Cableways Impact Assessment Study - Final Report - saferail.nl

Risk & Policy Analysts
Changes in Portfolio of Manufacturers
As discussed above, the core or traditional markets of Western Europe, particularly
France, Austria, Switzerland and Italy (as well as North America and Canada) are
maturing and, as a result, emphasis is now being placed on the maintenance (revision,
modification) and upgrading of existing installations in these areas. This comes at a
detriment to the installation of new cableways and the development of new resorts.
For many cableways manufacturers, maintenance activities now account for a
significant part of business. Operators now attempt continuous innovation on
cableways installations rather than simply conducting basic maintenance activities
which allows installations to become out of date and obsolete (Mayer, 2009).
According to data from the cableway manufacturer Poma maintenance of installations
now equates to approximately 1/3 of total business (Le Moci 2010). It is estimated
that the annual maintenance cost of a gondola is 1.5% of the cost of purchasing the
installation (Commision de la Sécurité des Consommateurs, 2009). As a result
manufacturers are turning their attention toward new and emerging markets such as
the new EU Member States in Eastern Europe (EC, 2010).
According to Remontées Mécaniques Suisses (2010), Switzerland saw an investment
of around €645 million in cableways in 2008 and 2009 (combined). This sum was
mostly invested the replacement of old installations by technologically innovative
installations which deliver higher performance and are more comfortable. On the
other hand, investment in new installations was below that of previous years. Also,
Swiss cableways operators have increased investment in additional services such as
restaurants and hotels in an attempt to offset the weather dependence of the sector.
2.6.2 Products and Product Pricing
The unique nature of cableways installations, the varying types of cableways available
and the competitive nature of the industry, means pricing is difficult to discuss and
costs difficult to estimate. Furthermore, as cableways are made according to the
specific requirements of each situation, comparing the prices of different
manufacturers is also difficult. Table 2.34 presents examples of prices of different
cableways installations; several examples are provided for each category in attempt to
illustrate the range of prices possible for each type of installation.
There are indications that the Directive may have impacted product prices but the
extent of this development is not clear. The Slovenian Ministry of Infrastructure and
Spatial Planning stated that cableways became slightly more expensive following the
Directive but this is not only because of the Directive but also due to a reduction in
the number of manufacturers. On the other hand, according to an SME cableway
manufacturer, product prices increased substantially because of the Directive.
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