STEPUP Scaffold has opened a new manufacturing facility in Barranquilla, Colombia, in a move which marks the culmination of a project which started three years ago when the business began looking at increasing capacity.
The business wanted to shorten lead times for clients to receive scaffolding.
Stepup explained the free trade zone in Barranquilla was selected after considering several locations and consulting with ProBarranquilla, a non-profit organisation that works to financially develop Barranquilla and the Colombian Atlantic Coast region.
The proximity of raw materials, including steel, and access to quality export facilities are described as making Barranquilla an ‘ideal location’ for the ‘largest scaffold factory in South America’.
Production began in December 2022 with an initial output of 100 tons of scaffolding per month. Later this year capacity will increase to 700 tons per month – around 10% of which will be destined for European markets.
The factory currently employs around 80 people with plans to expand this as production increases.
The project was headed up by David Gasull, who said, “It was important to find a city that was able to serve our markets with products easily and in a timely manner. Barranquilla has excellent access to air, land, and maritime distribution channels.
“Plus, given the local network of suppliers, freight competitiveness, export convenience, and ProBarranquilla’s support throughout the process, it didn’t make sense to choose any place else.”
