Konecranes has booked 20 ASCs for Global Terminal & Container Services, LLC in New Jersey, USA. Most of the cranes will be delivered to Global’s container terminal in Jersey City in 2013. This is Konecranes’ second ASC delivery to the USA following the 30 previously supplied to APMT Terminals in Portsmouth, Va. 

“This order further reinforces our strong position in the global container handling business, and continues our success in America,” says Jussi Suhonen, General Manager, RMG Cranes, Konecranes.

“Our automation reference in Virginia is one of the leading references in the industry, if not the leading reference to date. I am very pleased that another American container terminal operator has decided to adopt our automation solution. Automation is an important investment trend in the industry, and interest in our solution is clearly growing.”

Global’s ASCs will have an SWL of 40t and stack 1 over 5 and 9-wide. 

• The order was booked in 1Q/2012. Konecranes has posted its 1Q/2012 results, showing that order intake increased by 4.6$ to €534.6M, with service up by 12.2% and equipment up by 2.3%. The order book at the end of March stood at €1.076B, 12.4% higher than a year ago, and 8.5% higher than at the end of 2011. Sales in 1Q/2012 reached €474M (+22.2%), with service +20.4% and equipment +22%. “Forecasting the demand continues to be challenging due to macroeconomic uncertainties,” stated Konecranes. “Based on the current offer base, the demand outlook is stable. However, due to the timing of large port crane projects, the quarterly equipment order intake may fluctuate.”
• Konecranes President & CEO Pekka Lundmark will relocate to Singapore in August for approximately one year to support the development of Konecranes’ operations in emerging markets. Lundmark’s temporary relocation does not lead to any changes in Group’s operational structure, including the group headquarter functions in Hyvinkää, Finland, or Asia-Pacific headquarter functions in Shanghai, China. “A continuously growing share of the growth in world’s industrial production and logistics investments takes place in emerging markets in general, and in Asia in particular,” said Lundmark. “A strong senior management attention to the requirements presented by these customers is vital to success in our business. My main objective with the relocation is to build a personal contact network among customers and other decision makers in Asia, and better understand their thinking, plans and needs.” Asia Pacific region accounted for 21% of Konecranes’ net sales in 2011 and its relative share has tripled during the latest 10 years. Konecranes employs approximately 3000 persons in the region, which is about 26% of the Group’s total personnel. In China and India, Konecranes operates altogether seven plants, including joint ventures, manufacturing hoists, industrial cranes, lift trucks, and port cranes. Emerging markets in total generate about one-third of Konecranes’ net sales and as much as a half of business area equipment’s revenues.