Masonry Magazine September 2010 Page. 20
Coping
With New
Realities
By Jacques Lainé
The major economic downturn of the late-2000s has had negative effects for the manufacturers of mast climbing work platform (MCWP). All agree that, like other industrial products, expenses (purchases and rentals) for MCWP had practically fallen flat, a situation that reflects the absence of private and public investment in traditional sectors of construction since the stock market crash of 2008. This shortage of construction projects has resulted in intensified competition in the industry of MCWP. Some manufacturers have decided to challenge the crisis by sticking to their own product/market (single MCWP for single market). Others saw the crisis coming and planned a new definition of their market strategies.
State of the industry Late-2000s
The growth of the demand for MCWP has increased in the second half of the '90s, a gain influenced by the overall economic growth of the 2000s. In the late-2000s, the industry of MCWP in North America consisted primarily of four manufacturers (Fraco Products Ltd., Hydro Mobile, EZ Scaffold and Klimer), with few additional speakers (Hy-Dek, Alimak Hek, American Mast Climbers.
Ave Maria Oratory, Naples, FL
Fraco's FRSM20K units were used to help stonelayers to complete the front and rear façades of that brand new oratory.
Lagisza power plant, Lagisza, Poland
One ACT-8 unit was modified and used to transport workers along the 437 high exterior wall of a new natural draft hyberbolic cooling tower
The Inn at St. John's (St. John Chapel), Plymouth, MI
Two ACT-8 Fraco units with cranes and bearing bridges were used to repair all four corners of the bell tower
18 MASONRY September 2010 www.masoncontractors.org
The Voice of the Masonry Industry