29. October 2020

VOCA subsidiary Optilift partners with crane company Alpa

The VOCA subsidiary Optilift AS has formed a strategic partnership with Alpa AS to offer stronger crane products and service to the market.

Optilift specializes in developing vision technology using artificial intelligence for non-contact measurement, remote control and autonomy for crane operations, while Alpa supplies material handing solutions and upgrades including crane control systems with remote access and condition monitoring.

– Optilift has never focused on the crane control system and PLC system itself. Together with Alpa we are now able to deliver complete control system- and service upgrades of existing cranes – which is a prerequisite for our AI-technology products to function. In other words, this partnership now brings us new market opportunities, as it allows us to offer remote- and autonomous crane solutions to existing offshore cranes, says Camilla Nylund, Optilift Managing Director.

Sales Director Leif Løken at Alpa labels the new partnership “exciting”.

– With the Optilift partnership we are now able to deliver a wider service to both new and existing customers, as we can offer modern AI-products to enhance and strengthen our customers’ operational capabilities. It is an exciting partnership, and we really look forward to seeing what opportunities lie ahead for us, Løken says. 

Pilot project first step
The partnership now seek to conduct a pilot test where the joint technological forces of the two companies could be tested for the first time. First, a crane owner needs to be located.

– Our goal with the pilot project is to create a first reference of our partnership and present the effects of our integrated crane systems. Existing offshore cranes, or cranes from the modern marine-, harbour-, fishing- or aquaculture industry should be able to fit the project we now look to complete, Nylund says.

For crane owners, upgrading existing products to bring them up to modern standards has significantly lower costs compared to acquiring a new one.

– A new crane brings its own value. But being able to extend the operational life cycle of an existing crane also brings significant value for a crane owner. Upgrading is more cost efficient, increases safety, is environmentally friendly – and now – there is the capability of turning old cranes intelligent through the Optilift product range, Leif Løken adds.

Crane operations sit at the core of several key operations in different businesses and societal areas today. Harbours, marine aquaculture, fishery and constructing businesses all involve crane operations as a key component of their activities.

– As such, the Optilift partnership with Alpa could potentially benefit all these areas. Our products are easily adopted to fit different use cases in different industries.