Golden Year

At a conference held inBoppard to mark Bomag's 50 years in business it was revealed that in the three years since the Fayat Group acquired it, Bomag has increased its turnover by +50%.

Bomag's products are now manufactured in plants in Germany, the US, China and by licensed partners in India, Malaysia and Japan. Since 1957 the company has developed a product range to include light equipment, asphalt applications as well as soil engineering and landfill equipment.

Jörg Unger, vice president for Bomag marketing and sales said, “At the end of 2004 the turnover of the Bomag Group alone was € 400 million and at the end of this financial year, which finishes on 30 September, the turnover will probably exceed € 600 million.”

Growth

He said the company's growth stems from its core markets of Western Europe and the US and the turnover in growth markets such as Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia is increasing.

The main goals of the company include a +10% annual growth, the expansion of business in Eastern Europe, South America and Asia, market leadership in the light equipment sector and the development of the asphalt equipment range.

Mr Unger said, “One of the most important challenges that we have to face is making our user knowledge, our research and development and ultimately the technology that arises from this, affordable for young economies and countries with low cost structures."

Technology

The research and development programme at Bomag is focusing on effective exciter systems for heavy and light equipment as well as on the adjustment of machine designs for special compaction work. Vice president for engineering at Bomag, Robert Laux said research is also being carried out on the use of new materials in compaction. He said the other main focus for the research department is in measuring technology.

“Here we seek to transfer the technology to other product segments together with further developments in hardware and software to simplify and improve quality controls and checks on site with the aid of surface covering dynamic compaction control,” Mr Laux said.

With regards to milling machines, research focuses primarily on milling technology as well as rotors, cutters and materials, he said.

“On pavers we can use the synergy effects from our compaction equipment, especially when dealing with the screed and drive technology,” he added.

Meanwhile, in the light equipment segment, a new programme of tampers and vibratory plates has been developed, he said.

President of the Fayat Group, Jean-Claude Fayat, said road building equipment accounts for about 40% of the business.

He said, “I would like to come back to the specific nature of our profession, to our expertise, because when you think about it that is what most sets us apart from the major players in the construction industry. We are specialists."