Many variables to finding the perfect fit

For very big truck attachments, however, Konecranes is still active in the market, given that hardly anybody else makes these.

“Handling certain commodities with an FLT implies the use of attachments. For example, some terminals need FLT spreaders to handle containers; others specialise in steel coils, wires, slabs and tubes, which also require FLT attachments. Terminals handling paper products such as paper reels and bales are regular customers in this market, while concrete slab handling is also best done with a specially adapted FLT,” he says.

Does Konecranes actually recommend one particular attachment brand when accepting an order from a customer? Andersson says that this is sometimes the case; on other occasions, customers already have a clear idea of which attachment provider they wish to use. Attachments from one supplier will sometimes fit better or worse than those from another, he adds.

“Because we only make FLTs of a minimum 10-tonne size, attachments that we can fit are mainly limited to four manufacturers: Bolzoni Auramo, Cascade, Kaup and Stabau. However, among our customers there do seem to be a couple of trends; some terminals want cheaper prices, while others are seeking more sophisticated electronic attachments.”

Andersson believes that innovation in the attachment supply business is patchy. Depending on demand, he says, some attachments have evolved greatly – while the design of others remains essentially static. On occasions, customers look for particular refinements to an attachment which simply don’t exist, he adds.

“There is an active FLT secondhand market, but not always for an FLT fitted with a particular attachment. Fortunately, most customised FLTs can be returned to a standard design, if a terminal wants to sell them on without an attachment.