Allight Sykes to build lighting towers in Dubai

Allight Sykes, the Australian pumps, power, lighting tower and compressor specialist, is to start manufacturing lighting towers at a new facility in Dubai, the Middle East.

The company, formed last year when lighting tower manufacturer Allight acquired Australian pump manufacturer Sykes Pumps, will create a new joint facility in Jebel Ali Freezone and produce a new range of Combilite towers.

Paul Sowerby, Allight Sykes' director of sales and marketing, speaking to IRN at Conexpo (where it is using its US brand, AllightPrimax), said the facility could be operational as soon as July this year.

Mr Sowerby said the Jebel Ali investment was part of an internationalisation strategy that the company hopes will boost revenues from this year's A$180 million to A$500 million by 2015.

He said the company wants to be known as a global specialist in power, light, pumps and compressors. Allight can sell it lighting towers and pumps globally, but has more limited rights for Australasia for its gensets (FG Wilson and Caterpillar) and Rotair portable compressors. He said acquisitions might play a part in expanding the business outside Australia.

Allight Sykes is part of the National Hire group in Australia, which is part-owned by Caterpillar dealer Westrac, and also a part owner of the Coates Hire business. Mr Sowerby said Allight would try to leverage its Caterpillar relationships to expand its export sales, a strategy it has already successfully employed in South Africa with Cat dealer Barloworld.

He said Allight would try to replicate the Barloworld model in North and South America.

The company is meanwhile to launch two new ranges of lighting towers later this year, complementing the very heavy duty mining towers it already produces. The Combilite range is a medium duty tower designed for light mining and rental applications while the Firefly range is an entry level range also targeted at rental.