WORLD NEWS
INTERNATIONAL AND SPECIALIZED TRANSPORT
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SEPTEMBER 2013
6
HIGHLIGHTS
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Kalmar has announced that
it is to relocate the production
of rubber-tyred gantry cranes
(RTGs) from Cargotec Industries
(China), (CICL) Shanghai
multi-assembly unit (MAU) to
Rainbow-Cargotec Industries
(RCI). The decision is part of the
joint venture between Cargotec
and Jiangsu Rainbow Heavy
Industries. The RTG production
relocation is planned to be
completed by the end of
September 2013, a company
spokesperson said.
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Manufacturer of crane
scales, tension and
compression load cells,
Straightpoint, has appointed
NTE Projects, a sister company
of the Hadi Hammam Group,
as its distributor for the Saudi
Arabian market. Director of
Straightpoint, David Ayling
said, “NTE Projects have the
relevant expertise, experience,
intellectual capital and contacts
to promote Straightpoint
products effectively. We look
forward to working with them
in a partnership.”
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USA-based Delta Rigging
& Tools has completed the
acquisition of Holloway Wire
Rope, supplier of wire rope,
below-the-hook lifting devices
and rigging. The acquisition
marks Delta Rigging’s
expansion into the Oklahoma
oil and gas fields, along with
broadening its reach into the
Midwest markets.
UK tower crane specialist HTC
Plant Limited has acquired the
crane assets of Kier Plant for an
undisclosed sum.
The acquired fleet includes
39 tower cranes, four crawler
cranes and four rough terrain
cranes. The tower cranes are
a mix of Liebherr and Potain
with an average age of six years,
Duncan Salt, HTC director
and general manager, told
IC
. Utilisation at the time of
acquisition was around 60 %
and all of them will be out on
rental by the end of 2013,
Salt said.
The crawler fleet is two
70 tonne capacity Sumitomos,
an 80 tonne Kobelco and a 120
tonne Sumitomo. All are lattice
boom models and the average
age is three years. The 35 and
55 tonne capacity rough terrain
cranes are from Kato and
average three years old.
The majority of staff will
transfer to HTC under the
UK’s
Transfer of Undertakings
(Protection of Employment)
Regulations
(TUPE). Operation
will continue out of the Setchey
depot but the business will be
fully integrated into the HTC
business, Salt said.
The reason given for the
5 August 2013 sale was that
Kier wants to focus its attention
on its core business.
HTC Plant buys
Kier cranes
HTC Plant Wolff tower cranes on The Place project in London
CAA publishes guidance on crane use
The UK Civil Aviation
Authority (CAA) has
published guidance on the use
of tower cranes in accordance
with aviation safety.
The document,
Operating
Tower Cranes in the Vicinity
of Aerodromes, Notification
and En-route Obstacle Lighting
draws on existing rules and
regulations regarding aviation
safety and includes suggestions
on recommended best practice
for crane operators.
It states how operators are
required to fit lights to cranes
more than 150 metres tall and,
when close to aerodromes,
smaller cranes may also be
required to have a light fitted.
The guidance also states
that operators are required to
notify aerodromes if they are
erecting cranes in their vicinity
and that the wider aviation
community should be notified
when a crane with a height of
91 m or more is installed, a
spokesperson added.
Mark Swan, CAA group
director of safety and airspace,
said, “The vast majority of
crane operators are aware
of their obligations and
work well with the aviation
industry to ensure that safety
is maintained. However, we
wanted to make sure that
there is an easy one-stop shop
for anyone looking to check
what they need to do to help
to maintain the UK’s excellent
aviation safety record, so we
have worked with the building
industry to produce
this guidance.”
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The document is on the
CAA’s website:
/
docs/33/CAP%201096.pdf
PALFINGER SEES MARGINAL RISE
DESPITE WEAK EUROPE
Revenue increased slightly in the first half of 2013 for Palfinger,
although European markets remained weak.
Revenue stood at a record €475.1 million for the half year, 2.2%
more than in the first half of 2012. Earnings before interest and tax
(EBIT) amounted to €39.1 million, a 5.2% increase on the €37.2 million
recorded during the same period last year.
“We are very pleased with the results recorded in the first six
months,” commented Herbert Ortner, Palfinger CEO.
The company also sold the first cranes in its Chinese joint venture
with Sany during the six months.
“The next steps towards growth will most likely be taken primarily
in Brazil and Russia and also in the Marine business area. The
establishment of the joint venture in China is also expected to bear
first fruit in the course of 2013,” said a company spokesperson.
