Glidepath News - April 2009

Glidepath has been in business in Australia for 35 years. Most Australian airports, in fact, are likely to have some piece of Glidepath technology.

In the past 18 months the innovative, custom-made engineering and technology company has achieved impressive growth.

"We've won new business, including three big projects at Sydney International Airport and also upgrades or new builds at a number of important regional airports," says General Manager Australia and Asia, Rob Harvey, who is based in his hometown, Sydney. "We've put in additional resource and expertise to fully support our customers and demonstrate our commitment to achieving sustainable growth in the Australian market."

Glidepath provided the new 110 metre baggage carousel for the Southern Reclaim project, designed to support the arrival of new generation A380, as well as other equipment.

"We don't shy away from being challenged to find the best solution for our customers nor do we miss deadlines," Rob says. "The commissioning of the Terminal 1 Pier B Fallback Line at SACL is a good example of how Glidepath works. We try to minimise downtime by working through curfew hours, manage really co-operative and collaborative relationships with the teams concerned, are able to work across all aspects of a job to get integration and have the ability to be flexible to fit with the customer and ensure commissioning is as seamless as possible."

Glidepath also provided more check-in facilities at the Sydney Domestic T2 Terminal for Jetstar Airlines.

"We are able to bring the whole kit," Rob said. "We have a robust and proven product and also genuine knowledge and understanding of what will work best for the airport – and the passenger. We work very well in big, multi-skilled teams and have the first hand experience from completing 500 projects around the world of how to customise a solution and integrate all the core elements."

Elsewhere in Australia, Glidepath has completed CBS upgrades for Newcastle, Rockhampton, Mackay, Port Hedland and Newman airports and is in the process of installing a new cargo handling system at Toll Dnata at Brisbane. Current upgrades at the Perth Qantas Domestic terminal include a substantial amount of Glidepath equipment.

While Glidepath is very much focused on building its market share in Australia from its Sydney base, the company is also pushing new business growth in Indonesia, Philippines, and PNG. Early in the year Glidepath won the baggage handling contract for an Indonesian regional airport.

Meanwhile Glidepath Group has been expanding its activities in India, China and the United States. The manufacturing plant in Texas where Glidepath's North American regional headquarters is based has recently been doubled to service a very healthy order book. This includes a recently awarded USD 32 million contract from Nashville International Airport to design, manufacture and install a new integrated baggage handling and security screening systems