Who we are

DITECFER > Who we are

The company DITECFER was founded in July 2014 on the initiative of initial 25 Tuscan companies and research bodies, as spin-off of the Railway Technology District established by the Tuscany Region in March 2011.
An acronym for “District for Railway Technologies, High Speed, Networks’ Safety & Security”, DITECFER is a limited liability company with consortium purposes (S.c.ar.l.) which since February 2017 extends beyond the Tuscan territory and brings together the most dynamic and collaborative companies and research organizations in Italy.

VISION

To represent a complete and integrated value chain in the railway sector capable of providing intelligent solutions and products that require high quality and innovation.

MISSION

We work to promote collaboration, innovation, research and development among our members to make them more competitive and to support integrated internationalization on foreign markets.

GOVERNANCE

DITECFER S.c.ar.l. has a President, dr. Daniele Matteini, and a Coordinator, Dr. Veronica Elena Bocci, who is responsible for defining and implementing the business plan, managing the company and the team of employees and consultants.

The governing bodies of the Company are the Board of Directors (BoD) – which includes four Directors, in addition to the President, voted from among the Shareholders, and the Coordinator – and the Strategic Technological Steering Committee (STSC) – consisting of nine members voted from among the Shareholders and with its own President.

DITECFER S.C.AR.L.


Who are the Shareholders of DITECFER S.c.ar.l.?
DITECFER Shareholders are a group of companies, research and industry organizations that actively work to:

Collaborate in R&D at national and EU level
Promote technology transfer and innovation
Increase internationalization opportunities as an integrated supply chain
Develop training and empowerment on key issues for the improvement of railway mobility.

HISTORY

2011
2011
Railway Technological District of Tuscany is established
2012
Brand-DITECFER
The “DITECFER” brand created in April 2012
5-InnoTrans-2012
First DITECFER participation in “InnoTrans” with Toscana Promozione and Pistoia Chamber of Commerce
2013
trasportiitalia2020
Birth of the National Technology Cluster “Transport Italy 2020” of which DITECFER is a key player
2014
6-Nascita-DITECFER-scarl
The Legal Entity is established on July 29th. Franzino appointed President
Matteini-Franzino-Fornelli
Arcangelo Fornelli appointed by the Region head of the Tuscany District replacing Franzino in December 2014
DTFR-007
Start of DITECFER internationalization activities outside Europe in October 2015 with the regional project “Think Rail Buy Tuscany”
peres1
First EU project as Coordinator won: “PERES Promoting European Rail Excellence outSide EU”
rsi18
Joined the Expert Group on the Competitiveness of the Rail Supply Industry of the European Commission
2019
4A-DITECFER-porta-ERCI-Innovation-Award-a-Expo-Ferroviaria
DITECFER organises the “ERCI Innovation Award 2019” Ceremony in Milan at Expo Ferroviaria
2022
European Cluster Manager of the Year 2022 Nominees
DITECFER Coordinator “Nominee” as “European Cluster Manager of the Year 2022”
Every 2 years the European Commission selects the 3 best “Cluster Managers” in Europe for the Award “European Cluster Manager of the Year”. In 2022 the DITECFER Coordinator, Veronica Elena Bocci, is one of the 3 Nominees. The Award Ceremony will take place in Prague on 26 September during the European Cluster Conference 2022, organised by...
Coordinatore e Partner di LEADER 2030
LEADER 2030′, the first ‘Europe’s Rail’ project coordinated by DITECFER, has started: it will predict the availability or non-availability of raw materials and components for rail in 2030
LEADER 2030″, the first “Europe’s Rail” project coordinated by DITECFER, is launched: it will predict the availability or otherwise of raw materials and components for railways in 2030 Launched yesterday in Berlin the new European project conceived and led by DITECFER: it is entitled “LEADER 2030 – Lessons for European Autonomy to Deliver Europe’s Rail...
2-Lorenza-Franzino-DITECFER
Tuscany Region appoints Lorenza Franzino as first President of the Regional Railway Technological District and the members of the Technological Committee
4-Primo-Forum-DITECFER-19Jun2012
First DITECFER Forum in June 2012
cs2012-ditecfer
First R&D project promoted and won in December 2012
ingressoerci
DITECFER joins “ERCI-European Railway Clusters Initiative”
cambiopresidente
Change at the top of DITECFER S.c.ar.l.. The Shareholders elect Matteini (still President) in December 2014 to replace Franzino
2015
0A-Nasce-DITECFER-Railway-Innovation-Contest
First edition of “DITECFER Railway Innovation Contest”, national selection step for the “ERCI Innovation Award”
2017
1A-Rimosso-il-vincolo-territoriale-dei-Soci
DITECFER modifies the company Statute and starts welcoming Shareholders from all over Italy
2018
2A-Nuova-sede-a-UNISER
DITECFER leaves the headquarter in the Province of Pistoia and moves to UNISER-Pistoia University Centre, in one of the buildings where historically the “San Giorgio” and then the “Breda” workshops manufactured trains
3A-DITECFER-organizza-ERCI-Task-Force
DITECFER organises the meeting for Italy of the “ERCI Cybersecurity in Railways Task Force #4” at the Florence-Osmannoro Laboratories of RFI-Italcertifer
2020
5a
DITECFER leads “EXXTRA”, one of the first 13 European Strategic Cluster Partnerships for Excellence selected by the EU to take the District towards the “World-Class Cluster” dimension.
2023
AI
European Digital Innovation Hub on Artificial Intelligence: DITECFER brings to Pistoia one of the headquarters
The Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy Adolfo Urso signed the ministerial decree allocating funds for the national financing of European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) a few days ago. Among these is “AI MAGISTER”, the Hub dedicated to Artificial Intelligence in which DITECFER, Italy’s main Railway Technology Cluster, is participating, thus bringing one of...

MEMBERSHIPS

DITECFER represents Italy within the ERCI-European Railway Clusters Initiative, the network of European Railway Clusters created in 2010 which currently involves 15 entities representing 17 European countries, both EU and non-EU members.

Cluster Trasporti

DITECFER is founder and member of the National Technology Cluster “Transport Italy 2020”, the Association recognized by MIUR-Ministry of Education, University and Research as reference for Research and Innovation in the sector of means and systems for land and marine mobility.

AGREEMENTS

Ohio

OHIO Small Business Development Centers (USA)
DITECFER and Ohio SBDC signed a Memorandum of Understanding in July 2019 to support DITECFER Shareholders for the purpose of entering the United States market and for the exchange and collaborative growth between the two territories of reference also with a view to research and education.

PFP

PFP – Plataforma Ferroviária Portuguesa (Portugal)
DITECFER and PFP signed a collaboration agreement in November 2019 for the development and collaborative exchange between the two Clusters and their Shareholders/Members with focus on joint markets and innovation.

Fondazione Links

LINKS Foundation – Leading Innovation & Knowledge for Society
DITECFER and the LINKS Foundation signed a three-year Strategic Agreement in February 2021 to support DITECFER Members in research and innovation activities in matters of common interest.

RAILWAY TECHNOLOGY DISTRICT OF TUSCANY

The Railway Technology District of Tuscany was established with Resolution of the Tuscany Regional Government of March 2011.
The regional rules define that it has a Technology Steering Committee and a President.

The members of the Technology Committee are appointed by Resolution of the Tuscany Regional Government on the proposal of the Regional Industry Associations (4 members representing companies) and Tuscan Universities / Research Bodies (4 members representing the world of research). A representative of the District Management Body, who is currently DITECFER S.c.ar.l., also participates in the Committee.

The President is chosen from among the members of the Committee, who submit the name to the President of the Region for appointment. The current President of the Tuscany District is Mr Arcangelo Fornelli (Hitachi Rail S.p.A.).

To date, the institutions belonging to the Tuscan District are: 117 companies, 4 Universities (Florence, Pisa, Siena, Scuola Sant’Anna) and the CNR-National Research Council of Italy.

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