Fabrizio Ferrera

General Manager with Mendrisio as a base for the world

It was 2008, when the plan of Fabrizio Ferrera, an Italian citizen, began to really take shape: the first contact with the Federal Office of Civil Aviation laid the foundations for starting a company specialising in training and certification for aircraft and helicopter maintenance technicians. Today, from the modern Next-AT offices that occupy the top floor of the Alpha building, 16 employees and a teaching staff of about 130 experts offer training solutions in the aeronautical field for all global players in the sector.  

Why choose Mendrisio for your company?

First of all, thanks to its streamlined procedures, Switzerland has enabled us to present and launch the project quickly and agilely. In evaluating the precise site, we started from the consideration that the aviation industry is globally oriented, so we chose Mendrisio mainly for its strategic position: here, we can serve customers from all over the world thanks to direct and well-running connections with Milan and Zurich airports. 


One way being in Mendrisio made it easier to establish and grow the company?

We were immediately able to benefit from a direct dialogue with the institutions, and from practical support, including from the town’s Economic Development Office, even if only in finding the spaces we needed, for example. In addition, there are plenty of well-functioning connections and all the services in general – such as hotel facilities for our guests: we have everything we need to make our business work within easy reach.


What couldn’t you give up about Mendrisio?

The ease of travel: attempts to replicate our model in other locations have not been as successful due to the less favourable location. Being based in Mendrisio allows us to implement our plans and grow the company within Switzerland, in part thanks to the smooth relationship with the Federal Aviation Office, which appreciates and supports our work.


serena-sbracia-3 Mendrisio è davvero un luogo dove le persone si incontrano e si sostengono

"The institutions are very aware of the importance of innovation and growth, and the simplicity of the communication and procedures is hard to find elsewhere in Europe."