Konecranes paving the way forward in 2017

The combined company is aiming to provide more cargo handling equipment, services and environmental saving solutions to its customers all over the world in 2017.

This has led to an expanded portfolio including Konecranes’ Gottwald Mobile Harbour Cranes, which have already been selected by an Argentina power plant operator. The company’s collection also now contains Konecranes Noell STS and RTG cranes, horizontal transport for container terminals and Konecranes Liftace Lift Trucks.

Panu Routila, president and CEO of Konecranes, believes that the combined forces will lead to a successful 2017. She said: “We are extremely proud to combine forces with MHPS. We want to provide a home for Demag and Port Solutions, from which these businesses can grow and become stronger as part of our joint organisation.”

“The MHPS acquisition makes it possible for us to realise a long list of synergies. We will be one technology company, ready to create the next generation of lifting.”

The acquisitions have helped secure a barrage of green orders for the company.

AES Argentina Generacion S.A (AES) ordered a Terex Gottwald Model 2 portal harbour crane which is currently used at its 1,540 MW power plant in San Nicolas de los Arroyos to unload coal imported from South Africa and Columbia.

The new efficient crane replaces an ageing cargo handling equipment, not only to save on emissions but also to provide cost savings as it will be using power from the terminal’s own supply.

This was not the company’s only success in South America, there were also two orders for large cranes from Chile. First for a diesel-electric Terex Gottwald Model 8 mobile harbour crane for Terminal Puerto Arica S.A. (TPA) to help save on emissions, followed by an identical G HMK 8410 crane for the terminal of Compania Portuaria Mejillones in Puerto Angamos.

The company’s focus on helping shipowners meet new emissions restrictions and legislations is what has led it to continue investing in new technologies and equipment. Aided by the additions from its recent acquisition, last year saw the company develop vital technology for the industry.

One of which is Konecranes new technology for lift trucks, Power Drive, which aims to deliver up to 25% fuel savings to offer a lighter environmental footprint.

“Our intention is to always be at the engineering forefront, offering the latest development to our customers. We can now meet the latest EU stage 4/EPA 4f environmental standards, improving the efficiency of our products,” explained Daniel Sjöstrand, product manager at Konecranes.

Konecranes’ environmental stance goes back to the launch of its first Hybrid Reachstacker which was unveiled in 2013, it is capable of reducing fuel consumption by 30-50%.

And it is not only its own technology which focuses on green savings, Konecranes’ factory in India has further reduced its carbon emissions by using solar panels on its roof. Since installation towards the end of last year, it is on target to produce 1,100 GW of electricity each year, this means it will produce over 60% of the factory’s energy.

Last year, Konecranes delivered its products to a number operations focused on environmental initiatives. One of these included an order for two waste-to-energy (WTE) cranes from French company Constructions industrielles de la Mediterranee (CNIM). This order was the most recent from several previous deliveries to the company in France, UK and Eastern Europe.

The WTE-cranes are going to be installed in Wheelabrator Technologies’ waste-to-energy facility which is being constructed in Kemsley, England. This site is a combined heat and power facility which will generate 43MW of sustainable electricity to power UK homes and businesses.