Aircraft ramp manufacturer, Aviramp, is celebrating a record-breaking 2024 with ambitious plans for growth over the next 12 months.
Specialising in step-free, non-slip boarding ramps for aircraft, Aviramp saw annual sales top GBP 9 million last year. There are currently around 750 Aviramps in use around the world with North America, Europe and Australasia markets all performing well. The company’s low-angled, non-slip boarding ramps and bridges are used when an aircraft is parked on a remote stand and offer a safe, dignified alternative to stairs and separate ambulifts for wheelchair users and other passengers with reduced mobility.
Collaborations with Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris for the Paralympic Games, as well as major deals with US operators, including a GBP1.2 million deal with Frontier Airlines and a near GBP 500,000 contract with US giant Delta Airlines, were highlights of 2024, according to CEO Graham Corfield. The company also enjoyed continued success in the Australasian market, clinching a deal to supply a solar-powered ramp at Melbourne and announced a new maintenance service for customers investing in its ground support equipment (GSE) in 2024.
He revealed the UK company hopes to expand its Telford facility and open a new facility in the US. “We have started work to introduce lean manufacturing principles which are already starting to pay dividends, with a 300 per cent increase in production in our early trials,” he noted. “We are also keen to forge new relationships with outside contractors – aluminium and steel fabricators and hydraulic and electrical wiring loom specialists in particular – to help us service the growth in sales both now and in the future,” he continued, hinting at future plans.
With a focus on sustainable GSE, Aviramp’s demand has been driven by its unique solar-powered range of ramps. Even in the most challenging climates, a single charge is enough to power up a ramp for a full day, according to the company.
“At a time when everyone is talking the UK down, it’s great to be proving people wrong by leading the world in what we do,” concluded Corfield. “I get a huge thrill every time I see an Aviramp in use anywhere in the world.”
Image source: Aviramp