Leitner-Poma
| File:Leitner-Poma.png | |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2000 |
| Headquarters | Grand Junction, Colorado |
Key people | Rick Spear, President |
Number of employees | 75 |
| Website | leitner-poma.com |
Leitner-Poma of America is a North American aerial lift manufacturer based in Grand Junction, Colorado. It is the North American subsidiary of French-based Poma, which is owned by the Italian company Leitner Technologies. The North American company was formed in 2000 when the Seeber Group, owner of Leitner, bought Poma.[1] Leitner-Poma's only competitor is Doppelmayr CTEC, which is based in Salt Lake City. Leitner-Poma supplies lifts to the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.
Poma of America Before Merger
Jean Pomagalski invented the detachable Pomalift surface tow in 1935, and first brought it to North America in 1952. The first North American Poma brand chairlift was installed in 1958 in Squaw Valley, California for the 1960 Winter Olympics.[2]
Poma's Grand Junction, Colorado manufacturing facility was opened in 1981 in order for Poma to better serve the North American market.[2]
In 1973, the company built its first Gondola in the United States at Big Sky Resort in Montana (removed in 2008). In the following years, Poma built gondolas at Whistler-Blackcomb, British Columbia; Squaw Valley, California (replaced by North America's only funitel); Stowe Mountain Resort, Vermont; and Stratton, Vermont, among others.[3] In total, the company built 205 chairlifts, surface lifts, and gondolas before merging with Leitner.[4]
Leitner Lifts before merger
Leitner had a limited history in North America prior to its merger with Poma of America. Between 1997 and 2001, it installed 21 lifts in the United States and Canada.[4] Customers included Fernie Alpine Resort, Kimberley Alpine Resort, and Big White in British Columbia; Mount Norquay and Lake Louise in Alberta; and Jay Peak, Vermont.[3]
Merger of Leitner and Poma
In 2000, the Seeber Group of Italy purchased Pomagalski, S.A. of France. Although the two remained separate in Europe, the North American operations of each were combined. While it was announced as a merger of Leitner Lifts USA/Canada and Poma of America, Leitner's operations were mostly folded into Poma's. The last Leitner designed lifts were installed in 2001, and since 2002, all lifts produced by the company have been of Poma's design.
After the Merger
In 2009, Leitner-Poma of America moved into a new headquarters in Grand Junction along with other companies owned by Leitner Technologies, including Leitwind, a manufacturer of wind turbines, and Prinoth, a maker of snow groomers.[5] Colorado Governor Bill Ritter attended the grand opening ceremony, which took place during the financial crisis of 2007–2010 at which Leitner-Poma promised to create 100 new jobs.[6]
The company recently won the contract to build the replacement Roosevelt Island Tramway in New York City.[7]
Leitner-Poma's market share continues to trail significantly behind Doppelmayr CTEC.[8]
As both Poma and as Leitner-Poma, the company has built some of the most notable lifts in America, including, among others, the only double loading chairlift in North America (Quicksilver Super6) and the highest chairlift in North America, (Imperial Express SuperChair, topping at 12,840 feet (3,910 m)), both located at Breckenridge Ski Resort in Colorado.
Designs After The Merger
Leitner Poma has consistantly been changing their designs. Here are the designs after the merger.
- Detatchable
- Terminals
- Phatboy Terminal
- Omega Terminal
- Grips
- Omega T-Grip
- Leitner T-Grip
- Carriers
- Omega Carrier
- Terminals
- Fixed Grip
- Terminals
- Alpha Terminal
- Carriers
- Omega Carrier
- Terminals
See also
References
- ^ http://www.leitner-poma.com/merger1.htm
- ^ a b http://www.leitner-poma.com/timeline.htm
- ^ a b http://skilifts.org/install_na.htm
- ^ a b http://skilifts.org/install_survey.htm
- ^ http://www.leitner-lifts.com/content.asp?L=2&subc=2789&idmen=150
- ^ http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2009/01/26/012709_leitner_main.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=7
- ^ http://www.scribd.com/doc/7704003/Roosevelt-Island-Tram-Modernization-Recommendation-and-Supplemental-Material
- ^ http://skilifts.org/install_na2008.htm