2006 ‘best year ever’ for Gottwald

The company reported strong performances in all of its core sectors. Its sales of harbour cranes (including MHCs, portal harbour and harbour pontoon cranes) totalled 82 for the year, a 7.9% increase on the 76 units sold the previous year and its best performance ever. Sales in Europe, its main market, reached 35 units, accounting for 42.7% of the total. The most important sub-markets were the UK, which purchased six cranes, followed by Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy and Turkey with five cranes apiece.

Worldwide, the strongest markets were the Americas, where a total of 15 MHCs were sold, and Africa, which accounted for 12 units. The most important single markets outside Europe were Puerto Rico, with five MHCs, and Syria with six.

During the course of the year Gottwald began phasing out its Generation 4 harbour cranes and phasing in the latest Generation 5 units. These were well received by customers, reports the company, with 26 units in various model configurations contributing to the total for the year. By the start of 2007, some 30 Generation 5 cranes were either on order or had been commissioned.