Strong Cranes made in Austria
Interview with Stefan Oberleitner, Managing Director of EPSILON Kran GmbH
The idea was to lift logs perfectly. With that idea, EPSILON Kran GmbH developed a completely new series of cranes based on the modular principle at the end of the 1990s. Today, the Austrian company is equipped with cranes for forestry, construction industry and recycling companies, featuring a global service network of branches and agencies.
"We have the EPSILON spirit," says CEO Stefan Oberleitner. "It's the attitude towards work. Because in our eyes, our cranes are not just machines, there's also a lot of heart and passion in them. In the process, we are sometimes extremely stubborn in what we do. We do it the way we think is right for us. In the constant change process, we sometimes hit the wall with momentum. Then we get up, shake it off, and go full throttle in a different direction."
Tangible Success
The company, founded in 1980 and taken over by the Palfinger Group in 1988, did not crash against the wall when it restarted in 1999 with a new location, an experienced CEO, and many young employees.
"Specializing in crane construction for wood was the right decision," emphasizes Stefan Oberleitner, "especially the modular construction. The elements were easy to assemble and we needed less storage."
The first crane series, the Performance series, was introduced in 2000, received a lot of attention, but only gradually became established. From 2003, the demand rose from 600 cranes per year to 3,000 cranes in 2007.
For every type of wood
"Even when the crisis came, fast, unexpected, and severe, we did not take our foot off the gas in research and development," says Stefan Oberleitner. "We develop, buy the parts within the Palfinger Group, and put them together. This makes us flexible and all cranes are made in Austria with the well-known high Palfinger quality standard."
There are many types of wood, and EPSILON offers a wide range of cranes across various series with loading capacities from 5 mt to 30 mt, cranes for every load and reach. Globally, EPSILON cranes stand for quality and innovation. With numerous patents, PALFINGER EPSILON is a leader in innovation, continuously advancing development.
Focus on Comfort
"We are currently in the midst of a series change!" explains Stefan Oberleitner. "The new Next Epsolution series sets standards in safety and operator comfort, issues that are becoming increasingly important for users. Our new control concept Master Drive not only looks better, but its operation is hydraulic like an excavator, and therefore easy to handle. And we are protecting drivers from wind and weather. Previously, they sat outdoors, but now they have a protective roof that opens and closes at the push of a button. Our solution is the benchmark; we are the only ones who have this."
Worldwide Presence
In addition to the quality and diversity of the products, customers at home and abroad especially appreciate the quality of the service from expert advice to prompt spare parts delivery. "Through the Palfinger Group, we have the world's best and most extensive service network with around 4,500 bases of dealers, service partners, and authorized workshops," emphasizes Stefan Oberleitner.
Today, EPSILON employs 150 staff at its headquarters in Elsbethen and achieves a turnover of 100 million EUR. The largest market by far is Germany, followed by France and Scandinavia.
With Passion
The customers of EPSILON are haulers who transport wood, owners of forestry and recycling companies who empty containers or collect scrap. They are acquired and supported by local sales partners or at international trade fairs for forestry technology.
"The classic customer is a one-man operation," says Stefan Oberleitner. "The profession is a way of life, a passion, they work from early morning until late at night. We reach these customers through our Facebook community, which is huge."
Continuing to expand market leadership is the declared goal for the future. With highly motivated employees and further innovations, EPSILON is well-prepared. "At Interforst in July 2018, we will showcase the next highlights of the Next Epsolution series, showing where the industry will develop. Digitalization is the focus and we will demonstrate what enormous ease this allows for customers. Our employees are also a factor of success. We demand a lot from them, but we also give a lot. We also delegate responsibility to young employees and regularly send them to customers. We have a very good reputation as an employer and therefore have no shortage of new talent. My vision is that we become market and innovation leaders on all continents, which we are not yet in America and Asia."