Slovenia, the green jewel of Europe, situated between the Alps, the Mediterranean, and the vast plain of Panonia, embodies all the beauty of the old continent. Before gaining its independence in 1991, Slovenia used to be one of the republics composing the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Lying furthest in the north, Slovenia shares with its neighbours – Austria and Italy – not only common borders, but also an active hard-working mentality. Before independence, Slovenia used to be the most industrialised and technologically advanced republic in the Yugoslav Federation.
The break up
It should not come as a surprise that the crane industry has known a long history in Slovenia – 70 years. However, the industry has gone through a series of crises resulting from the loss of the Yugoslav market, followed by a loss of the Third World market (as a consequence of Slovenia’s separation from Yugoslavia). The policy of rapid economic adjustment, namely the massive process of de-nationalisation undertaken by the Slovenian government, boosted unemployment figures and many workers fell victim to those drastic measures. Thus, for example a “giant” which used to employ 4,800 people is now operating only with 10% of its former capacity. The process of privatisation forced an internal reform in the crane industry; thus a number of smaller centres have replaced part of the activities of the “mother company”. However, the latter is still responsible for the main production of the cranes.
The main problems faced by the crane industry in Slovenia:
High cost of capital – Slovenian banks offer credit with a very high interest rate. Therefore most companies seek capital abroad, namely in Italy or in Austria. Others ask for a 60% advance in order to purchase raw material and the minimum salary for their workers.
“Wild privatisations” – some company directors deliberately lead the company to bankruptcy in order to buy it after its price has fallen drastically, due to the catastrophic management.
Loss of markets in the former Yugoslavia.
Leading companies
A few companies are still producing cranes in spite of the difficulties in which the whole industry finds itself at the moment. Among these are:
Metalna Ltd emerged from the aforementioned process of readjustment. Its production and services are based on a 70-year tradition of appreciative knowledge and experience in the field of comprehensive technology and production of hydro mechanical, materials handling and processing equipment. Designing and manufacturing materials handling equipment and cranes are based on long standing tradition and worldwide references. More than 1,000 cranes and material handling units have been manufactured by Metalna, meeting the demand for cranes (overhead travelling, gantry, semi-gantry slewing, tubular), equipment and devices for container terminals, open cast mining, bulk cargo and high rack warehouses. Metalna operates with 350 workers and 49 engineers and an annual flow of capital reaching between DM80m and DM100m. Metalna has been partially privatised and is now working in close cooperation with partners from Germany, such as Noell.
Ports with Metalna dockside cranes include Chalna in Bangladesh, Praha in the Czech Republic, Krems in Austria, Montreal in Canada, and Takoradi in Ghana.
Gopla was the first private company. It was founded in 1990 with an aim of establishing a small and flexible company, adapted to European standards and traditions, offering complete engineering, from design to manufacture. Gopla employs former employees of Metalna, and so benefits from the rich experience that Metalna gained on projects around the world. At the moment, the company has an annual capital flow of DM6m and employs more than 100 workers.
Mostovna is a semi-governmental company which operates in the production and engineering of warehousing systems, stacker cranes, overhead travelling cranes, portal cranes and other special types. The company has a long tradition in machine building and more than 30 years’ experience in the field of lifting technology systems, of transport techniques and engineering. Mostovna offers a complete design, construction, automatic operation, manufacture and assembly service anywhere in the world. At present Mostovna employs about 100 workers (compared to 1,200 in 1990) and seven engineers. Annual capital flow is DM5m.
Bright future
As far as the future of the industry is concerned, a quick glance at the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Ljubljana will reveal that the Slovenian crane industry can meet the challenge posed by the swift changes which took place in the 1990s. There are 1,320 undergraduate and 60 postgraduate students (50 MScEng and 10 PhD) enrolled at the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Ljubljana. Undergraduate studies are free of charge at the university and some government grants are available to outstanding postgraduate students.
In the branch of Lifting and Transport Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Ljubljana, there are currently 10 students studying for BScEng degrees, seven Engineers, one MScEng and one student studying for a PhD.
Prof Eng Ivan Munda and Dr Janez Kramar should be specially thanked for their contribution to the development of the crane industry.
