Leitner-Poma acquired Skytrac this week in a deal revealed today. Even more exciting is Skytrac will continue to operate as a subsidiary brand of the Leitner-Poma Group. “We would like to welcome Skytrac to our family,” said Anton Seeber, CEO of the European parent company of both Leitner and Poma. “Like Leitner-Poma, Skytrac also will be managed autonomously and independently to make sure the Skytrac team can focus on its strengths and hone its skills, all while having access to the Group’s resources to be able to benefit from particular synergies.” Leitner and Poma have experience operating in Europe as separate brands while sharing technology such as the latest-generation LPA detachable grip.
Jan Leonard and other former CTEC employees started Skytrac in 2010 to fill a niche retrofitting older lifts and building economical fixed-grip lifts in Salt Lake City. The company has built 19 complete lift systems to date, mostly at small-to-medium sized ski areas from Washington to Massachusetts. Skytrac had its best year in 2014, building as many new lifts as both Leitner-Poma and Doppelmayr that year. In addition to building complete lifts, Skytrac also specializes in outfitting older lifts with new terminals and control systems.
Leitner-Poma of America is the North American subsidiary of Poma of France and Leitner of Italy based in Grand Junction, Colorado while Skytrac is privately held and headquartered in Salt Lake City. Leaders at both companies are excited about the deal and the opportunities it will provide moving forward. “This acquisition will allow Leitner-Poma to better serve ski areas of all sizes,” said Leitner-Poma President Rick Spear. “By purchasing Skytrac, we will continue to care for all existing customers and expand our base.” Carl Skylling of Skytrac noted, “Skytrac will continue to fill the niche it has established in the market, all while gaining the experience, knowledge and global reach of a group of companies that’s a proven industry leader.”
Rather than a deal simply to eliminate a competitor, this is about expanding Leitner-Poma’s footprint. A Utah presence will better serve customers in the second largest lift market in the United States (Skytrac has already built more lifts in the state of Utah than Poma did in the last 30 years.) Skytrac is building the new quad chair at Laurel Mountain, Pennsylvania this summer and Skytrac lifts will continue to be 100-percent American made.
Below are just a few of Skytrac’s completed projects to date:
- Little Beaver at Beaver Mountain, UT
- Alpine and Powder Park at Bridger Bowl, MT
- Chair 6 at Crystal Mountain, WA
- The Tage and Stag’s Leap at The Hermitage Club, VT
- E-Z Rider at Pomerelle, ID
- Jake’s at Sundance, UT
- Rampart at The Summit at Snoqualmie, WA
Update 5/9/16: I interviewed Carl Skylling at Skytrac HQ and asked about the acquisition. Check it out here.
Now we’re down to three active lift manufacturers in the US. Not good…
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Does this mean that SkyTrac will get detachables under their name? Does it also mean they keep the beautiful terminals but use Poma chairs XD?
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The whole reason Leitner-Poma bought Skytrac was to keep their and Doppelmayr’s monopoly over high speed lifts in America. Just an opinion but considering the two brands history with other lift manufacturers it makes sense.
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That would be a duopoly, much like Boeing and Airbus have building large commercial jets. Two fierce global competitors in a highly specialized business.
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I wonder if Skytrac was running into financial difficulties…
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I find it odd that LP bought Skytrac. Doppelmayr’s tower crossarms look so similar to Skytrac’s.
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Product difference was one of the reasons, market share another. Similar to why Airbus just bought a majority stake in Bombardier’s new airplane.
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On skytracs site it shows they have a T bar at Mittersill in New Hampshire Is this they’re only T bar?
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Skytrac installed the lift, supplied controls and operator houses through a partnership with LST Ropeways of France. When Skytrac was acquired by Leitner-Poma, that partnership abruptly ended.
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In theory, if I wanted a skytrac triple or quad, and I wanted classic bail chairs, would they supply them or would they only give euro chairs?
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You would probably end up with L-P Omega chairs if that were the case.
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