, with potential to double its turnover in just a few years and grow internationally, with a new product range and its own distribution network in Italy and abroad.

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