SITA closes deal for airport interiors firm CCM

SITA announced the closure of the acquisition of CCM headquartered in Milan, Italy, a company that specialises in the design, production, and creation of airport interiors. This strategic move aims to redefine how airports function by seamlessly blending technology and interior design to create future-ready spaces. “This isn’t just about expanding airports,” said David Lavorel, CEO at SITA. “It’s about reimagining them. With CCM’s deep design and execution expertise, we’re transforming airports to maximise their existing footprint, optimise passenger flow, and create smarter, more flexible and valuable airport terminal environments that evolve with the changing needs of the industry. Building efficient, tech-enabled environments is crucial for the future of travel. Airports are not just transit points; they mark a moment in a journey, no matter the destination. By integrating our expertise, we bring to life the airports of the future – architecture that is built on tech solutions and driven by efficiency to improve the overall travel experience for passengers and the operations of airport staff,” said Lavorel. The acquisition of CCM adds valuable design and customer advisory elements to SITA’s existing technology, reinforcing its commitment to leading the future of air travel. Sergio Colella, President, Europe at SITA, added: “The market needs a fundamental shift— where technology and design work together to make airports smarter in using their space for more capacity and with flexibility to support the next generation of travel. That’s why we’re bringing CCM into the SITA family. By combining our technology and experience in airport operations with their deep understanding of design and space optimization, we are bringing to the market a unique ‘technology by design’ capability and end-to-end integration from design to operations, all in harmony since the conception of the idea.” For 35 years under the management of the Marinoni family, CCM has worked on more than 300 airports worldwide, designing and delivering terminal spaces that balance efficiency, flexibility, and passenger experience. Now, with SITA’s expertise in passenger processing, baggage handling, and AI-driven airport operations, this acquisition will help airport customers integrate technology and design as a single go-to solution, something that was not available up to now. According to the SITA 2024 Air Transport IT Insights report, 63% of airports are prioritizing self-service, biometrics, mobile apps, and IT spending has surged to $8.9 billion as airports focus on automation, AI, and digitalization. But these investments will only deliver their full impact if airports are physically designed to support them. Technology alone won’t fix congestion. It needs smarter layouts, frictionless movement, and an infrastructure that evolves with it. Monica Oberti has been appointed interim CEO of CCM, bringing decades of extensive expertise in reshaping and repurposing spaces at large scale globally within CCM. Oberti is a member of the founding Marinoni family. “For too long, airports have had to choose between efficiency and passenger experience. Now, they don’t have to. By joining forces with SITA, we can finally bring together the best of both worlds – smart technology, intelligent design, and quality production. Together, we’re not just improving airports, we’re reshaping them for the future,” said Oberti. For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Matt Driskill at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Head of Sales Kay Rolland at [email protected]