Concrete solutions Husqvarna

concRETE SoLUTIonS

Husqvarna has become a household name in most countries. The well-established Swedish group is a renowned manufacturer of outdoor power products, consumer watering products, concrete cutting equipment and diamond tools for the construction and stone industries. Romana Moares spoke to Mathias Pfitzenmeier, regional managing director of Husquarna Construction Products Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Slovenia, about its recent expansion and plans for the future.

The Husqvarna brand is unique when it comes to the breadth of its product range, with the Construction division offering the whole spectrum of light construction equipment from cutting for rehabilitation to modernisation. “We really are a one-stop shop regarding light construction equipment, a company that continuously innovates its portfolio. The focus on innovation is another aspect that makes us unique,” says Mathias Pfitzenmeier.

He confirms that the last few years have been very successful for the company, with several acquisitions and increasing sales. Husqvarna has always been committed to developing products that meet customers’ needs and are efficient, ergonomic and user-friendly. That was one of the reasons for the recent acquisition of Pullman Ermator, a world-leading manufacturer of dust and slurry management systems for the construction industry. Pullman Ermator was the first company to

integrate the endless bagging system Longopac from Paxxo that enables dust free handling. The innovative dust extractors will complement and extend the range of Husquarna’s concrete cutting, drilling and grinding systems so that the company can provide even more efficient total solutions.

Husqvarna Group’s Construction Division has also signed an agreement to acquire the Floor Grinding Solutions division of HTC Group AB, the market leader in floor grinding solutions, bringing extensive product and application expertise. “We have also acquired Swiss-based Demco Technic AG, a manufacturer of concrete cutting equipment, which will significantly strengthen our position in the Swiss market. So overall, the last two years have been a period of dynamic growth,” Mr Pfitzenmeier explains.

Comprehensive coverage

Husqvarna Construction Products is a market leader in machinery and diamond tools for the construction and stone industry. The product range includes power cutters, flat saws, early entry saws, tile and masonry saws, wall and wire saws, core drilling machines, surface preparation equipment, demolition equipment and diamond tools for concrete cutting and removal.

“The fact that we offer such a wide product range that is being constantly innovated sets us apart from our competitors. By working with us, our business partners can limit the number of their suppliers – they can get most of what they need directly from us. Some of our solutions are unparalleled in the market and that is also what makes us so successful,” Mr Pfitzenmeier points out.

The Construction division has no production site in Germany and focuses purely on marketing, sales and services. It does operate specific service facilities, however, where the customisation and special enhancement of products are carried out.

What is the bestselling product? “It is really hard to single out one specific tool or equipment,” says the area manager. “Some ten years ago I would have said the power cutter was the one that sold most but these days there is not a single product I would pick. The whole portfolio is strong with very even revenue distribution.”

Future trends

With increasing urbanisation and the gradual growth of Europe’s construction industry, the company has every reason to look with optimism into the future. Mr Pfitzenmeier observes that one of the most influential aspects of current development is the switch from

petrol to battery. “This is already happening in the Husqvarna Forest & Garden Division. Gardena, the other brand of Husquarna which specialises in watering and garden tooling, already has a good portfolio of battery-operated equipment. In the harsh construction environment, there is a little more to it but this change will undoubtedly come sooner than later.”

He affirms that the other area on which Husqvarna’s product development specialists in Sweden are focusing at the moment is meeting customers’ requirements in terms of environmental friendliness, noise reduction and dust limitation. “Dust is a big topic at the moment – the aim is to reduce the amount of visible dust but also to reduce the amount of extra-fine particles with a view to improving worker safety. These aspects will drive future product development and we will see a lot of new products addressing these issues in the very near future.”

He also mentions the rising importance of ergonomics as well as remote-control capabilities. “Young people want to work differently; they do not want to put up with the physical drudgery the older generation had to. The working environment will become smarter and ‘connected’ and work will become physically lighter. Our product development engineers are processing all of these challenges to come up with products that can meet sophisticated future requirements.”

In this context Mr Pfitzenmeier mentions the significance of the VDMA membership. VDMA, the largest Mechanical Engineering Industry Association in Europe, represents more than 3200 mostly medium-sized companies in the capital goods industry and provides a platform for information and experience sharing. “The membership is very important and very valuable to us. We attend regular meetings and the information sharing drives new technology.”

Continued growth

Husqvarna’s Construction division, with its subsidiaries around the world and manufacturing locations in more than 10 countries, has a true global footprint. The company regularly introduces new products and innovations at all major trade fairs and shows, such as Bauma in Munich, The World of Concrete in Las Vegas and many more.

With the German economy developing steadily, the area manager remains confident about the coming years. “I believe that we will continue to grow like we have done in the last five years. We have an excellent range of high quality products and there is more to come. While all of our mature markets are growing, we can see big potential in the emerging markets in terms of both infrastructure and housing development. We have just opened a subsidiary in India and will pay special attention to that region.” Given the speed of growth and innovations as well as the economic forecast, it is a safe bet that Husquarna will remain a market leader for years to come. n