Cargotec launches new business divisions

Hiab and Kalmar will now fall under the Industrial and Terminal area, with MacGregor in the Marine business segment.

The Industrial and Terminal organisation also includes product solutions, with the responsibility of global product offering competitiveness; service solutions, with the responsibility of global service offering competitiveness; and three regional organisations with the responsibility of sales and service in the Americas, Asia-Pacific and EMEA.

Olli Isotalo will head the Marine business as executive vice president. Pekka Vauramo will lead the Industrial and Terminal business in the role of senior executive vice president.

Cargotec had previously announced plans to merge various components of its business segments to maximise its offering to customers and streamline market access. Speaking in the May edition of Cranes Today, Harri Ahola, senior vice president of global solutions at Hiab, said: “Aftersales and service are part of our long-term plan. For several years, we’ve been increasing our focus on service, before the downturn in the market. We’re a big group, and we’ve made internal changes to benefit from that. Traditionally, service had been done locally; now, we’re integrating service across the group. That means we can reach further, and do more to use our organisation across the group.

“It’s been a cornerstone of the group to have a ‘one company’ approach. We’re utilising the service capacity the group has, and harmonising the group internally.

“For the customer, that means we can offer a global presence. For example, in some countries, we might not have had a Hiab presence, but Kalmar was there and co-operation can be found. In each country we go through our service networks and how we can cooperate there.

“Especially in Europe, we look for new ways to cooperate and find synergies.

A good example of this approach is Finland, where Kalmar’s workshop is located in central Finland, and Hiab products have also started to be repaired and maintained here.”

Cargotec has also announced three appointments to its executive board. Unto Ahtola has been appointed executive vice president for product solutions. Ahtola will join Cargotec from Sandvik Mining and Construction where he has had a long career in product development, product management, sales and marketing and general management roles since 1982. He is currently in the role of vice president of research and development and Engineering. Stefan Gleuel has been appointed executive vice president of service solutions. Gleuel has worked for Cargotec for over 10 years, most recently as senior vice president of the MacGregor service division. Ken Loh has been appointed executive vice president of the Asia-Pacific region. Loh has worked for Cargotec since 1989, currently serving as president of Kalmar in the Asia-Pacific region.

"These changes in Cargotec management structure are in line with the objectives of the On the Move change programme; customer focus and efficiency,” said Mikael Mäkinen, president and CEO of Cargotec. “We are very pleased to announce Unto Ahtola as head of product solutions. He has a long and impressive career and track record with Sandvik, an industry leader in capital equipment and related services. His experience in market driven product and business development will be valuable for Cargotec in future. This combined with raising the regional organisations to the executive board will increase customer focus in Cargotec management decisions."