Founded in 1989, Faber-Com is an Italian company specialized in the field of electronics applied to mobile hydraulics. Its main activity is the design, production and sale of controls for hydraulic machines, mainly: electronic cards for machine management (e.g. proportional regulators, load limiters, CAN interfaces), joysticks, sensors and integrated control systems.
Furthermore, the company is the official SCANRECO dealer for Italy and is also in charge of following different areas in the world for the sales of SCANRECO radio remote controls and spare parts.
Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
FABER-COM: Today, Faber-Com is active in more than 60 Countries worldwide, supporting OEMs and system integrators in the mobile hydraulic fields. The applications served include, but are not limited to, truck mounted cranes, aerial platforms, drilling rigs, agricultural machines, concrete pumps, lifting machines, excavators, vehicles for municipalities and much more.
E.E: What’s the news for 2020 about new products?
FABER-COM: In the end of 2019, Faber-Com has presented a completely new range of solutions, that has been gradually introduced in the first quarter of 2020:
- The MAP3, a single axis joystick, available with PWM, voltage or CAN bus output, specifically designed for marine applications;
- The CPD, a brand new, programmable, proportional regulator for the control able to directly command a couple of proportional coils, starting from an analogue reference signal in the range 0.5V ÷ 2.5V ÷ 4.5V;
- The FIPR-C, a 2-axis, redundant inclination sensor with CAN bus output, suitable for safety applications (e.g. aerial platforms);
- The PCG, a multifunction proportional joystick handle with an integrated electronic card that can directly command a couple of PWM proportional solenoids.
E.E: What are the ranges of traded products?
FABER-COM: Originally specialized in cable remote controls for hydraulic cranes, Faber-Com has developed during the years a full range of solutions, that allows the company to satisfy all needs in the mobile hydraulic sector and provide complete packages as well as complete, integrated control systems to its customers. Nowadays, the company produces and develops:
- Electronic joysticks on 1, 2 or 3 axes;
- Proportional regulators for the control of up to 8+8 solenoids;
- Ramp generator devices;
- Load limiters for cranes, aerial platforms and forklifts;
- Outrigger control devices;
- Inclination and planarity sensors;
- Salt spreader control systems;
- CAN interface cards;
- Electro-hydraulic actuators for retrofit applications, in order to implement its range of Scanreco radio remote controls also on machines that lack electric control.
E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active?
FABER-COM: Although it faces huge competition from the big international players, Faber-Com still managed to affirm itself on the world market and obtain the trust of a wide range of customers spread all over the world.
This was possible mainly thanks to its flexibility in providing customized solutions, a quick and efficient support service and the ability to be a „one-stop partner” capable of helping its customers with all the aspects of the project, during all phases of its development.
Today, the company is addressing a new challenge, trying to expand even more the range of its applications, trying to promote the adoption of electronic control solutions in markets (such as agriculture and municipality vehicles) that are still not used to the implementation of complex control systems.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
FABER-COM: Unfortunately, similarly to all other sectors, COVID19 did have a big impact on the mobile hydraulic market.
All the lockdowns across Europe, as well as the global consequences of the pandemic lead to a generalized drop in sales between the first and the second quarter of 2020.
However, starting from May, Faber-Com witnessed a bounce back of the whole market, which allowed the company to recover almost completely from the negative effects derived by the first wave of the virus. Almost surprisingly, these positive results were observed in all the sectors Faber-Com is active in, starting from agriculture and logistics, to arrive to mining and construction.
E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed?
FABER-COM: Moreover, 2020 was marked by the introduction of a big innovation, that is radically changing the work of truck operators and whose sales are increasing day by day, due to its several benefits.
In recent years, truck manufacturers (e.g. Scania, Volvo and other) have been launching vehicles with integrated external steering interfaces. Thanks to that, Faber-Com was able to develop a unique radio remote truck driving system that can be easily implemented on any type of truck with the above-mentioned interface. Furthermore, in order to provide a turnkey solution, the integrated system developed by Faber-Com includes all the necessary components: a CAN bus controller, to be interfaced with the OEM’s external steering input; a customized Scanreco radio remote control; the complete interface wiring and a dedicated tower light for warning purposes.
The key of the success of this new system can be identified in two main benefits:
- The possibility to control the vehicle from distance and have better visibility, whenever driving it in narrow or dangerous areas;
- The time saving in load and unload operations, thanks to the possibility for the operator to carry out all the phases autonomously.
E.E: What estimations do you have for 2020?
FABER-COM: To sum up, it can be said that notwithstanding the instability caused by the global pandemic and the uncertainty about future developments, Faber-Com’s outlook for 2020 and beginning remains positive.
According to the company’s expectation, the bounce back registered during the whole second part of 2020 will allow the company to attain at least the same results of 2019 in terms of turnover.
For sure, the demand from big OEMs in the following months will play an important role in the determination of the final results, but, also thanks to the new opportunities generated by the new applications and solutions developed, overall expectations towards the future are optimistic.