Glidepath is on track to sustain its track record of growth in the North American market, winning a significant $21m project to supply a fully integrated baggage handling, sortation and explosive detection system at Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau, Bahamas.
North America, the biggest baggage handling systems market in the world, has been a key financial contributor to the Glidepath Group, delivering year-on-year financial growth for the past five years. In 2009 North America is on track to contribute 50% of the group's $100m annual turnover, justifying fresh investment in plant and people.
In 2008 the manufacturing capacity at the Dallas plant was doubled to 40,000sqft and corporate resources and capability were increased to meet strong demand for automated airport baggage handling and integrated security solutions in line with the Obama administration's investment incentives for infrastructure upgrades to meet homeland security provisions.
North America chief executive officer Matt Williams said Glidepath has a very good reputation for the quality and reliability of its high-technology systems, which it designs, builds, installs and supports with after care service.
"We are ideally positioned to compete as we are equipped with our own US manufacturing and sales infrastructure, local knowledge and international Glidepath network, as well as a proven track record for innovation and reliability, having completed well over 100 projects in the US alone."
Due for completion in 2013, the Nassau project is a three-stage greenfield project that will start with supplying a new 55 counter check-in at the US departures terminal with an 1800 bag/hour inline explosive detection system, bag-weight imaging system and automated baggage sortation with three large makeup carousels totalling 3,500 linear feet and some 300 drives.
Stage two includes three inbound baggage claim systems for international arrivals and stage three comprises a new international/domestic terminal with 42 check-in counters and 3,200 linear feet of baggage handling, security and sortation systems equipment.
"We're excited to be part of this project and it's good to be going back to Nassau working with the airport again, which has been a great Glidepath customer and the design and construction teams," Mr Williams said. "A lot of new ideas and initiatives will be incorporated into the project that will enhance the travel experience."
The latest US win comes on the back of completion of the installation phase of a new baggage handling and security screening system at Reno-Tahoe International Airport, which is due to go live later in 2009.
Earlier this year Glidepath also won the contract to design, manufacture and install a new integrated baggage handling and security screening system at Nashville International Airport in Tennessee. The $32m security project, scheduled for completion in 2010, sees Glidepath contracted to design and build a technologically advanced new system for sorting and detecting explosive devices and compounds in checked baggage.
Glidepath chairman and group managing director Ken Stevens said Glidepath was a truly global company and was targeting growth in a number of key markets including India, where it has just opened an office in Mumbai to support new business, Australasia, where the Sydney operations base has recently been expanded, south-east Asia, China and the US, where Government economic incentives to upgrade airport security and systems are creating new opportunities.
"The US outlook for Glidepath remains positive despite the worldwide recession," Mr Stevens said. "We have a focused strategy based on identifying and pursuing the best prospects for contracts that fit the Glidepath offering and then putting 100% effort into winning those target projects. Our track record of creditable incremental growth, along with the spate of recent wins and healthy order book, is evidence of the success of this approach."
Mr Stevens said Glidepath positioned itself as offering superior value in terms of cost, efficiencies and customisation and has been prepared to make the investment in plant, people, processes, products and systems to compete against the world's largest baggage handling specialty firms.
Twitter