As the ground support equipment sector recovers from the depths of Covid, TIPS GSE believes there is a “new energy” in the industry. Vesna Poznič, the company’s head of sales, tells Airside that the sector is “gaining momentum again”
Vesna, TIPS GSE has manufactured airport equipment for more than 50 years. Can you tell Airside about the company’s history and how it became known for producing passenger steps, belt loaders, potable water and lavatory trucks and tow tractors, among other types of equipment?
We are very proud of our history. Our story began in 1969 when Stane Pustavrh founded a family business specialising in the modification of special-purpose vehicles and bodywork. Just a year later, the company received its first requests for ground support equipment. Even those very first GSE units were built with such precision and attention to detail that some are still in operation today – fully functional, decades later.
Over the years, we have continuously expanded our knowledge and honed our expertise. This foundation, combined with the unwavering dedication of the Pustavrh family and their passion for innovation, has become the driving force behind our success – which is clearly reflected in the performance and reliability of every TIPS product.
For more than 55 years, we have remained committed to our mission and vision. Our core business is the design, production, and sale of GSE, with a strong focus on developing high-quality products under the TIPS brand. These include passenger stairs, belt loaders, potable water and lavatory trucks, tow tractors and more.
Since I joined the company, I’ve seen the third generation of the Pustavrh family become fully engaged across various departments. Working alongside them, we continue to push for innovation and new ideas while proudly preserving the traditional TIPS quality that defines who we are.
Given that TIPS GSE is based in Slovenia, can you provide an overview of the company’s global footprint today in terms of where your customers are based?
Although TIPS GSE is proudly based in Slovenia, our presence is truly global. Over the years, our ground support equipment has been delivered to airports across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Central Asia and beyond.
Today, TIPS products operate at major international hubs as well as smaller regional airports – from Northern Europe to Southeast Asia – performing reliably in a wide range of operational and environmental conditions.
The fact that we have long-standing, repeat customers across multiple decades is the strongest testament to the reliability, quality, and trust we’ve built. None of this would be possible without our customers.
We work closely with a wide range of partners – including airport operators, ground handling providers, and government institutions. Many of these relationships have developed over years, even decades, grounded in trust, continuity, and a shared dedication to quality.
TIPS GSE states the values it pursues are “professionalism, reliability, honest work and responsibility as well as also the highest level of customer satisfaction”. How do you ensure this – and what makes TIPS GSE a unique ground support equipment company?
Although we now employ more than 100 people, TIPS GSE remains very much a family company at heart. That spirit shapes how we work – with care, responsibility and long-term thinking.
Our values – professionalism, reliability, honest work, responsibility and the highest level of customer satisfaction – are not just guiding principles. They are deeply rooted in our daily operations, across all departments.
What also makes us unique is the strong, trusted network of agents who represent TIPS GSE around the world. Many of them have been active in the GSE industry for decades and are deeply committed to their customers. Their local knowledge, responsiveness, and dedication play a key role in building the kind of personal, long-term relationships we are proud of.
At TIPS GSE, we combine the stability and flexibility of a family-run company with the professionalism and reach of a global manufacturer. Our clients know they can count on us – not just for reliable equipment, but for partnership, presence and people who genuinely care.
The company says 2018 was its most successful year ever. How did you navigate the challenge of Covid-19 given that the aviation industry was essentially grounded for three years?
It was an incredibly challenging period for us. Above all, we were determined to avoid layoffs, especially in our construction and technical sectors, which are crucial for our operations. The first year, we managed to get by with the orders we had already secured, but as the situation prolonged, we had to dig deeper into our internal reserves in order to protect ourselves from widespread layoffs.
The management team made every effort possible to find solutions that would allow us to retain as many people as we could. We even considered diversifying into other programmes outside of the GSE sector to help support the company and its workforce.
As you can imagine, such a significant shift doesn’t come from something as negative as a lockdown. After careful consideration, however, we decided to abandon that idea and instead focus on the development and modification of our existing products to adapt to the changing market conditions.
Despite the uncertainty and challenges, we were able to weather the storm, and a great deal of credit for that goes to CEO Robert Pustavrh, who demonstrated incredible foresight and courage. His leadership was instrumental in guiding us through those dark times, ensuring that we stayed resilient and remained focused on the long-term future of TIPS GSE, even during the most difficult periods for the ground support equipment sector.
And how has business been post-pandemic? GSE companies have told Airside that 2024 was very successful and say this year is on track for even greater success. Is this a trend TIPS GSE observes?
Yes, we’re seeing the same positive trend. 2024 was indeed a strong year for us – not only in terms of orders but also in the quality of projects and partnerships we were involved in.
There’s a renewed energy in the industry, and we feel it across all segments – from traditional GSE to more specialised and sustainable solutions. What’s especially encouraging is that many customers who postponed investments during the pandemic are now coming back with long-term plans and a clear focus on reliability, support and product value.
At TIPS GSE, we’ve entered 2025 with confidence. Not only that – we’re continuing to follow up on promising leads from GSE Expo in Lisbon and expanding our customer base. At the same time, we’re investing in new developments, technology and people. So yes – we definitely recognise this as a broader recovery, and we’re excited to be part of it.
What about the global GSE sector more widely?
The global GSE sector is clearly gaining momentum again. After several years of uncertainty, we’re now seeing a strong push for modernisation, fleet renewal and especially for sustainable and smart solutions.
There’s growing demand for equipment that is not only reliable and durable, but also adaptable to future needs – whether that means electric drive systems, smart configurations or tailored designs for specific operations.
At the same time, we’re observing a shift in how the industry operates. Large global players are increasingly taking over GSE operations and building up sizeable fleets under unified management. In some ways, it’s an intimidating development – but also an understandable one, given the drive for efficiency, standardisation and scalability.
For manufacturers like us, this means adapting to requests for higher volumes of standardised equipment. And while our strength traditionally lies in flexibility and customisation, we are actively adjusting our processes to meet this new demand – without compromising the quality or integrity that defines TIPS GSE. It’s a challenging balance, but one we’re committed to getting right.
What future market trends do you forecast – and how does TIPS GSE plan to react to these?
Looking ahead, we see several key trends shaping the future of the GSE market. First and foremost, the push toward green and sustainable solutions is set to accelerate. Regulatory pressure, airport ESG commitments and growing public awareness are all driving demand for electric, hybrid and low-emission equipment.
At TIPS GSE, we’re responding by expanding our portfolio of sustainable products and continuing to develop electric versions of our core equipment lines. We’re also observing a shift in how GSE operations are structured, with larger fleet operators increasingly seeking more standardised equipment. This calls for a careful balance between production efficiency and the flexibility that TIPS is known for – and we are actively adapting to meet these expectations.
In parallel, there is growing interest in automation, particularly in areas such as autonomous driving and single-operator functionality. These innovations aim to improve safety, reduce operating costs, and address workforce challenges. While still emerging, they represent an important direction for the industry – and we are following them closely as we shape our future product development.
At TIPS GSE, our goal is not only to respond to market demand but also to grow in a way that stays true to who we are. Even as we expand and adapt to new challenges, we remain deeply committed to our identity as a family-owned company.
In the past, we have been known as manufacturers who respond to the specific needs and requests of our customers, and this will continue. While we have introduced standardised, series-produced products, we will still offer tailored, on-point solutions that our customers can rely on.
Just as market needs are versatile, so too is our offering and the way we work. We believe that long-term success is not measured only in numbers or units delivered, but in the relationships we build and the values we uphold – generation after generation.
Looking ahead, our vision is clear: to continue evolving with the industry while preserving the spirit, integrity, and personal approach that have defined TIPS for more than five decades – and will continue to do so for many more.
