F.A.S. S.p.A. was founded by the Barilatis and the Vittorios in 1967 for the production of components for firefighting, and it is still under the direction of those families. “Focusing on our core business, we guarantee the quality of our products, and we offer products that are tailored to the special needs of our customers,” says Dr. Roberto Barilati, CEO of F.A.S. S.p.A.
The company manufactures products related to firefighting, from manual and remote-controlled fire monitors of different dimensions and performances to pressurized tanks, used to mix water and extinguishing foam of a volume that can vary from 200 to 12,000 l. All the different components of firefighting systems, such as nozzles, branchpipes, connecting elements, trailers and more, are provided.
The products are generally made of carbon steel, stainless steel or bronze. “We can even provide specialized extinguishing systems such as those for ship terminals,” points out Dr. Barilati. “Systems have to be built and installed in a particular way to fight fire effectively, and we can achieve that.”
F.A.S. S.p.A. assists its customers wherever there is a risk of fire. Particular interest is given to the gas and oil industry, drilling platforms, harbours and wharfs, the petrochemical industry, and all industrial sectors in need of extinguishing systems and wherever customized systems must be installed.
“In cooperation with manufacturers, we can even equip fire trucks with firefighting components,” Dr. Barilati underlines. It is easy to understand, then, why F.A.S. S.p.A. has held its ground over several decades. “Our success is based on mutual appreciation between us and our customers.”
The real secret of the company is revealed by its CEO: “We can do anything that is within our competence, even supply custom-made items of the highest quality, since we do everything internally: design, manufacture and tests for reliability.”
This is the most important characteristic of F.A.S. S.p.A., an outstanding leader in the manufacturing of fire-fighting systems, even internationally. At its 9,000 m² premises, F.A.S. S.p.A. has 3,000 m² of space to manufacture and test its extinguishing equipment.
Another important motive of success is the company’s remarkable teamwork. “We are appreciated by our customers, and this allows us to make products beyond the standards,” says Dr. Barilati. Last year the company’s 40 employees produced a turnover of seven million EUR. About 70% of the company’s products are exported worldwide by third parties, mainly engineering societies, through the so-called EPC network for business (Engineering, Procurement and Construction).
“We work with ENI, for example, providing fire-fighting systems for the various projects they need to accomplish on a global scale,” comments the CEO.
New customers are met at exhibitions such as the Hanover exhibition or the Intershoot in the Netherlands.
Dr. Barilati is truly optimistic about the future. “That is in part because we are in a niche market, acting on both a national and an international level,” he notes. “In addition, we are constantly searching for possible partnerships for firefighting around the world.”