Gottwald reports record year

37 orders came from Europe, where Belgium was strong with 9 units. Spain and the UK also played an important role with 5 and 4 cranes respectively. In the Nordic countries Gottwald strengthened its position with 4 cranes. In the Middle East one order for six cranes came from Syria and two orders for five cranes from the UAE. With five cranes for Mexico, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and Colombia, Gottwald further consolidated its position in Latin America.

Four cranes went to Asian countries (Indonesia, Korea, Japan). The remaining orders came from the US, Canada, Africa (four units – Algeria, Tanzania, Egypt) and last but not least French Polynesia and New Caledonia (one unit each).

53% of orders, i. e. 35 units, came from the conventional two-rope cranes segment. The four-rope crane sub-segment for bulk handling – accounting for 47% of the total output last year – was characterized by a notable growth trend with 31 units sold compared to 24 units in 2003 and 17 units in 2002.

Orders in Gottwald’s special product line, including railmounted HSK Portal Harbour Cranes and the newly launched HPK Harbour Pontoon Cranes, totalled seven units, including six HSK Portal Harbour Cranes and one HPK Harbour Pontoon Crane. All HSK cranes as well as the HPK were four-rope grab cranes.

In line with its strategy to develop untapped markets, Gottwald added the HPK Harbour Pontoon Crane series to its portfolio in 2004. Being mounted on a barge, the HPK Harbour Pontoon Crane enables direct transloading of cargo from large vessels to river barges. First customer and at the same time concept initiator of Gottwald’s new product line was St. James Stevedoring Company, Inc. – one of the leaders in bulk cargo handling on the Lower Mississippi River.