On the occasion of the 2nd Jekko Dealer meeting, our CEO Diego Tomasella was interviewed by Rüdiger Kopf from the German magazine Kran&Bühne.
Here below you can read the translation of the orginal article “Sieben Meilens Stiefel” from July’s issue.
Suddenly the world has changed. In the last years, Jekko’s name has been shining in the minicrane world. Even though being known just from a few years, it has been able to find his place under the great names of this niche industry through fresh, innovative ideas.
5 years ago this company, located in Colle Umberto a town in north of Venice, produced only 80 minicrane per year. In 2017 there there will be 250 – or three times more. And that’s not all. Over the next few years, the production will increase, therefore reaching 400 units produced, all this in a niche industry.
This is the reason why a further plant was purchased, located 500 m from the headquarters. With a 12,000 m² surface, 3,900 m² of which are covered, the plant was recently set up, with an outdoor testing area specifically built – Jekko organized very well.
“Already in 2015 we saw that a change was coming,” says Diego Tomasella. Jekko’s CEO also remembers the dynamics of 2016. “With the Bauma exhibition we earned many contracts. That was the spark from which the production started boosting. ” In May and June 2016 they looked for a suitable space, in October they acquired a new area, whose construction began in November, according the needs of the company. “So in March we kicked off the production,” says Tomasella, smiling. The “old” plant hasn’t been dismantled, now it became the welding plant. In the new one, the work is organized as in assembly lines – in clean, bright conditions and with a three-line layout. This allows us to increase vertical integration” explains the CEO.
He was the first to see the advantage of all this, allowing Jekko to be more flexible answering to orders, especially when the demand is very high. And of course, quality controls are made in a short distance. According to Tomasella, the total investment amounts to around three million Euros.
The fact that Jekko is growing is also visible in the rising number of dealers. The company invited dealers from all around the world to the inauguration; not only German dealers like Nordkran and Bavarialift, but also those from countries such as China, Singapore, South Korea, Mexico, Colombia, Canada and the USA took part into the event, just to name some of the 30 attendees. A dozen dealer were present at the first Dealer Meeting. [2014 t.n.]
So where is Jekko’s path going? “Our new challenge is to find us in a continuous growth, as the demand is growing. We do not have just a new plant. The team in increasing, we currently have 54 employees and also the sales and after-sales service is strengthening” Tomasella says. And there is no doubt that such a big event will bring small and big brand new products. Thanks to the collaboration with Fassi, there was the possibility to combine machine components.
New models were introduced with the JF name: the powerful JF545 can lift up to 15.5 tons and its main boom reaches up to 28 meters. Loads can be lifted to a height of 30 meters. It occupies overall 5.45 m in length, 1.84 m in width 2.75 m in height during transport. Weighting 15 tons, the crane is easily transportable. With a stabilization area of 6.7 to 6.7 meters, this great minicrane still remains under the values of other similar models. In addition, thanks to the articulated boom, the jib can be installed at a height of 18 m to add up other 10 meters of outreach.
This is a combination of a Fassi crane on the classic minicrane’s chassis, but with specific adjustemnts to fit this type of crane. Weight and height are therefore optimally calculated to allow the best transport possible, always with a total weight of 15 tons. “In the meantime we received about 15 orders for the JF545, and others are in negotiations,” Tomasella says, looking at the advantageous collaboration with Fassi. With the means Jekko currently has, two of these cranes could be assembled per month.
The smaller JF30 and JF40 are differently introduced. As the CEO says, “these models are closer to the end customer. They have fewer features, they are essentially basic but are easy to carry and use. These are the products that will open the doors to a conservative market.” A fact, this, which he also believes to be positive.
“Jekko will definitely not be in the first or second place in the minicrane industry in the next years, but we can certainly increase our competitiveness. Our goal has always been to introduce ourselves on the market bringing new ideas. In a conservative market with an audience faithful to its brands, small models allow us to open many doors. ”
And what a Dealer Meeting would be if we did not get a preview of some new model? So the first drawings of the SPK90, a 9-tonne crane, the “big sister” of the SPK60 was also presented.
