Hydro-Mobile aims for new markets

Canadian mast climber manufacturer Hydro Mobile is shifting its export efforts to developing markets in Africa, eastern Europe and the Middle East after having focused exports for the past five years on France, Belgium and Spain.

Yannick Billy, Hydro Mobile's international market director, said it was having success in finding dealers and customers in the Middle East and Russia, where it has a dealer in Moscow, KMZ. The company will also establish a joint venture company in Romania in March and plans to follow that with another in Bulgaria.

Mr Billy said Russia offered “huge potential”, with a lot of masonry buildings being built up to 65 m height. “The way they build is quite the same as the US – masonry and a lot of precast concrete”, he said. The company has around 10 machines working in the country, with its M2 platform proving ideal for the market. “We are just starting”, said Mr Billy.

The company established a new South African joint venture in January, called Hydro Mobile South Africa. Mr Billy said the 2010 World Cup tournament would result in an increase in construction and renovation projects in the country.