AL-KO VTE

Arco, Italy Trento, Italy

Gaiarine, Italy

Arad, Romania

Soliman, Tunisia

AL-KO VTE: the perfect merger

Now that a few months have passed since CBE and Nordelettronica merged into AL-KO Vehicle Technology Electronics S.r.l., let’s take a look at the current situation, in the light of the challenges experienced by the industry and new promising synergies

Words Giorgio Carpi

The merger of CBE and Nordelettronica into AL-KO Vehicle Technology Electronics S.r.l. opens up new horizons for the industry. They are both renowned European brands, specialised in the supply of electronic equipment for the recreational vehicles market, including battery chargers for camper vans, low voltage distribution modules, cable harnesses and control panels. Their strong brand reputations convinced the DexKo Group to maintain the two trademarks without change, to avoid cancelling their 40 years of successful operations in the market. We visited the AL-KO Vehicle Technology Electronics S.r.l. factory in Gaiarine, in the Veneto region (in North-East Italy), to see how the two companies are handling the difficulties of the current situation. “While in the previous year the shortage of components was limited to just a few types of products, especially microprocessors, by the end of 2021 this problem had affected nearly all electronic components even minor items, and in some cases prices have grown out of control,” says Alessandro Chies, one of the MDs of AL-KO Vehicle Technology Electronics S.r.l. “We have made every effort to mitigate the situation, especially in our relations with our clients. We have always been client-focussed, both when Nordelettronica and CBE were competitors and equally so now, as members of a large Group. The situation at the start of 2022 was very challenging, due to the continued difficulty in procuring raw materials, with Covid affecting our vendors’ supply chains. In this situation, which is something we’ve never had to deal with before, we still managed to close the first quarter with almost as good sales figures as 2021, which was a record year. But the prospects for 2022 are dogged by uncertainty. A shortage of chassis

frames is slowing down our clients’ production, and this is affecting the market in which we operate.” CBE and Nordelettronica have always been competitors, but always according to rules of ethical conduct and fair play. In 2018 CBE was acquired by AL-KO Vehicle Technology, and two years later Nordelettronica joined the Group. The two companies have now been merged. We asked Alessandro Chies to recount his personal experience, after having seen CBE from the inside. “Our two companies have always developed very similar products, from electronics to wiring harnesses. The competition between us over the years has been stimulating, and has led us both to develop new projects and technologies and invest in innovation. Uncompromising quality has always been our guiding principle. But it has not been easy to establish a presence in the European market, with its ever increasing quality standards. However both companies were able to gain a good position in the market with our innovation, reliability, professionalism and services. The first thing I discovered when I was able to get to know CBE better was that our two companies share the same DNA. Even behind the scenes. I had experienced the same ups and downs in the market, the same problems, as the managers at CBE. And this is another reason why the merger between us has worked so well right from the start. Nowadays we enjoy complete collaboration between our procurement and technical offices, and our work together is characterised by a good feeling of team spirit. The merger has been a great success and our new working situation enables us to offer our clients a much more complete, robust package, in terms of R&D and production capacity, because we have more plants and more established supply chains to serve our needs,” adds Chies. “We aim to optimise certain product lines and leverage synergies in procurement to maintain a high level of competitiveness, but not at the cost of compromising quality, of course.” We also met Ugo Francescutti, the new MD of AL-KO Vehicle Technology Electronics S.r.l. since May 2022. Born in Pordenone, Italy, 54 years ago, he is a telecommunications engineer with extensive experience in home automation and in the lighting sector, working at companies such as Osram and Fincantieri. “I am thrilled to take on the role of MD in a multinational company such as AL-KO,” says Francescutti “while continuing to deal with electronic products, as I have done throughout my career, in a company where innovation plays a decisive role. Becoming part of

Above: Alessandro Chies

Left: Ugo Francescutti

a close-knit and efficient work group, with great technological expertise and customer satisfaction as a constant goal, is extremely motivating. My experience gained in large multinational companies allows me to enter this great, successful American group with the best spirit.”

NE325: all the charging power you need

The NE325 is a 40A rated DC/DC POWER CONVERTER for recharging service batteries while the vehicle is driving. This booster is especially necessary for use with modern Euro 6 engines, which use Smart Alternators to reduce fuel consumption as required by current regulations, and are thus much less effective in recharging batteries. The 40A version is the most powerful in the range and, with its four user-selectable programs, is able to charge 12V lead acid, AGM, gel, and even LiFePO4 lithium batteries. In the latter case, the DC/DC converter limits the charging current from the

The NE325 DC / DC converter alternator to protect the system against overheating and damage. The NE325’s power really comes into its own when domestic appliances like compressor refrigerators or 12V air conditioning system are run while driving. The unit controls the voltage and current to optimise the battery’s charging cycle. This reduces charging times and prevents permanent damage, thus enabling the battery to remain connected to the charger for long periods of time without risk.

TECHNICAL DATA

Input voltage Nominal battery voltage Maximum output current Output voltage in alternator mode Compatible batteries

Charging curve regulation Variable speed fan Visual indicator Remote signal for the primary line Battery temperature-compensated charging voltage Protection rating Weight

11 Vdc – 15 Vdc 12V 40 A 13,8 Vdc lead acid, gel, AGM and LiFePo4 4 programs yes three coloured LEDs

yes yes

IP20 1,3 kg