Excellence in performance, economy, efficiency and reliable design has earned PRINOTH the reputation of being the most innovative provider of efficient snow groomers. Through acquisition opportunities in 2009 and 2011, PRINOTH diversified its portfolio to include two additional business units — tracked vehicles and vegetation management equipment (attachments and carriers) — for use in a range of applications under the most demanding and difficult conditions. PRINOTH is part of the parent group, High Technology Industries, which has 61 affiliates, more than 100 sales and service points, and 3,500 employees worldwide.
Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
PRINOTH: If we limit ourselves to our production activities, PRINOTH could best be summed up as “excellence on tracks”. The PRINOTH company began producing snow groomers in South Tyrol, Italy, in the 1960s. Over the years PRINOTH has established itself as a technology leader in this field and today we are leading in the snow business in terms of hardware and software technologies (e.g. SNOW HOW), further training for operators and technicians through our PRINOTH Academy or as a partner for major events. At our production site in Granby, Canada, we produce tracked vehicles for off-road construction applications. Our third business, mulching equipment, has their competence centre for vegetation management in Herdwangen, near the German shore of Lake Constance. Both of these additional businesses have a focus on the largest industry in the world, construction, and come from a long tradition of innovation as well. To our customers, PRINOTH stands for excellent customer service worldwide.
E.E: What’s the news for 2020 about new products?
PRINOTH: As an innovation and technology leader, together with our sister companies we invest in the latest technologies and adapt them to the changing current needs of our customers. With regard to climate change issues, we are in close contact with our customers and support them in ensuring optimal seasonal and winter operation. We launched the PRINOTH Academy, a brand new innovative education system for our operators and mechanics in all our branches that allows remote learning to a wide extent.
After launching our latest carrier vehicle RAPTOR 500 (Heavy Duty with a Cummins 440 HP) for tough applications in rough terrain, we set a focus on updating our current product portfolio especially in the fast grown market of hydraulic attachments in North America. The European market stick to mechanical attachments for tractors, like our mulching head M650m TURBO for tractors from 200 to 400 HP. PRINOTH is also working on emission-reduced drive systems, e.g. electromobility, hydrogen propulsion, etc., and will present new developments in this area in the near future.
E.E: What are the ranges of traded products?
PRINOTH: Our PANTHER rubber tracked vehicles are constantly gaining market shares in a highly competitive market. PRINOTH designs its PANTHER crawler carriers to the highest productivity and efficiency standards and our vehicles provide superior fuel economy, a lower cost of ownership and the best resale value on the market. Produced in seven sizes, they are able to be outfitted with virtually any implement and are a real asset for many off-road jobs for example in electric utility, oil and gas or land reclamation. The solutions we offer in vegetation management range from hydraulic- and PTO-driven Mulchers, Carrier vehicles to an in-house innovative tool system … the portfolio is wide-ranging from 50 to 650 HP.
As to snow grooming, PRINOTH is considered as innovation leader with its snow grooming vehicles, attachment systems as well as snow managing software.
E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active?
PRINOTH: The winter business is facing hard times this year and no one can be sure as to where this will lead in the next few years, even months. PRINOTH, however, is well-prepared to adopt to whatever new circumstances we will face.
We have very satisfactory results with our multi-purposed tracked vehicle sector and we are looking to develop the business in other regions as well. Actually, we have just recently signed a new contract with a Romanian dealer called TITAN Technik AG in Pielești. Then, infrastructure projects are on the rise to help the economy recover from the Covid crisis and PANTHER rubber tracked dumpers are likely to be widely used in numerous industries.
The vegetation management sector is also likely to see a hype in demand in the coming months as they are also widely used in infrastructure and their maintenance projects. The sector is seeing an increase in interest and becoming an area of focus for numerous tradeshows in North America and other regions. What’s more, it is very international and widely diversified. We have sold carriers to very exotic destinations such as Cuba and Siberia thanks to their various application possibilities.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
PRINOTH: Sustainability surely is a core value in all three segments that gains consideration at clients’ side. For our machines this means most of all a long-sighted total cost of ownership: our products are an investment for life, low maintenance and robust.
On behalf of winter tourism, I see growth in Russia and Asia, especially in China where the Olympic Games will take place in 2022. But also, in other destinations through our development of special applications.
With our off-road construction tracked vehicles, the constantly increasing demand for our machines is widening in terms of applications. Where we were seeing mainly the electric utility as a request before, we are now serving several other industries. Though this demand is stable, new industries focus more and more on environmental projects like hurricane disasters relief, land reclamation, shore erosion control, and so on, often needing vehicles to enter marsh lands, lakes and oceans even.
The Vegetation Management sector was mainly a harvesting and forestry business but is quickly becoming a utility business as well. Right-of-way maintenance and land clearing for oil and gas, electric utility, solar and wind farm maintenance for example are increasing. The recognition of PRINOTH vegetation management has risen sharply in recent years through new product lines and product expansions, resulting in increased market share. In the US market, which is the most dynamic, we introduced the very successful M450 series two years ago. That has been very well received by the customers as best performing mulcher.
E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed?
PRINOTH: Our snow groomers enable us to handle snow with care: technologies such as snow depth measurement and fleet management make it possible to prepare considerably more slopes with less snow than just a few years ago. With SNOW HOW we provide the necessary knowledge for sustainable slope management. We are known for the cleanest and most efficient fleet of snow groomers in the world and will affirm this position with new engine technologies to be presented in the nearest future.
In 2011, following more than 3 years of research and development, and an array of PRINOTH-exclusive innovations, the PANTHER platform was introduced and has not stopped evolving since. PRINOTH’s PANTHER vehicles have an exclusive large wheel tandem suspension undercarriage which provides unparalleled off-road mobility and comfort. Its elevated engine position provides optimal fording depth of up to 1,397 mm (55 in.) and allows vehicles to enter bodies of water up to a good height. There are many patents on our PANTHER vehicles which the team is really proud of.
Also, in vegetation management we are using the know how inside the company regarding digitalization of the market.
E.E: What estimations do you have for 2020?
PRINOTH: As the year is about to close, I’d say that we will see the outcome of our investments and efforts positively. With the times ahead, it is important not to lose the flexibility acquired and make the organisation ready for change. PRINOTH will continue to follow the path it has taken and take advantage of the potential that a large company offers, both in research and development and financial terms. For 2021 we have many innovations at hand and are well prepared for what is to come, following the same principles with which we started in the 1960s: technology, innovation, quality, reliability and customer focussed. With this great team of dedicated people, we are optimistic about the future!
