POMA is changing its organization to strengthen its local presence and respond to new mobility challenges. POMA Savoie (formerly SACMI), dedicated to mechanical production, and POMA Mont-Blanc (formerly SEMER), specializing in control systems, electrical equipment, and automation, are now integrated into a unified structure under the POMA brand. Alongside its subsidiaries SIGMA, which designs and manufactures cabins, and COMAG, an expert in installation and maintenance, the group is consolidating its complete control of the value chain.

From project engineering to equipment manufacturing, through to operation and maintenance services, POMA offers tailor-made customer support and reaffirms its position as the partner of choice in short-circuit cable transport from the heart of the French Alps.

With four industrial sites in Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, 100,000 m² of production space, and a network of mainly French subcontractors, POMA is investing in a state-of-the-art logistics platform and a unique full-scale gondola test bench in Voreppe. This development aims to secure jobs, skills, and local industrial expertise while guaranteeing performance, quality of service, and future prospects, both in France and internationally, where the group has nearly 8,000 installations.

The Société des 3 Vallées highlighted the quality of the technical discussions and the attention paid to operators’ needs from the design stage onwards. Among the innovations are a front/rear hatch system and integrated overhead crane for simplified deliveries without manual effort.

This installation inaugurates the LIFE range, designed to combine modularity, ergonomics and sustainability. LIFE sets a new technological benchmark for cable transport, with major advantages:

• Optimized accessibility: adjustments accessible from the walkways.
• Easier maintenance: wide, flat walkways for safe movement.
• Reduced noise and vibration: specific design to manage vehicle entry into the station.
• Centralized operator station: for an efficient and secure workflow.

A strong collaborative approach
The result of a joint effort between the design offices and the three manufacturers of the HTI group, LIFE embodies the strength of partnership.

The LIFE range continues to expand, offering skiers comfort and performance. Following on from the Chenus gondola lift, a new lift is already planned for next season: a 6-seater chairlift in La Clusaz.

With LIFE, POMA is reinventing mountain mobility: greater comfort, better performance and even more fun on the slopes.

The Angelo gondola is part of Ajaccio’s municipal development plan, which aims to improve traffic flow and reconnect neighbourhoods undergoing change, such as Mezzavia, Stiletto, Finosello, Saint-Joseph and La Citadelle.

The area suffers from significant congestion, with over 45,000 vehicles passing through the eastern entrance to the city daily. Against this backdrop, the Angelo cable car offers a viable alternative to private cars, shuttling passengers between Mezzavia, Saint-Joseph and the seafront in just 12 minutes. It complements the existing public transport network, promoting intermodality with buses, shuttles, park-and-ride facilities and bicycles thanks to the integration of bike racks.

Fabien Felli, President of POMA, said: “Ajaccio marks a new stage in the development of cable transport in France, and we are proud of it. Building such infrastructure in just 18 months demonstrates that, with the right political will, solid consortium and dedicated teams, it is possible to deliver tangible solutions that transform people’s daily lives. Ultimately, Angelo embodies the creation of a sustainable link between spaces and people.”

The Angelo gondola lift has been designed to offer an optimal user experience. Boarding at the station has been simplified and made safer, with adjusted speed and quiet operation for maximum comfort. The cabins, equipped with large windows, offer a panoramic view of the city and its coastline.

Accessibility was a priority, with facilities to accommodate people with reduced mobility and pushchairs. For POMA, the objective remains the same: to enable every passenger to enjoy a comfortable, safe and environmentally friendly journey.

Beyond the design, POMA, together with its local subsidiary SECA, will be responsible for the entire operation and maintenance of the installation for a period of 10 years.

Latin America is a pioneer in this field, with installations in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, Guayaquil in Ecuador and the Mexicable network in Mexico City.

However, France is not far behind, with projects such as the Téléo cable car in Toulouse and the Papang cable car in Saint-Denis de la Réunion now fully embraced by residents.

For faster, more comfortable and safer travel, SATA has made a particularly innovative choice by investing in a superb 2-section tricable gondola lift (3S). This installation marks a major step forward in the modernization of the Deux-Alpes ski area, and is set to become a benchmark in the mountain world.

The Jandri is the backbone of the vast Deux Alpes ski area. It is also a key link in the region's appeal, transporting users all year round from the center of the resort at 1650 meters to the base of the mythical high-altitude glacier at 3200 meters.

The 3S is a remarkable technology, relatively new to this part of the Alps, which has even been adapted for urban use, following the example of Toulouse's Téléo. The new detachable gondola lift at Jandri will increase throughput by more than two-thirds, significantly improving traffic flow in this highly frequented area, which accounts for almost the entire ski area and its 410 hectares of slopes.

A spectacular 17-minute journey is offered to all users, in Winter and throughout the seasons, in the space and comfort of Symphony 32-seater panoramic cabins, for a total immersion experience in the heart of the region of Oisans

Engineering, Precision, Local Manufacturing, Technology, Design and Comfort: all the ingredients have been brought together to make this project a superb showcase for the region, as well as a standard-bearer for French know-how, since the project has been awarded to a group of local service providers, led by POMA.

The project's success is based on close collaboration between SATA and the various entities of the POMA Group, each contributing its expertise in specific fields: Comag for tower assembly and cable installation, Semer for electrical equipment, Sacmi for station manufacture, and Sigma for gondolas. This collective dimension was reinforced by a project that was particularly rich in coactivity with the engineering departments, architects and various subcontractors involved in the project.

Convinced by POMA's know-how and expertise, the Dominican Republic has once again called upon the Isère-based manufacturer for a third aerial tramway. After working in the capital Santo Domingo, POMA will be supporting the urban development of the country's second-largest city, Santiago de los Caballeros. The project, which began in autumn 2021, is the third to be built in the Dominican Republic in the space of six years, making ropeway transportation the symbol of innovative, virtuous mobility for the country's urban population. Accessible to all, this 12-seater gondola lift runs for nearly four kilometres. It is at the heart of a project supported by the Dominican government: Santiago's SIT (Integrated Transport System), a multimodal scheme for soft and sustainable mobility. In addition to this new ropeway transportation line, it will also include a monorail and will provide ample room for the use of bicycles and electric buses.

The gondola lift is equipped with the latest-generation DirectDrive® motor to offer reliable, fast and eco-friendly transport for 4,000 people per hour at a speed of 7m/s. Its 12-seater cabins feature the emblematic red colour of the city. They can fly over densely populated areas that are home to 130,000 people, and are saturated during rush hour, to connect the four stations in just 10 minutes. With this line, the authorities hope to give a new economic and social impetus to the area.

Since 2018, the Dominican Republic, and more specifically the city of Santo Domingo, has chosen to turn to ropeway transportation as an innovative, low-impact solution to the challenges of urban mobility. With its congested urban space, the country is seeking to integrate sustainable transport alternatives that will reduce daily commuting times. This solution's ability to integrate into the surrounding environment also means that it can reach remote neighbourhoods with little impact on the environment.

As well as providing fast and efficient connections, aerial tramways reduce road congestion and greenhouse gas emissions and provide easier access to areas that would otherwise be difficult to reach. Following the opening of the first 5-km, 100% horizontal urban gondola lift in the north-east of Santo Domingo and a second 4.2-km line featuring the fastest monocable system in the world in the north-west of the capital to reach the city centre even more quickly, now the city of Santiago de los Caballeros has chosen ropeway transportation.

As well as carrying out these three projects, POMA is also responsible for the long-term maintenance and availability of these lines. An Operations and Maintenance contract gives the Dominican government the guarantee that the service will run smoothly, allowing users to travel on these lines with complete peace of mind. A local POMA team, with the help of an operating partner, is mobilised on a daily basis to ensure the reliability of the ropeway systems.