31
JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2014
access
INTERNATIONAL
Alba-Macrel Group, based
in Spain, has tackled the
economic difficulties in
its own country while
making a move on the
international market.
Alberto MartÃnez Alonso,
chief executive officer of
Alba, explains all to
AI
.
WHAT EQUIPMENT WILL YOU LAUNCH OVER
THE NEXT FEW MONTHS?
A new work platform, the PT-1200 is launched
in January 2014, with a lifting capacity of up to
1200 kg (or 10 passengers), double speed and
EC accreditation.
We will finish in the first trimester of 2014
with the extension and complete renovation of
our range of hoists for passengers and materials,
incorporating the newly developed single
electronic card that will manage every machine
of our range.Therefore, we will provide a
totally renewed range, including passenger
hoists: EPM-450, EPM-1000 and EDC-2000,
material hoists: MC-450, MC-1000, MC-
1800F and MC-2000, transport platforms:
PT-450, PT-1200, PT-1000F, PT-1700F and
PT-1800, and mast climbing work platforms
PEC-80, PEC-100, PEC-120 and PEC-150.
WHERE ARE YOU SELLING MOST OF YOUR
EQUIPMENT?
At the beginning of this crisis, Alba was the
leading manufacturer in Spain of mast climbing
machines and had an important standing in the
world market. Since the construction crisis in
Spain we have strengthened our international
affairs in most continents, including new
markets, meaning we have tripled our export
turnover.
Regarding products, there has been a trend
towards medium sized machines, around
1000 kg, and in many cases, also customised
machines for small work spaces or special
loadings, etc.
It has been essential to expand our technical
department, allowing us to develop research
and attend to the requirements of our
customers promptly.
WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES IN THE MAST
CLIMBING SECTOR?
Worldwide, the sector has been knocked
W
HAT IS YOUR LATEST MAST
CLIMBING EQUIPMENT?
We have made a big effort in
research and development of our technical
department, developing a complete range
of rack and pinion hoists based on our new
M550 mast: for personnel up to 2000 kg (or
20 people) with three speeds (20m/min, 40 m/
min and 60 m/min), and for materials up to
2000 kg (standard bases and special measures
for drywall plaques). It can be assembled with
one or twin identical cabins, or both combined
on one single mast, reaching heights beyond
250 m.
Based on this same mast, we have developed
the new PEC-150 work platform with
more capacity and greater size.We have also
developed diverse transport platforms of
varied lifting capacities, compatible with the
different masts from our product catalogue.
The commercialisation of these new products
started more than a year ago, and many of
them are already assembled and at work sites in
Europe, Africa and the Americas, with orders
from Asia.
heavily by the crisis, with general decreases
in sales during these last years.We think that
the recovery of the market is going to be slow,
and the requirements are going to follow the
path of adapting to the specific demands of
our clients; going from standard equipment to
customised equipment for special projects. It is
also necessary to adapt existing equipment and
widen the range to meet the particular needs in
developing countries.
WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE SECTOR
The most important developments have been
achieved as a consequence of higher standards
of security systems, as well as improvements in
design that lead to an increase in useful life and
also less cost of maintenance and assembly.
For example, Alba has released the single
electronic card for machine management.
This has raised the security levels of our
equipment, with back-up security components
in case of the failure of the main one, the
assembly of our parachute break, as well as
a re-design of the whole range of machines
- masts, cabins, etc. All of them compatible
with previous generations, resulting in hoists
and platforms that are lighter and easier
to assemble, as well as tough and with less
maintenance.
WHAT APPLICATIONS ARE GROWING?
As we have mentioned previously, needs are
growing for special applications, for work of
high technical complexity, in the industrial
sector and maintenance to civil engineering
constructions.
There are also increases of applications in
areas such as crane hoists, or elevators adapted
to wind turbines, solar energy plants, etc.
The worldwide market for mast climbing
equipment is still oversized and, so, the
potential for growth goes this way.
AI
Alba units on
a high rise
residential
build.
Alba work
platform in
high-rise
application.
MAST CLIMBERS
High rise
