After re-introducing the legendary Demag brand and rolling out the new Demag 5-axle product line and Terex global rough-terrain line in 2016, Terex Cranes will continue to introduce new products in the new year.
Throughout early 2017, the company will launch a new flat-top tower crane, re-enter the city class crane market, and introduce a 330-ton (300-tonne) six-axle crane.
In March, the company will also introduce a new SK series hammerhead tower crane at the Conexpo-Con/Agg trade show in Las Vegas.
“We are committed to being the most customer-responsive company in the industry through providing valuable product and service solutions that produce an excellent return on the customer’s investment,” says Terex Cranes President Steve Filipov. “For us to deliver on these commitments and innovate the technologies of today and tomorrow, we must be laser-focused on controlling our costs, aligning our manufacturing footprint with market conditions, and creating a more streamlined and responsive organizational structure.”
Part of the cost alignment strategy is identifying and focusing on its core competencies.
As a result of that analysis, the company plans to sell a component and parts fabrication facility it currently operates in Pecs, Hungary.
Also, Terex Cranes will consolidate its three current manufacturing locations in Zweibrücken, Germany, into two.
The company will continue manufacturing operations of Demag crawler and all-terrain cranes in Dinglerstrasse and Wallerscheid, and make multimillion-dollar investments in both facilities to support ongoing manufacturing operations. It will, however, stop production in Bierbach in 2017 and sell the facility.
The consolidation and cost-alignment strategies continue actions taken by the company in 2016 to manufacture more efficiently.
In 2016, Terex Cranes consolidated all North American crane production into the existing Terex manufacturing facility in Oklahoma City, Okla.
The pending sale of the Material Handling and Port Solutions business to Konecranes will include the Cranes Montceau Les Mines, France, factory, which manufactured four Terex all-terrain crane models. Those models will be made at other Terex plants.
“With the consolidation efforts started in 2016 and the announced changes in Hungary and Zweibrücken in 2017, the Cranes business global headcount will be reduced by approximately 30%. While these decisions are difficult to make, they are necessary to build a stronger, more focused and efficient Terex Cranes that will continue to innovate and grow,” adds Filipov. “The steps taken will allow us to continue to invest in product innovation and service to drive customer satisfaction and the resulting business success.”
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