The future of aviation refuelers in Latin America
MobilityPlaza visited the DANES manufacturing facility in Santa Fe, Argentina, for an exclusive look at the company’s new aviation refueler prototype. Developed in collaboration with JM Enterprise and ARPEC Group, the project responds to the sector’s huge demand for refueling units.
On the outskirts of Roldán, in Argentina’s Santa Fe province, the next generation of trucks for aviation refueling is being developed. This new line of refuelers is the result of a three-way collaboration between local manufacturer DANES, Italian supplier JM Enterprise, and regional distributor ARPEC Group.
The partnership was born out of complementary ambitions: one company looking to diversify, the other seeking new markets. With over 30 years in the fuel industry, the Argentine road tanker manufacturer set its sights on the growing demand for aviation refuelers amidst a supply shortfall following the post-pandemic recovery of air travel.
“Since we didn’t know the specifics of this technology, we started looking around the world for who were the best manufacturers, and that’s how we found JM Enterprise in Italy, who also wanted to expand their horizons in the region,” explained Everaldo Santa Cruz, CEO of DANES.
The Italian manufacturer of mobile fueling equipment looked to Latin America to grow beyond its airport operations in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. As a result, this mix of European design and Argentine manufacturing aims to offer a competitive solution tailored to the region’s needs.
“There’s a high demand for new vehicles and for refurbishing existing ones, and suppliers today can’t satisfy this demand,” added Alexandru Sturza, CEO of JM Enterprise.
With its long-standing presence in Latin America as a trusted supplier, ARPEC Group will be the commercialization partner for the project.
“On the one hand, you need to produce more; on the other, what’s being produced needs to migrate to new technology. That combination presents a significant challenge, not just for DANES and JM, but for the entire industry. The good news is that demand will fuel that transformation in the right direction,” shared Frank De Poli, Director of ELAFLEX Latin America and President of ARPEC Group.
Following the launch of its first prototype, the project now seeks to bring units to market as quickly as possible.
