TA_Magazine_2005-1_english

MAGAZINEMAGAZINE

1-0

5

Simply perfect The new A9 lance

A champion is made, not born

Bormio 2005: perfect conditions, even without natural snow

Deeply rooted yet fl exible

Both feet have to be fi rmly planted on the ground to be able to raise your arms

to the sky: 15 years of TechnoAlpin

Without bordersThe home court advantage in

every corner of the planet

For the last 15 years:

Always one step ahead

Cover picture: The revolutionary head of the A9

COLOPHON: Host: © TechnoAlpin AG/Spa · Via Copernico / Kopernikusstr. 6 A · 39100 Bolzano/Bozen · Alto Adige/Südtirol/South Tyrol · Italia/Italien/Italy

Tel. +39 0471 550 550 · Fax +39 0471 200 441 · [email protected] · www.technoalpin.com · Concept and content: Dott.ssa Irmi Prader · Editing: TechnoAlpin

Graphic design: dv media, Bressanone · Print: Satzzentrum, Bressanone · Reprints permitted provided the source is indicated and with prior approval by the host.

TechnoAlpin AG/Spa - Kopernikusstraße 6 A - I-39100 Bozen / Via Copernico, 6 A - I-39100 Bolzano - Tel. +39 (0471) 550 550 - Fax +39 (0471) 200 441 - [email protected] Austria GmbH - Stadlweg 25 - A-6020 Innsbruck - Tel. +43 (0512) 341 501 - Fax +43 (0512) 341 501-4 [email protected] Deutschland GmbH - Unterfeldring 27 - D-85256 Pasenbach - Tel. +49 (08139) 995 225 - Fax +49 (08139) 995 [email protected] Schweiz AG - Aschoren - Postfach 43 - CH-6454 Flüelen - Tel. +41 (0)41 874 50 00 - Fax +41 (0) 41 874 50 05 - [email protected] France S.A.R.L. - 46 A Chemin du Moulin Carron - F-69570 Dardilly / Lyon - Tel. +33 (0) 437 497 959 - Fax +33 (0) 437 490 [email protected] Canada, Snow Experts Inc. - Box 42 Pemberton BC - Canada VON 2LO - Tel. +1 (604) 219 8240 - Fax +1 (604) 894 [email protected] USA Inc. - 2065 Mahre Dr. - Park City - Utah 84098 - Tel. +1 (435) 649 6610 - Fax +1 (435) 649 7572 - [email protected] East Europe s.r.o. - Riecna 31 - 01004 Zilina - Slowakische Republik - Tel. +421 (41) 700 2644-5 - Fax +421 (41) 700 2646 - [email protected]

Alex - Sofi a - Bulgaria - Casli SA - División Nieve - Madrid - Spain - Glassey s/a - Martigny - Switzerland - Hae in Commerce Co., Inc. - Seoul - KoreaMonte N. Nulikas & Co. - Veria - Greece - Kessu OY - Helsinki - Finland - Skiare Pty Ltd - Brisbane - Australia - Snowtech AB - Sunne - SwedenTechnoAlpin - Brasov - Romania - TechnoAlpin Liaison Offi ce - Tokyo - Japan - Tehnounion - Ljubljana - Slovenia - TechnoAlpin Russia - Moscow - Russia

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TECHNOLOGY

PRACTICE

15 YEARS

WORLDWIDE

CONTENTS

LIFE

Continuity and progress

If in the last 15 years TechnoAlpin has become the world market leader in the snowmaking, this is thanks to the trust which you, friends and customers, have placed in the snow experts and their technology. This means a lot to us and is stimulating us to continue with enthusiasm every day.The last year, we have worked very hard to develop new solutions able to offer more advantages in terms of effi ciency, price, snow quality and quantity. Our efforts have resulted in the development of the new A9V snow lance, XE valve and M12, which are described at page 4 onwards.Leaving a mark upon the world, being one step ahead of others and managing to maintain this lead in the future: these factors are all closely related to the depth and fl exibility of the company. This is why we like to remember the beginning and the present through a photo album remembering, in particular, the event that took place last winter: the Alpine World Ski Championships, organised by FIS in Bormio, where TechnoAlpin were the offi cial sup-plier. Eng. Canclini, the technical and snowmaking director, will take us on a “behind-the-scenes” tour.A strong territorial tie and the will to always look ahead are values also shared by our staff. Indeed, it is our staff who make the difference, who help us shaping our and your success. We are pleased to introduce the people and organisation behind TechnoAlpin.

Your trust is our motivation for the future!

TechnoAlpin‘s management boardErich GummererWalter RiederGeorg Eisath

The new A9 Perfect technology for your progress 4Adapting instead of replacing The XE valve with countless combinations 5Effi ciency = M12 system Combinding resources 6

World Ski Championships Bormio 2005 Superb performance 7Looking at autumn End of season operations 9

World Ski Championships Bormio 2005 The main event of the season 11Meeting friends TechnoAlpin‘s trade show calendar 2005 12Knowledge makes the difference Technical training and site visits 12

Down-to-earth and fl exibility The snow experts‘ keys to success 14

Home court advantage! 18Always at your service! TechnoAlpin‘s international team 20

Always look to the future to leave a mark upon the world.

Simply perfect!

Just like great athletes have to keep training to achieve top results, the TechnoAlpin engineers are continually striving to improve the snow lances. The A9 aims to gain the number one ranking in its market place.

The most obvious feature of the A9 is its rounded head, which is a one-piece aluminium casting, con-taining 8 fi xed water nozzles, 6 adjustable water nozzles and nucleators. “The essentials are invisible to the eye”. With this quote from Saint-Exupery we can also describe the outstanding feature inside the lance head: a special antifreeze system that protects it even in extreme conditions.

The innovative nozzles feature greater with wind resistance and coverage area. Furthermore, the new nozzles feature increased throw that has positive ef-fect on the crystallisation process, and therefore on the improved snow quality

Even the mechanical structure confi rms unambi-guously the overall high quality of the A9: the lance pipe is made of aluminium, and the pluiting has been raised higher to improve the integration of the control panel and devices on the structure. Space requirements have been reduced, making the A9 even more compact.

Because of this the A9 offers greater wind and freezing resistance, increased throw range, enhanced snow quality, ideal control of the snow coverage area, overall weight reduction and excellent operation.

Ernst Thurnes, Serfaus (AUT) ski area manager comments: “I’ve been using ten A9 units for 3 months and I’m very satisfi ed. They don’t freeze and I can assure you that this is a totally new feature for a snow lance, considering the extremely variable wind condi-tions and very cold water (33° F). Furthermore, the snow quality is exceptional. It’s a very successful pro-duct. I can assure you, because I’ve tried many other products.

TechnoAlpin’s state-of-the-art A9 snow lance is capable of operating at extreme temperatures and withstanding highly variable wind conditions, as well as producing excellent snow quality.

Photo: A9 lance head · A9 in the Dolomites and Bormio

TECHNOLOGY

45

The adaptable world champion!

ve can be activated outside the shelter with a value exten-sion. The spindle is provided with an adapter plate that serves as support and guide for the drive unit.The XE valve can be operated in three modes: manually, by locking the lever in the up position, electrically, by means of the E motor, or using the new light XE motor.XE valve with XE motor: light, fl exible and versitileThe XE motor is the evolution of the E motor, offering a light structure, ease of use and functionality. The structural elements have been assembled with a special technique that has reduced the weight by more than the half.The XE valve with fi xed XE motor and camlock fi tting can be transferred from one shelter to another and used to adjust water pressure. In this case, the connection need an isolation valve.

The complete XE valve may be used for a few mobile units with many connection points.

For fi xed installations, we recomand that each shelter is equipped with the XE valve, which can be activated by the existing E motor or XE motor.

TechnoAlpin’s XE valve represents an important impro-vement in terms of fl exibility, simplicity and cost.

The XE valve has been designed to provide a modular system with a great price, capable of adapting to custo-mers needs and integrated in existing solutions.The result is a easy to handle and compact valve, which can be opened and closed manually or electrically. The most important advantage, however, is the possibility to change from one operating mode to another at any time, without having to modify the valve.

Small ski areas usually start off with a few mobile units (manual or automatic) and the manual XE valves. Later the installation is gradually extended, automated or replaced by fi xed snow guns. An XE motor can be attached to the XE valve easily and quickly without having to make any modifi cation, or if the installation is using the E motor, it can be connected to the valve as well. The XE motor valve, for stationary installation inside the shelter, offers the highest level of automation currently available.

Construction: The XE valve body consists of the proven conical closure and seat system, water inlet and outlet and a fi ne thread spindle, delivering precise water fl ow adjustments. The val-

Flexible with an excellent quality/price ratio! These are some of the unbeatable features of Techno Alpin‘s newest generation of connection points: the XE valve.

TECHNOLOGY

Photo: The XE valve blends in with its surrounding environment with the ease of a chameleon.

Effi ciency = M12 system

Our primary goal in all our work is to enhance effi ciency. There are two ways to achieve it: either increasing performance using the same input, or re-ducing the input while maintaining the same perfor-mance. With the M12, TechnoAlpin offers a complete-ly new solution, which does not sacrifi ce performance or quality of materials, but redistributes the existing resources, thus drastically reducing costs. These resour-ces are air and controls.

The M12 system features centralised air supply; therefore, the machine does not require a stand-alone compressor. Furthermore, the machine is controlled by a centralised control unit, so the snow generator does not require another control panel.

With the new M12 system, TechnoAlpin has focus-ed on the mixed installation segment, in order to meet the needs of customers who require a small, compact fan gun that can be used where the snow lance is not enough, where wind conditions limit the use of snow lances and where huge guns on tower are not necessary. The M12 system can be easily integrated in a centralised lance installation or used alone.

Effi ciency = performance / input. The M12 system, the latest star in the M class family, maximises this ratio, due to its central air supply and centralised controls.

M12 technical data Total height 5,25 m (207’’)

Working height 4,5 m (177’’)

Weight snow generator 450 kg (990 lb)

Fan engine 9 kW Min. water pressure 8 bar (120 PSI)

Max. water pressure 40/50 bar (600/750 PSI)

Fixed nozzles 4Variable nozzles 8Nucleators 4

TECHNOLOGY

In terms of turbine structure, the M12 system fi ts perfectly in the M class range.

The reliable and tested TechnoAlpin technologies, such as the Quadrijet nozzles, special nozzle ring, ex-ternal turbine motor, etc. are all present in the M12 system. The M12 system has been designed for the mounting on all common tower and arm constructions.

The M12 is also available as automatic or manual version, on tower, on arm or as mobile version.

Photo: M12 automatic

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67

Bormio 2005 will be remembered as THE World Championships without a single fl ake of natural snow. Eng. Pasquale Canclini, technical director and slope manager at Bormio, tells us how this problem was overcome and hew the races were held in the best conditions possible.

Bormio 2005 a challenge won brilliantly

A month after the World Championships in Bormio, in retrospect, what do you think of it?

P.C.: A lot has been said and written on the organi-sational aspects. But what we remember are the exciting races held on perfect runs, even though there wasn‘t a single fl ake of natural snow. This confi rms what I‘ve al-ways believed: the essential element in an event of this level is the guarantee of snow. If, for example, a ski lift stops, a helicopter can take the athletes to the start gate. But if there are fl owers in bloom on the run, there will not be a ski race.What was the hardest challenge to face in these Cham-pionships?

P.C.: The preparation works were a very diffi cult chal-lenge. The paste was frenetic as we had very little time to prepare a snowmaking installation of extraordinary dimensions. Then, last fall Mother Nature brought us face to face with the most diffi cult challenge: extreme warm temperatures throughout December and the big moment was nearing soon. However, we never doubted for a mi-nute that we would have managed to prepare the runs perfectly.

On the contrary! On 29th December 2004, about a month before the beginning of the Championships, with the Men‘s World Cup race, we showed the world for the fi rst time what my snowmaking team and our TechnoAl-pin installation are capable of: we produced 100,000 m3 (3,6 million cubic feet) of snow in less than 48 hours with a wet bulb temperature of -2° FK (28° F)!What investments were made for the World Championship?

P.C.: Bormio has been working with snowmaking in-stallations since 1982. The fi rst high pressure snowmaking line (1 km, 1.600 feet) was installed by Larchmont. In 1984, a high-pressure Valteco system was installed along the Stelvio course, for the World Championships for the following year. In 1988, Lenko machines were used, and between 1990 and 2000, the pipeline was extended and the pumping capacitiy was increased.

In 2000, when Bormio was chosen for the World Championships in 2005, the SIB (Società Impianti di Bor-mio - Bormio Installation Company) announced an invest-ment of 30,000,000 Euro (38.615.000 US Dollar) in this ski area, 8,000,000 Euro (10.240.000 US Dollar) of which were for the snowmaking system.

Photo: Eng. Canalini, “...whereas the guarantee of the snow is of fundamental importance for the success of the event.”

PRACTICE

Photo: Perfect snow conditions, and not only on the race slopes.

would never have used its potential completely. But I was wrong! Today I‘m fully satisfi ed with this installation. We would never have managed without it.

For the World Cup at the end of December we pro-duced approximately 100,000 m3 (3,6 million cubic feet) of snow in 48 hours, and then 300,000 m3 (10,8 million cu-bic feet) for the World Championships, working at extre-me warm temperatures for about 70% of the time. But a perfect Stelvio course was not enough for us, we wanted to offer optimal snow conditions to our guests too.

So we prepared the other runs with other 300,000 m3 (10,8 million cubic feet) of snow, and they are still now (March, 11th 2005, Editor‘s Note) in perfect conditions. All this considering that Bormio was the Italian ski area with the least snow, according to the website www.skiinfo.it. Throug-hout the winter season, we didn‘t receive more than 50 cm (20’’) of natural snow at 2,000 m (6.600 feet) of altitude.What was FIS‘s opinion ?

P.C.: The FIS representatives were very pleased with the snow conditions of the Stelvio course. I wish to thank all my snowmaking technicians, a great team with 23 (!!) years of experience in the fi eld, together with TechnoAl-pin, they did an excellent job!What advice can you give after the experience of the World Championships?

P.C.: An event of this scale is the combination of many fac-tors. However, many of these factors are secondary, whereas the guarantee of snow is of fundamental importance for the success of the event. My advice is to choose the right snow-making partner. In this case, “right” means reliable from every point of view and able to ensure an excellent and punctual service. With TechnoAlpin, I made the right choice.

The next step was to “entrust” this huge sum to the best snowmaking experts in the market. To be sure of our choice we conducted numerous tests for two entire seasons. We based our choice on the following criteria: a mixed instal-lation, with guns capable of operating at extreme warm temperatures, a reliable and fl exible structure and excel-lent customer service capable of taking rapid action, all this provided by a leading company. We tested the snow generators of Lenko, Nivis, Snowstar, Sufag, TechnoAlpin, Wacht and York, taking into account operating capabili-ties at extreme temperatures, water capacity, snow quality, weight and sun resistance. Results showed that only Tech-noAlpin installations were capable of constantly producing high quality snow, even at +2° C (34° F).

We therefore immediately started to extend the instal-lation with the help of TechnoAlpin. A comparison bet-ween the previous and present performance:

1982 2005Pumping capacity 30 l/sec 120 l/sec (475 GPM) (1.900 GPM)

Water tanks 1.700 m3 13.000 m3 (61.200 cubic feet) (468.000 cubic feet)

Pipeline 1 km (3.400’) 25 km (85.000’)

Compr. air network 1 km (3.400’) 20 km (68.000’)

Connection points 20 300Snow generators 16 160

Do you think that this expansion has been repaid?P.C.: Absolutely (and laughs as he says it). When the

installation was completed, I thought that the installation was exaggerated with respect to the needs and that we

89

Plunge into summer

The snowmaking season is over and the fi rst instal-lations are being prepared for the summer break. If spring operations are performed with care, the new winter season will start-up more smoothly.

The snow experts‘ Customer Care department re-commends the following operations.General operations:Disconnect all parts from the power supply to avoid damage caused by lightning. Switching off, however, is not suffi cient: disconnect all plugs and cables, inclu-ding the ground connection.

Pump station:• Disconnect all analog and digital inputs and out puts, including the control panel• Switch off and disconnect the following components: pressure transmitter, current meter, fl owmeter, soft starts, converters, amplifi er, automatic switch, safety switch...• Disconnect the ground conductors• Perform maintenance on the pump station as described in the manual

Pipelines and Hydrants:• Disconnect all repeaters, hydromats and heating system

Snow generators:• Clean dirty nozzles (tip: use vinegar to remove lime deposits!)• Check nucleators• Clean water and air fi lters• Check the heating system• Check for water leakage• Verify the integrity and noise levels of all mechanical moving parts• Perform pressure tests on water hoses• Dry and coil up water hoses• Cover fi xed installations with green covers

Our Customer Care team is at your service for any information you may require.Customer Care Hotline +39 0471 550534

What do a diver and a snow-making manager have in common? For both, the performance ends with a brilliant splash. Completing the end-of-season operations with care and precision means saving precious time in the fall.

Photo: End of season operations (Davos-Jacobshorn, SUI)

growagMit Sicherheit aus guten Händen

GROWAG, A TEXTILE COMPANY WITH TRADITION.Few companies deal with woven products outside the textile industry. Growag Feuerwehrtechnik AG of Grosswangen (Swit-zerland), founded back in 1886, took immediate advantage of this factor, leaving the competition “in the dust”.

The textile department, the heart of the companyThousands of kilometres of white thread are processed in the twisting and weaving areas, where the yarns are twisted and knotted. Ever-ything literally hangs by a very fi ne thread. First of all, the thread is fed into the twisting loom where it is twisted with 2 to 12 other threads. Then the reels of thread are sent to the weaving area where they are fi tted on one of the fi ve looms. Each of these machines is capable of producing up to 100 metres (335 feet) of tubular fabric per day, with different diameter and quality.

This translates into an approximate annual production of over 300,000 metres (630 miles). Depending on the use (fi re fi ghting, snowmaking or other industrial applications), the end product is vulcanized in the rubbing area (binding under steam pressure).

One thousand and one usesFrom fi re fi ghting to snowmaking, industry to agriculture and the army, the uses for Growag hoses are virtually endless. For example, Growag hoses have also been used for the Ariane IV and V launchers.

In good handsReliability is an essential condition in the snowmaking sector. Our snow hoses feature a maximum operating pressure of 64 bar (928 PSI, offi cial test data). Growag hoses and a TechnoAlpin installation: a perfect solution ensuring maximum safety.

1011

Photo above: Swiss horn players in Bormio (in the picture, Bormio 3000)Photos on the left: Delegation from Bansko · The entrance to the World Championships stadium · Group photo of our friends from Americans and Greece · Our friends from Spain

TechnoAlpin at the

World Champion-ships in Bormio – Some highlights

• TechnoAlpin invited about 200 customers from Ita-ly, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, USA, Canada, Sweden, Norway, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Croatia and Greece, who spent a few exciting days in Bormio and South Tyrol.

• TechnoAlpin snow was used for 11 out of 19 World Championship events.

• 160 TechnoAlpin snow generators produced 700.000 m3 (25,2 million cubic feet) of snow, ensur-ing perfect snow conditions on the “Stelvio” course and all over the ski area.

• Gold medal winner Bode Miller celebrated the vic-tory with a group of South Tyrolean TechnoAlpin customers.

LIFE

March 2005: Visitors from China, Iran, USA, Canada, France, Spain and Russia are updated on the latest snowmaking technology in the TechnoAlpin Head-quarter.

December 2004: TechnoAlpin & Kässbohrer:

technical training days on Mount Arber in Germany130 installation managers, snowmaking and slope ma-nagers participated in a “fi eld” information meeting at the beginning of December. The meeting addressed the following: snow quality in all fi elds of application (speaker: Georg Eisath, President of TechnoAlpin), new directives related to cablecar transport (speaker: Gün-ter Troy, Doppelmayr sales manager for Germany), safety at work in the snowmaking sector (speaker: Arno Schweiger, safety at work expert), PistenBully applica-tion fi elds (speaker: Wolfgang Lutz, Kässbohrer area sales manager) and fun park planning and building (speaker: Reto Sporrer, Lionhead Consulting).

“Winter is not a season, it‘s an occupation.”Sinclair Lewis, Nobel Prize in Literature

TechnoAlpin trade shows, 20051 INTERALPIN, Innsbruck, April 6th - 8th Come and visit us! We are in Hall 2 A, Stand 2A 00.2 NSAA Scottsdale / Arizona: May 19th - 22nd 3 Ski & Board Salon, Moscow: November 3rd - 5th

1213

March 2005, Saalbach-Hinterglemm (AUT): 40 Italian customers enthusiastic about the location of the World Championships 1991.

Sljeme, 20th January 2005: Highly successful debut of the World Cup Žiljak Drago, manager of the Sljeme ski area, is fully satisfi ed with the results: “The slope was very compact, but not icy, and according to the FIS, it could have withstood many more races. Notwithstanding the extreme weather conditions in December and at the beginning of January, with a temperature of -1° C (29° F) and air humidity of 60 - 70% (!), thanks to our TechnoAlpin installation (21 mobile M18s, 12 snow lances, pump station with a rate of 70 l/sec (1.106 GPM), ATASS management system), we managed to produce top quality snow. Our fi rst World Cup slalom was a great success!”

TechnoAlpin: offi cial technological partner with the “German Ski Federation”. From this year, two fully automatic, mobile M20 propel-ler-driven machines support the Deutscher Skiverband (German Ski Federation) in the World Cup and training of young athletes. The German National Alpine team with Georg Eisath (President of TechnoAlpin) and Harry Gall (CEO of TechnoAlpin Germany) during delivery at Ingolstadt.

A unique image for Techno Alpin‘s interna-tional sales team TechnoAlpin‘s uniqueness and strength lie not only in its new products but also in its image, by using the same ski clothing all over the world.

TechnoAlpin has marked 15 years of growing success in the technical snow-making market world-wide. In this interview, Georg Eisath, TechnoAlpin’s President and founder, tells us how a small South Tyrolean company managed to become a leader in the international snow-making fi eld.

TechnoAlpin: 15 years of growing success!

And that’s how it all started...G.E.: As managers of the Obereggen ski area, Walter

Rieder and I weren’t at all satisfi ed with the existing tech-nical snow-making solutions. That’s why, in 1983, we deci-ded to work on the development and production of snow generators. The years between 1988 and 1990 were de-cisive, as they were years with very little snow: we were under pressure by our customers and no longer able to satisfy all the requirements. Already at that time, we offe-red a complete range of products, from snow-making sys-tems, complete with accessories, to shelters, hydrants, and pump stations. However, due to the growing demand, we had to face the decision: to be a professional company or continue along the same path as before. We chose the fi rst solution and that’s how TechnoAlpin started...The “TechnoAlpin” brand

G.E.: The company’s name is a combination of terms that Walter Rieder and I chose to defi ne the most impor-tant aspects of our work: technology, mountains and the Alps. TechnoAlpin is the combination we liked most.

The key role of our staff in the process from a local com-pany to world leader in the sector

G.E.: The main goals have remained the same: 1) to create an organisation that is able to offer stability and fl exibility at the same time; 2) to increase turnover and make TechnoAlpin known worldwide.

Our staff is and has always been the backbone of the company. We have always focused on highly qua-lifi ed, fl exible young staff (45% is under 30), who has contributed signifi cantly to the success of our company worldwide.

Another decisive factor positively infl uencing sales has been the successful combination of reliable products and fi rst-class service, from the planning phase to after-sales service.

The growing demand in the world market has consti-tuted a most important challenge for all of us: our goal was to expand towards international markets while simul-taneously consolidating the company’s position at a local level, that is without ignoring important commercial areas such as Austria, Switzerland, France, Germany or North America. We took on the challenge and considering the results, I can only say that we won it, too!

15 YEARS

1415

Down-to-earth: the real strength of the snow expertsG.E.: Unlike other companies in our fi eld that, thanks

to improvisation and sales skills, rapidly appeared in the market and just as rapidly disappeared, our company has consolidated its position in the market and stands out for its natural, “down-to earth” character. Our motto is safety: we offer tested technologies and excellent ser-vice. By choosing us, customers can rely on a company that will continue to provide the best support even in ten years’ time. “Stability” is achieved by taking small, well-considered steps rather than a giant, risky leap: in our team, which works on a worldwide basis with excellent results, there is no place for lack of professionalism and approximation.Complete installations: the next challenge in the technical snow-making market

G.E.: In the last few years, the technical snow-making market has gained a major role, becoming even more important than the ropeway-market. The entire snow-making sector is dominated by four major companies. Competition, therefore, is very strong. The most critical aspects are no doubt automation and the construction of complete turnkey installations.

Alpine ski races will continue to push the technical snowmaking sector, as we have already seen in the last ten years. That’s why I think it’s time to start talking about it.

M90, Cortina, Valzoldana, Falcade: Georg Eisath’s win-ning cards.

G.E.: From my personal point of view, the best “piece” of the entire range is the Latemar M90. It’s the fi rst major evolution that achieved great success. I remember very well the fi rst projects we completed in 1988-1990, such as Cortina, Valzoldana and Falcade: they were huge in-stallations, provided with advanced technologies, which already had automatic controls for the pump stations.An automotive comparison: TechnoAlpin and VW Golf

G.E.: If I were to compare our company to a car, I would no doubt choose a VW Golf: it may be a bit “conservative” but it’s surely stable and reliable, equip-ped with tested technology and adaptable to all needs. Of course, it’s nice to drive a Ferrari, but only on the inter-state, because it’s in no way suitable for mountain roads. I prefer a Golf: it may not be very fast, but it will always take you safely and reliably to your destination. Indeed, I like the “classifi cation” of TechnoAlpin between the Golfs very much, and I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world. However, I must admit that also the Audi slogan “Vorsprung durch Technik”, that is “Progress through tech-nology”, fi ts very well with TechnoAlpin’s philosophy.Great admiration for all those who work with enthusiasm

G.E.: What’s important for me is not the company itself but the people who work in it. I’m interested in the men and women who work hard and produce results. Managers who go up the ladder only thanks to external or political help, are not for me. Thank God, today I can take my hat off to many good workers.

Photos on the left: · 1991 the fi rst TechnoAlpin snow generator in Chile· 1992 technical snow for Greece· 1991 great interest in the legen- dary M90 even in Slovakia

15 YEARS: IMMAGES

From around the world

1617

Photos above: 1988 WI.TE on the Pisten-Bully 1997 baby automatic on tower 1998 expansion to New Zealand 1991 Happy Finns 1999 Japan, a good buy

Photo: TechnoAlpin establishments and partners (see page 2 for the addresses)

Home court advantage all over the planet!

On the way to the heights of world success, Tech-noAlpin has left traces in every continent with over 500 customers worldwide. Relying on TechnoAlpin means trusting our technical solutions and, above all, the people, the organisational structure and company solidity.

Project management, production and logistics, in-stallation start-up, after-sales service, spare part supp-ly: all these departments are a tangible demonstration of our dedication to our customers. TechnoAlpin has created a worldwide organisation to make every cus-tomer always feel at home.

20 branch offi ces worldwideTechnoAlpin is in every corner of the world with 20 branch offi ces, each of which has its own managers, sales team, technical staff and spare part warehouse. This is the only way to ensure a highly professional, fast and effi cient Customer Care service. Logistics has been a key factor in choosing the physical location

of TechnoAlpin branch offi ces: in Switzerland, for ex-ample, our branch offi ce is located in the middle of the country so that customers can reach us in less than three hours by car.

All branch offi ces work in close contact with the TechnoAlpin headquarters in Bolzano, which serves as main service centre. Operations that require inter-national coordination and allow us to offer effi cient services at favourable prices are managed at the corporate site in Bolzano: research and development, purchases, production, software programming, plan-ning, working out offers and marketing.

From Bolzano to every corner of the world in only 4 daysApproximately 6,000 different items are available in the Bolzano and Pineta di Laives warehouses. Every component of every TechnoAlpin snowmaking instal-lation is available as a spare part. This enables us to ensure that any component sent by courier is deliver-

WORLDWIDE

In Italy, Scandinavia, USA, Canada, Russia, China or Australia: with TechnoAlpin every customer always feels at home! Thanks to TechnoAlpin‘s widespread organisation in every corner of the world, our professional Customer Care service knows no boundaries.

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Photo: The TechnoAlpin warehouse at Pineta di Laives (BZ)

ed to the customer in less than 4 days, so we waste as few snowmaking days as possible. The Bolzano ware-house stocks all the small parts, whereas the Pineta di Laives warehouse stocks fi ttings, pumps, Alpinal pipes, valves, fl anges, shelters, cooling towers, control pa-nels, data cables, aluminium cables, etc.

At your service 24 hours a dayFor TechnoAlpin, delivering a professional customer care service means providing precisely what the cus-tomer needs when the customer needs it. We know that each missed hour of snowmaking translates into lower turnover. For this reason, TechnoAlpin‘s Custo-mer Care service is available 24 hours a day. You will always fi nd someone who can coordinate operations, even at international level, by calling the Bolzano num-ber 0039 0471 550 534. Of course, the local branch offi ce should be contacted fi rst.

The ATASS (Automatic TechnoAlpin Snowmaking System) management software allows us to save time: with the consent of the customer, the Bolzano software department can operate in any part of the world and

on any installation, performing updates or carrying out preliminary error analyses before sending a technician to the site. Another way to save precious time.

Directly at your site!For TechnoAlpin, offering an effi cient Customer Care service means saving time and making communication as direct as possible, even with the top management fl oors.

The founders and owners of TechnoAlpin, Ge-org Eisath, Walter Rieder and Erich Gummerer, are in charge of the installation construction, technology and management sector: they work side by side and are always at the disposal of customers and staff.

Open doorsIn spring, about 300 customers and potential custo-mers visited the company‘s headquarter in Bolzano and had the opportunity to see the production pro-cesses fi rst hand, as well as the latest developments for 2005. TechnoAlpin is thrilled with the high interest shown for the initiative.

Photo: Karlheinz, our Service technician in New Zealand

Alain De Cian Alexander Comploj Alexander Stangl Anja Berents Arno Hafner Astrid Torggler Christine Wunsch Dagmar Geis Daniele Neri Erich Gummerer Erika Unterweger

Georg Eisath

Juri Menegot

Martin Coser

Philippe Ronin

Stefano Locatelli

Wolfgang Lechner

Christoph Brand

Franck Fontaine

Russell Schwartz

Curt Boström

Gerald Reichegger Giorgia Cassiolari Gregor Lochmann Hannes Thurner Hansi Kaufmann Heidi Vonmetz Heinz Viehweider Irmi Prader Ivan Gross Joachim Stuefer

Juris Panzani

Martin Eppacher

René Schiess

Thomas Möltner

Markus Egger

Kurt Bissig

Franck Tiffreau

Frantisek Jany

Blas Olmos

Jan Mangborg

Karlheinz Terrabona

Martin Gamberoni

Robert Moaret

Thomas Pichler

Robert Kramberger

Markus Zgraggen

Jean-Luc Rouillet

Jan Duchlansky

Christina Gonzáles

Krister Blomander

Klaus Bacher

Martin Hofer

Robert Reider

Thomas Burger

Alexander Reindl

Martin Kuhn

Laurent Magnette

Ján Lietavec

Jesús C. Peso

Lasse Nordström

Lukas Schmittner

Martin Margesin

Roberto Begliatti

Thomas Lunger

Annelise Kneidl

Melanie Zurbriggen

Michael Payan

Katarína Jesenska

Juan Francisco C. Peso

Niklas Blomander

Manfred Scherer

Mauro Freno

Sigi Rieder

Thomas Lutz

Eberhard Gall

Remo Bulgheroni

Séverine Lopez

Martin Merka

Raul Garcia

Brasov

Marco Benvenuto

Michael Lentsch

Sigrid Gummerer

Umberto Marchesan

Manfred Huber

Reto Saner

Valérie Vacher

Miro Patras

Rosa López

Serban Sovaiala

Marco Moratti

Paolo Nardone

Stefan Egger

Valentin Profanter

Ralf Behrends

Sarah Gisler

Brian Tito Alex

Rudo Machácek

Glassey

Tokyo

Marion Barbieri

Patrick Peintner

Stefan Malfer

Walter Rieder

Sandra Daniel

Sascha Zgraggen

Geir Vik

ALEX

Markus Mahlknecht

Peter Rottensteiner

Stefan Mutschlechner

Walter Weger

Ulrich Gall

Christophe Moullin

Nikki Clifford

Markus Pfeifer

Philipp Schenk

Stefano Bruscagin

Wolfgang Hanni

Andreas Dorfmann

Kirsten Kotvall

Stefka Miteva

Christian Andersson

Stefano LocatelliStefano Cianchi

Stanislava MechkovaAkexander Mechkov

Casli Ángel Jaraiz Albert GlasseySkiare Thomas Peintner SnowtechChrister Jansson

Petre Popa Kiyohiro Kawakami Tehnounion Gregor Vehovec