gabo Systemtechnik boosts capacity for Microtube Systems and expansion into Britain

gabo Systemtechnik boosts capacity for Microtube Systems and expansion into Britain

gabo Systemtechnik GmbH, a leading European system supplier for telecommunications, continues to grow vigorously in response to sustained strong demand. The company is currently adding 10,000 square metres to its production and storage facilities at its main site in Niederwinkling, in Lower Bavaria. By the end of 2018, production capacity will have been increased by over 50%. This manufacturer of complete microtube systems is additionally expanding into the United Kingdom with the founding of a new subsidiary, gabocom Ltd.

“This is an extremely attractive future market for us. We estimate the market volume for our speedpipe system in the UK at 25 to 30 million euros annually,” noted gabo Managing Director Markus Karl.

Leading system supplier in optical fibre technology

With its growth strategy, gabo Systemtechnik is benefiting from the consistently strong demand for modern broadband technology in Europe and strengthening its market position as a key competence partner and one of the largest system suppliers to international telecommunications companies. The enterprise develops and produces not only microtubes but a complete end-to-end system. In public excavation projects, it is becoming increasingly common to additionally lay empty tubes so as to facilitate the subsequent construction of optical fibre networks.

The corresponding cables can be blown into these microlines via shafts. This advance planning during construction ensures that technologies such as fibre to the home can be implemented: the optical fibre line no longer ends at the junction box on the pavement or in the basement, but directly in the home. “That’s extremely cost-effective for our customers,” Markus Karl remarked.

Concrete expansion plans in UK

In Britain, only around 2% of households have optical fibre to the home, an extremely low level compared to the rest of western Europe. “The timing of our expansion is ideal. Britain has a lot of catching up to do in laying optical fibre cables, and the network operators have concrete expansion plans,” said Managing Director Karl. “The British government is also getting behind optical fibre as part of its digital strategy. The fact that the quality, service life and efficiency of the gabo end-to-end systems and the speedpipe system have already been demonstrated on the European mainland is proving to be an enormous advantage.” gabo’s British subsidiary, gabocom Ltd., will be responsible for consulting, sales and technical support.

Digitalisation drives further growth

As digitalisation progresses, countries, municipalities, telecommunications carriers and utilities are working hard to build and expand their broadband networks. gabo has grown up with this market and is today the manufacturer and competence partner of choice of leading European telecommunications enterprises in the area of modern microtube systems. Since 2010, the number of employees has more than doubled, to 185 presently.

Capacity expansion: investment in the future

“By the end of the year, we will have achieved expanding our headquarters and production capacities,” declared gabo Managing Director Markus Karl. gabo was founded as a technology company in 1997. To enable it to shoulder investments like this going forward, it has teamed up with a strong partner, Bregal Unternehmerkapital, which has held a stake in the company for over a year.

The two partners are convinced that the facilities enhancement in Bavaria and the expansion into the UK will enable the company to successfully continue its growth story in the coming years.