Florence’s historical Football Field gets the Case treatment
Two CASE machines have recently been called upon to perform a unique operation in Florence: preparing a playing field in the heart of the city in the evocative setting of Piazza Santa Croce.
This is where the Calcio Storico Fiorentino, which translates as Florentine Historical Football match, took place in mid-September, a game in costume dating back to the 16th century. The traditional event mixes football, rugby and wrestling, with teams from the city’s four historical districts, made up of 27 players or ‘kickers’, competing against each other. The match is a competition that Henry III of France described as “too small to be a war, too fierce to be a game.”
This year, after being cancelled in 2020, the event was held behind closed doors due to Covid regulations and was, therefore, broadcast live worldwide for the first time. Only two teams were involved: the Verdi of San Giovanni and the Azzurri of Santa Croce, who won 12-1.
For the event, the square was set up as it was when the game began all those centuries ago, as a dusty, unpaved esplanade. As a result, the preparation of the playing field involved covering it with sand, which was done in two days’ work with the collaboration of Vangi Srl, a company based in Calenzano, Florence, that operates in Tuscany and provides its services to major industrial groups, entrepreneurs and public bodies. Two CASE Construction Equipment machines were used: a 721G wheel loader and a TV450 compact track loader.
Fulvio Vangi, Managing Director, Vangi Srl, explains: “600 m3 of sand was brought to Santa Croce. Thirty trips were necessary. But thanks to the two CASE machines working in tandem, we were able to unload the trucks and spread the sand carefully in just two days.”
Another two days were then needed to clean the paved floor of Piazza Santa Croce, returning it to the state that the thousands of tourists who visit the city every year expect.
The match was a prestigious showcase for Vangi that also makes Ghetti, CASE dealer for Tuscany, proud. “Vangi has been our customer since 2017 and we are happy with the relationship of trust that has been created,” says Lorenzo Ghetti, Dealer Principal, Ghetti. “The company’s CASE fleet includes no less than ten machines including crawler excavators, wheel loaders, mini-excavators and a compact track loader. We can see they are satisfied with the product and service, and we are delighted.”
The customer also relies on Ghetti for the supply of original CASE spare parts and servicing, including routine and extraordinary maintenance.
Ghetti Commercial and Industrial Vehicles
Founded in 1956 by Auto-meccanica Ghetti, which had been in business since 1938, Ghetti Commercial and Industrial Vehicles was a dealer for SIMCA, OM industrial vehicles and forklifts.
It has been an IVECO dealer since 1975, the year IVECO was born; since 2012 it has been an ASTRA dealer for Tuscany and the province of La Spezia and since 2017 it has been a CASE dealer for Tuscany.
The dealership has three sales offices in Florence, Arezzo and Sarzana, and a network of authorised workshops throughout Tuscany. With around 90 employees, it also works on rental and scheduled maintenance of construction vehicles and earth-moving machinery.
“Customer proximity and service are fundamental for us,” says Lorenzo Ghetti. “We provide specialised consultants to offer commercial, technical and financial advice. And, in terms of assistance, Ghetti has always been known for its ability to intervene and solve problems, both with its in-house workshop, open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and with its network of workshops throughout Tuscany, available 24 hours a day.”
