Giving back to the community by creating shared value: this is the primary objective for those who choose to become a Benefit Corporation (Società Benefit). It is within this context that the PalaITLAS was conceived—a tensile structure that, from Saturday 28 February, will become an integral part of the Ancient Fair of Godega di Sant’Urbano in the province of Treviso. With its one thousand square metres of space and unmistakable spherical shape, it is destined to become a permanent venue for exhibitions, meetings, conventions, and sporting events.
"It is a gift to the local area," explains Patrizio Dei Tos, head of ITLAS. The company has its registered office and all its production plants just a few metres from the fairgrounds, although it is technically located within the industrial zone of the municipality of Cordignano. "Building relationships of trust with the people living in the territory where we have operated for nearly forty years is one of the cornerstones of our company. This is also why, in 2023, we chose to become a Benefit Corporation, placing at the heart of our commitment not only profit but also the ability to generate shared value. Godega di Sant’Urbano," Dei Tos continues, "belongs to our core community. This is why, after acquiring a former industrial area on the outskirts of Sacile a few years ago and dismantling part of the existing site to make room for our buildings, we decided to donate this raised steel structure to the Municipality. Our goal is to enable the local council to achieve financial savings when organising the Ancient Fair, whilst simultaneously consolidating our presence in the community, in the spirit of giving back what we have received over the years."
A formal agreement has been signed between the Municipality of Godega di Sant’Urbano and the company to regulate the donation. The structure has become municipal property and is therefore a public work, with ITLAS having covered all costs, from transport and assembly to the roofing. Thanks to this donation, the local administration will save approximately €20,000 each year, as it will no longer need to hire a structure for the Ancient Fair. In return, the company will have access to a dedicated space within the PalaITLAS during fairs or events organised by the Council and can make full use of the structure for ten non-consecutive days a year for its own private initiatives.
The operation also includes a contribution from Banca Prealpi SanBiagio. "Thanks to the significant contribution from both parties—which I believe is quite extraordinary—and the trust placed in our fair, we now have a unique structure for the surrounding area," says Mayor Paola Guzzo. "At approximately one thousand square metres, it expands the current exhibition hub and will be able to host events of all kinds, with a dome capacity of around one thousand people. This is without even considering the other pavilions, including the kitchen and restaurant, which make the area very well-equipped. I am convinced that our Ancient Fair and the fairgrounds themselves are an important asset that has been built and cherished over the years for our community and those nearby. It is our duty as administrators to maintain and enhance this heritage as a legacy from those who preceded us, even through operations such as this which, without the invaluable collaboration of ITLAS and Banca Prealpi SanBiagio, would not have been possible."
