The spin-off of CIMNE PSTECH (Pneumatic Structures) planned to start marketing its inflatable bridges for emergency cases in September 2017. These structures allow establish communications after a disaster and improve existing solutions, more costly and slower.

To date, the practice after natural catastrophes was to use temporary iron bridges. A bridge of 16 meters of this material weighs about 50 tons, requires about 10 trucks to transport it and mobilizes about 450 people for its installation. However, an inflatable bridge can be moved with a single truck, can be installed by 15 people in about three hours and weights from 7 to 10 times less and employs 20 times fewer resources.

The prototype is the result of the research and it has required an investment 1,2 million euros, funded from aid by Research and Development (R & D) European, Spanish and Catalan institutions. To date, the company is contacting potential private investors, ranging from construction companies to military logistics companies. "To go to the market we need about 300,000 euros that will come from private investment”, explains Javier Marcipar, director of CIMNE Tecnología, the company that manages the spin-offs of CIMNE.

Read new published by 'El Periódico' - 20th June, 2017