Xcentric Ripper International S.L. is a Spanish company founded in 2010, which belongs to the Grado Cero Group, born in 1990 and specialized in the manufacture of implements for excavators for sectors such as Public Works and Mining, among others. Currently employs more than 80 workers at its only plant in the city of Vitoria-Gasteiz.
Easy Engineering: A brief description of the company.
XCENTRIC RIPPER INTERNATIONAL: It’s been 10 years since we started with the Xcentric Ripper project and 30 years since the foundation of the original Grado Cero Sistemas SLU. These are very round numbers we intended to celebrate at the SMOPYC International Machinery Expo 2020 in Zaragoza, but unfortunately this fair was cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
As an industrial agent of international reference in the field of heavy machinery, Grado Cero Sistemas SLU. has always displayed a heartfelt vocation in favour of Innovation, which in 2008 was exacerbated due to the crisis.
As the collapse of the construction sector had a notable impact on its activity, Grado Cero Sistemas SLU. turned it around by developing and patenting a new and revolutionary attachment for excavators, the Xcentric Ripper, which actually gives name to the company. This turning point not only opened the international sights of the company (already present in almost 40 countries) but also allowed it to maintain the factory’s activity, ensure the short-medium term and even increase its workforce.
E.E: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
XCENTRIC RIPPER INTERNATIONAL: As hydraulic attachments for excavators, our products are used in any area of activity where works with this kind of machinery is needed: Mining, Quarry, Trenching, Construction, Tunnelling, Frozen ground (Permafrost), Under water, Concrete demolition, Recycling, Selection of materials, etc.
E.E: What’s the news for 2020 about new products?
XCENTRIC RIPPER INTERNATIONAL: With the experience learned from the 2008 crisis, the company anticipated the probable sales fall due to the Covid-19 world wide pandemic expansion, and at the beginning of 2020, Grado Cero concentrated all efforts to start a new business line to its particular industrial group: The Company BSafe; focused on the manufacture of protective masks.
The long history of our company and the ability to assume R&D as part of our DNA, helped to launch this new project in record time, thus offsetting the difficulties for the normal commercial development of the company due to this pandemic.
In parallel with this new business line of the Group, Xcentric Ripper International continues with the development of new hydraulic attachments models, adding the XC34 to complete the whole Xcentric Crusher bucket’s range.
At the same time a new PDM (Product Data management Program) is been implemented in order to track and control data, as the increasing number of products and models require.
E.E: What are the ranges of traded products?
XCENTRIC RIPPER INTERNATIONAL: Xcentric Ripper International, S.L. commercialises the following attachments for excavators:
Hydraulic attachments
Xcentric Ripper – developed with a patented system of “Impact Technology by accumulation of energy”, The Xcentric Ripper is one of the most productive tools for excavation and extraction of rock, and exceeds in most cases the productivity achieved with the hydraulic hammer.
The XR Series 0, with a range of 9 different models is intended for covering excavators from 8 to 150 tons or bigger on request.
The Mining Series is the evolution of the Series 0, having increased its breaking power and developed in a range of 6 different models for excavators from 18 to 140 tons.
Xcentric Crusher – is a consistent quality and high performance with patented technology crusher bucket, for rock crushing and recycling of materials. This XC was awarded at the Smopyc 2017 Fair in Zaragoza, with the “Accésit Smopyc” prize in the “Innovation on equipment, components and auxiliary resources” contest.
For different customers with different needs, different solutions. Starting from the XC “E” series we have developed the XC “A” series increasing productivity and minimizing maintenance, offering to the market a total range of 13 models.
The Xcentric Screener is a high-performance screening bucket rotating trommel type.
We have 4 models for excavators from 18 to 70 tons.
Heavy duty buckets
Different models and sizes for excavators from 0.8 to 120 tons. Buckets for more than 50 ton excavators are built specifically for each machine.
The complete range of buckets is entirely made from HARDOX 400 anti-wear steel plate, and built to match the best load displacement / cost ratio.
Quick Coupler
Our best known coupler is the GO MAX, which was designed with the following factors in mind: minimum impact on the original kinematics, interchangeability with equipment from different brands and models of excavator, improved design to achieve the smallest size adaptable to the various brands, minimum additional weight to the machine, ease fitting, and minimum maintenance.
E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active?
XCENTRIC RIPPER INTERNATIONAL: Difficult to say. As far as we know the market stage is very difficult all over the world due to the Covid-19, but nevertheless we have received quite important purchase orders from countries like India, among others, where the pandemic situation is supposed to be really bad.
In our case, the fact of having a world wide market helps to diversify the origin of purchase orders.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
XCENTRIC RIPPER INTERNATIONAL: The first word I can think of is “uncertainty”. The companies are losing work opportunities due to the “lockdowns” originated by the Coronavirus pandemic, and the governments are spending huge amounts of money in aid programs for the same reason. We cannot say how this will affect to the market trends, but we assume that it will not be anything positive.
E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed?
XCENTRIC RIPPER INTERNATIONAL: One of the words that defines the Company Xcentric Ripper International is Innovation, therefore all our products provide innovation with respect to similar implements already existing on the market. Innovation always oriented to maximize production while reducing costs
E.E: What estimations do you have for 2020?
XCENTRIC RIPPER INTERNATIONAL: We will be satisfied if we can maintain the average current sales, but we will not be surprised if the global market uncertainty affects our clients economic resources, and therefore ours.