Cela and Socage still expanding

Italian truck mount companies Cela and Socage are both expanding their market share by introducing new models and moving into new markets. Fiorenzo Flisi managing director of Socage and Simone Scalabrini sales director of Cela were visitors to the Samoter exhibition held in Verona, Italy 2 to 5 March.

Mr Scalabrini said, We [Cela]are focusing on developing the sales and distribution network. We feel we are well represented in Europe and are expanding into new regions such as South Africa and other parts of the African continent.

"We are restructuring the market network and increasing market share with new and existing dealers. We are also promoting heavily the fire-fighting equipment."

Mr Flisi of Socage said that fter a successful year in 2010 raising turnover from €18 million in 2009 to €28.6 million, he expects similar increases in revenue this year.

According to Mr Flisi the platform for the growth are a combination of developing new mode, increasing market share and a recovery in the market. " We are also focusing on new territories in emerging markets such as Latin America and India."

Although neither company was exhibiting at Samoter, Cela's DT21 truck mounted machine was one of the featured models on the IPAF (International Powered Access Federation) stand. The DT21 was launched at SAIE last year and is notable for its very low profile when the boom is stowed.

The boom has an up-and over height reach of 14m with a 9.5m outreach, and the basket can be lowered below street level. The basket has a 200 kg capacity and a +/- 90deg rotation and the configuration gives the operator access to balconies.

The low profile of the DT21 is designed to make it easy to drive with a low centre of gravity.

Mr Scalabrini said that since SAIE the machine has new software, which allows it to work without stabilisers up to 8.5m and to operate as a crane.

"Already more than 100 machines have been ordered, he said, "and delivery begins this month. The plan is to deliver 20 machines a month."

Socage is being ambitious later this month and demonstrating its Socage 365 mounted on an American pick-up truck at ConExpo. "It's just an experiment," said Mr Flisi, "to see how they react."

Later in the year Socages is planning to introduce a 35m working height truck mounted platform with a 30m outreach. The launch is hoped to be at the Italian lifting show GIS, held in Piacenza in May. The machine will be mounted on a 2.3m wide 7m long 18t GVW Mercedes truck "a very compact package" saifd Mr Flisi.

Cela and Socage were acquired by the same group of investors but operate independently as their own profit centres.