Liebherr Maritime Cranes is on track to set a new record for annual deliveries and turnover – 40 years after delivering its first mobile harbour cranes.
According to a company press release, deliveries in 2014 are likely to surpass the 102 units delivered in 2008 – the previous record – with the company racking up 20 new orders worth more than €60 million in May alone.
“Leibherr managed to achieve a significant rise in deliveries of mobile harbour cranes despite the fact that the world economy grows only moderately,” said Matthias Mungenast, sales director for Liebherr habour cranes. “This year we expect out market share to be in the range of 70%.”
Growth in demand for mobile harbour cranes has increased remarkably since Liebherr entered the market in 1974. Twenty years later, the company had only sold 100 units; since then, the company, has supplied more than 1200 units to countries around the world.
This year has not been an exception to the geographical diversity of Liebherr mobile harbour crane distribution with countries across Europe, Africa, the Americas and Asia taking delivery of units this year. For example, Bothra Shipping Services in India will double the number of Liebherr cranes it operates from five to ten with two units delivered this year and three in 2015. Bothra uses the cranes to handle bulk material, such as coal.
“Ports continue to purchase new cargo handling equipment in order to cope with growing volumes or due to modernization processes,” the company explained. “As a solid investment, mobile harbour cranes provide the flexibility and productivity many ports are looking for.”
“For this reason, Liebherr is optimistc that the demand for its mobile harbour cranes will continue to be very high in the near future.”
Written by Jonathan Rowland.