Cdc's ropeways for sustainable mobility

Innovating with minimal environmental impact, making progress and land protection compatible. These are the guidelines of Chain Drive Crane (Cdc), a company active in the construction and maintenance of ropeways, founded in Bolzano in 2014 by Helmut Gurndin and Alexander Philippov with the aim of pushing the boundaries of ropeway tradition. Ranked number one in the Leader of Growth 2026 Sole 24 Ore-Statista, Cdc has recorded a revenue increase of more than 500% in the last three years. 'We started with a clear conviction: ropeways can become the backbone of the next generation of aerial transport and construction systems,' explains co-founder Alexander Philippov.

Technological independence has been the key to growth. Through constant investment in research and development, for example, AirBridge was born, a patented system with over fifty innovations, fully financed, tested and certified by Cdc. "This technology enables a reduction in operating costs, but above all it represents a new vision: allowing the infrastructure to adapt to nature, rather than forcing nature to adapt to the infrastructure," Philippov adds. For Cdc, the value of an installation is no longer measured in 'cost per metre', but in its overall performance: safety, efficiency, durability and integration with the landscape. "Each installation is conceived as part of a territorial development strategy, capable of reducing urban congestion or making remote areas accessible".

The company's growth is based on an integrated approach that combines design, construction, installation and maintenance: total life-cycle control that reduces technical risks and ensures full compliance with certification standards. "We integrate ropeway construction, geotechnical anchoring, helicopter logistics and rockfall protection systems into a single model," Philippov points out, emphasising how this multidisciplinary approach also allows us to anticipate the interactions between terrain, structure and environment right from the design phase, "ensuring installations that can operate for decades, even in the most extreme conditions."

A systemic vision, which has transformed Cdc from a niche manufacturer into an international group active in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Today, most of the company's activities are in fact concentrated abroad, particularly in Saudi Arabia, where Cdc is engaged in projects for a new sustainable mobility. The presence in the country is the result of synergy with Haris Group, a company that supports international partners in the localisation of their activities in the Saudi market. 'We have been able to transfer our alpine know-how to desert and mountainous contexts, contributing to the creation of sustainable, state-of-the-art infrastructure,' notes Philippov.

Today, Cdc continues to innovate from its head office in Bolzano, looking to the new horizons of sustainable mobility, continuing to develop solutions that combine technological innovation and care for the environment.