Despite Italy’s seven-week lockdown, an Italian firm specialising in aerospace, defence, and security has continued operating in Qatar under stringent health and safety protocols, an official said.
In Qatar, tech company Leonardo is responsible for the Air Traffic Management electronics and meteorological equipment for Hamad International Airport, as well as the low level radar system, which the company delivered to the Qatari Armed Forces, said Valerio Stella, head of Leonardo office in Doha.
“In the country, more than 40 Leonardo helicopters like the AW139 and the AW189 are operating offshore transportation, utility roles, search and rescue, and emergency medical services missions.
“We’re doing our best to support the operators by always following the most stringent anti-contagious safety rules. The same effort is made in all the activities related to 2022 FIFA World Cup, in which Leonardo is involved,” Stella told Gulf Times.
Stella explained that Leonardo was able to guarantee business continuity and support to its national customers, thanks to its “well-established presence in Qatar,” and a team of around 20 personnel living in the country.
In an earlier interview with Gulf Times, Italian ambassador Alessandro Prunas emphasised that Italian companies in Qatar, across all sectors, are effectively operating and ensuring business continuity by implementing smart working arrangements and strict health protocols on work sites, in compliance with the instructions of the Qatari authorities.
Prunas said, “Of course, the current situation has an inevitable impact on the timeframe and costs of business operations across sectors. However, companies are sparing no effort in trying to minimise any business disruptions.
“Like most companies in every country, Italian companies based in Qatar have also been forced by the Covid-19 pandemic to rethink their work flows and put in place new procedures without any impact on their strong commitment towards the local market and community.”
Stella said that despite the lockdown in Italy, Leonardo plants “did not stop production,” improving workers distancing and all the safety tools to protect the company’s employees, “so activities related to systems for Qatari customers are ongoing.”
“On the onsite support and maintenance activities side, the situation is different; video-calls and online meetings are not enough, and our people in Qatar, together with our local suppliers have to strongly co-ordinate their activities with customers and strictly follow governmental rules,” Stella pointed out.
He added: “In Italy, the company is aiding governmental bodies’ efforts in the Covid-19 emergency by transferring medical supplies and personnel with its helicopters, C-27J and ATR 72 aircraft, and the 3D printing of valves able to transform a particular model of snorkeling masks into respirators for sub-intensive therapies.
“The lockdown changed the way we work, and we needed to re-think our daily activities. When the lockdown started, I was in Italy for some business meetings and I was forced to stay. But thanks to technology, managing my team in Qatar from my home in Doha or from my home in northern Italy doesn’t make any difference.”