Having a chat with … Airo

Today we are going to tell you the story of Airo, an Italian producer of aerial platforms who chose our Skid Power HD.

Over the last few weeks, we have recounted several experiences from our customers in the farming and OTR sectors. Today, instead, we are moving to the industrial sector. We are going to take you to Italy, namely to Reggio Emilia, where we would like to present you Airo, an Italian company which has been designing and manufacturing self-propelled aerial platforms for more than 30 years.

An aerial platform is the most appropriate piece of equipment for many works to be carried out at a certain height. That’s why Airo produces every type and size to satisfy their customer needs. Just imagine some of their platforms are equipped with vertical articulated arms which can reach up to 23 meters in height!

Which are the features a customer seeks in an aerial platform? – We ask this question to Gianluca Ferramola, designing engineer and production manager. “First of all, it must be stable, safe and reliable in any situation,” he says. “When we develop a new model, there are several aspects to take into consideration. One of these is tires, of course. For this kind of equipment, tires are vital. They are the key to maximum stability and avoiding the risk of tipping over.”

For the tires to be mounted on their aerial platforms, Airo has relied on Industrial Gomme Group, the distributor for BKT tires in Italy, who has recommended our Skid Power HD.

Why choosing Skid Power HD?

“We are very satisfied with the Skid Power HD tires,” Gianluca states. “Their features do exactly match up to our needs.” Let us find out the reason:

• They have an excellent grip, thanks to the tread design. Lug disposition and tread depth ensure maximum traction under any condition;
• They are resistant and strong because of their special compound;
• Their reinforced sidewall structure provides resistance against external agents - an unpleasant event which is unfortunately quite common in the sector.

The most difficult test tires have to stand is given by the ground: platforms must be agile when moving, even on building and construction sites – that is to say on the most difficult terrains.

Simone Pignatti, Head of Sales at Airo, explains that Airo platforms face every type of situation: “from pending terrains to asphalted roads, to construction sites with metal and rock debris on the ground.”

The key word is resistance: resistance to wear and tear, to mechanical stress, to puncture, and so forth. Even the smallest deformation of the tire casing or a simple puncture might cause the tipping over of the entire piece of equipment - a serious threat to the operator’s health and safety on board and that of everyone else on the ground.

For safety reasons, actually, Airo’s technical staff wanted to see for themselves the quality of BKT tires by performing several static and dynamic tests according to the EN 280 standard for mobile elevating work platforms. And the result? The Skid Power HD tires passed the test with full marks and have proved to be the ideal Original Equipment solution for Airo platforms.

What makes Skid Power HD unique in its kind? Endurance and stability

At any rate, users have the final say. Who else could pass a better judgment? That is why we are now moving away from Reggio Emilia and are going to meet Massimo Perego, the Commercial Director of Top Car in Bulciago (Italy). Here is his experience.

“According to my experience as a user and charterer of aerial platforms, I can say that the two main requirements for a tire in our sector are consistency – in terms of unchanged performance over a long period of time – and stability: in our environment, it is essential that a tire is able to significantly reduce vibrations and shocks. Any irregularity of the terrain is amplified for whom is at the top of a platform at height. This means that a tire, which reduces these phenomena, actually makes the difference. And I must say that Skid Power HD fully satisfies both requirements!”