KEY POINTS:
Auckland automated airport baggage and cargo handling company Glidepath hopes to cash in on the Obama Administration's big infrastructure spend-up after winning a $60 million contract in Nashville.
The company says it is also starting to see benefits from the falling New Zealand dollar.
The Nashville International Airport job is one of the biggest for Glidepath besides work at Reno-Tahoe International Airport and at Durban Airport now under way.
The 37-year-old company had worked for about a year on winning the contract to design, manufacture and install a new integrated baggage handling and security screening system at Nashville. It will take until next year to finish.
Glidepath's managing director, Ken Stevens, said prospects in the United States had brightened with a US$500 million investment in airport security infrastructure flagged last week by the new administration. Many airports in the US still did not have security systems required in the wake of the September 11 terror attacks.
"This is a good opportunity for them to play a bit of catch up," Stevens said.
Around the world - apart from Europe and the former Soviet Union - Glidepath was bidding on US$500 million in projects.
"In Asia and South America they're flat out catching up."
Stevens is also chairman of Export New Zealand and said the falling New Zealand dollar had bolstered interest from overseas, even from competitor companies looking at us to start manufacturing equipment for them.
"We've had a few overtures from multinational companies wanting to check our prices since November."
Privately owned Glidepath has a workforce of 100 in New Zealand and 120 overseas with turnover of $80 million-plus.
"We're a little bit, dare I say it, recession-proof - there are a lot of jurisdictions putting money into their infrastructure and we're making hay while the sun shines.
"I'm not typical of colleague members [in Export New Zealand] - we're a bit lucky at the moment, they're looking at some tough times."
Stevens said the company had a prospect list of about 100 airports in the US.
Glidepath has completed over 500 airport baggage handling systems in 61 countries and has a market presence in Australia, China, India, South Africa and the Middle East as well as Mexico and South America.
