Poma Colombia Celebrates 5-Year Anniversary

At the end of 2018, POMA Colombia celebrated the anniversary of its creation. In the five years since it began, this small structure has become a strong subsidiary, essential to POMA’s business throughout Latin America and the group’s Hub in the region. Firmly established in its market, it represents the POMA values, know-how and expertise with dignity.

The group’s history in Latin America began in the 1960s, in the Andean ski resorts, and entered a new chapter in 2004 with the construction of Line K of the Metro de Medellin, the start of a strong and enduring partnership in Colombia.

This urban gondola lift incorporated into a public transit system was a world first and quickly became a model for many large cities in terms of sustainable transportation and social inclusion. With the Metrocable, the city was gradually transformed, connecting the different neighbourhoods and their inhabitants. 

Along with this mobility, from the start of the project, the POMA Colombia team has fit into the local landscape and implemented social initiatives that have become a lasting part of its POMA identity. Today, POMA Colombia continues to support many environmental, social and cultural organisations.

Following quickly from the first, a second Metrocable line was installed in Medellin in 2008, and in 2010 a gondola lift was created as a tourist attraction.

In 2013, POMA decided to set up a solid base in Colombia by creating a subsidiary there, thus strengthening its local presence, in close proximity to its Colombian and Latin American customers. That same year, with its original team of four people, the new subsidiary won invitations to tender for maintenance and inspection contracts with Metro de Medellin.

Several successful operations later, this fruitful partnership with Metro de Medellin was stronger than ever, and POMA Colombia began responding to direct requests. The company had to move twice, to the south of Medellin in 2014 and then to the north of the city in 2018, closer to its main customer and to larger premises that could accommodate its 84 employees.  

With 13 installations completed to date, POMA Colombia has become the gateway in Latin America. Its business lines and areas of expertise have diversified. While maintenance and inspections remain the core business, POMA Columbia now delivers turnkey lifts, as it has for Medellin and Pereira, in collaboration with POMA France.

POMA Colombia is reaching a turning point in its development. It is evolving from an equipment supplier into a company offering complete solutions, present at every stage in the project: from the design phase to construction, project management, assembly and maintenance, and even the production of mechanical sub-assemblies (tower tubes, beams, walkways and even certain station structures) with a local partner.  And given the massive growth of ropeway transportation in LATAM, this is only the beginning!