Gottwald reports solid start to 2008

An order from Bitumi International Container Terminal (BICT) in the port of Batumi, Georgia, for two HMK 260 E cranes marked an important step for Gottwald in its efforts to capture new markets. In addition, the Faroe Islands welcomed their first Gottwald crane. Eimskip, an established customer that operates a number of Gottwald cranes in Iceland, ordered a G HMK 6407 mobile harbour crane for its operations at the Port of Torshavn in the Faroe Islands.

As a result, Gottwald MHCs are now present in 87 countries. With an order from Drobrica Port Szczecin for an HMK 260 E unit to be delivered to Stettin, Gottwald made a successful return to the Polish market. Outside Europe, it sold four Generation 5 G HMK 6407 MHCs in Africa, for use at two DP World terminal facilities in Senegal and Mozambique.

Sixteen of the 24 cranes sold in the first quarter were Generation 5 models, including models 4, 6, 7 and 8 in their numerous variants. This brought the total number of Generation 5 Cranes commissioned or on order since their launch to 109. Four-rope grab cranes for professional bulk handling, an increasingly important part of Gottwald’s strategic focus, also performed well with five units, accounting for 21% of orders.