Arcomet goes all out for growth
21 December 2005Following the recent announcement of its appointment as distributor for the full range of Potain self-erecting and tower cranes in England, Scotland, and Wales (the UK), Arcomet Group has announced expansion plans in the UK, Europe, and the United States.
A total of 230 new Potain cranes, valued at approximately €30 million, have been ordered, including 100 self-erecting cranes (from the Igo13 to the GTMR 386 B), and 130 top-slewing tower cranes (from the MC85 B to MD 365 B) for its rental fleets in Europe, all to be delivered during the course of 2006 and 2007.
As well as supplying the first units to the newly created UK sales and rental companies – Arcomet Tower Cranes and Midland Cranes (for the self-erectors) – some of these units will also be used satisfy the increasing demand from Arcomet’s operations in the Benelux countries, Germany and France.
In the UK, Arcomet expects to have between 250 and 300 cranes in its own rental fleet by 2008, with up to 100 top-slewing tower cranes, and 200 to 300 of the smaller self-erectors. They will all distinguishable by their ‘blue and orange’ Arcomet house colours.
In addition for 2006, Arcomet Group, with its joint-venture partner P&J Arcomet LLC in Washington DC, US, has ordered a total of 25 model SK 415 Terex-Peiner tower cranes, valued at approximately €10m, mainly for mobilisation in the US, but also some destined for Benelux operation. A further order to the value of some €15m will be placed with Terex-Comedil.
“One of our major objectives, in addition to expanding our fleet and our field of operation, is to maintain a young, modern fleet, with no cranes more than five years old”, said group managing director, Dirk Theyskens.
“We expect to achieve this goal within three years, and our worldwide rental fleet will then be concentrated in a mixture Manitowoc-Potain, Terex-Peiner and Terex-Comedil cranes. In the renewal and replacement process, we shall be selling some of the older cranes in our rental fleet, at an estimated value of some €30m.
“We see the worldwide demand for tower cranes continuing to grow, as the world economy picks up, and as end-users increasingly realise the benefits in construction efficiency in using modern tower cranes, even on smaller building sites with self-erectors.
We are already experiencing this in Germany, Italy and France - throughout Europe really - and it will continue as the EU community expands and develops.”
“In the UK for instance, there is already a healthy level of building and construction activity, and with considerable further potential as new projects, both large and small, come on stream, including the build-up to the 2012 Olympic Games. And in the US too, a wider understanding of tower crane usage is opening up new opportunities.”
