Times are changing in the US loader crane market, traditionally a stronghold for domestic manufacturers such as IMT and Grove’s National Crane. In terms of annual unit sales, Europe’s Hiab now claims to hold the number one position in the USA. Hiab’s marketing manager Anders Hansson says it has moved up from third position behind National and IMT three years ago.
According to Hansson, Hiab sold about 550 units last year in North America alone, not including Canada or Mexico. Cormach’s export manager Giulio De Luca estimates the annual US market for knuckle-boom loader cranes to be around 2,000 units – which is still smaller than France or Germany, he points out.
Cormach, which makes around 800 cranes a year, has strengthening competition from other Italian manufacturers in the USA, where, for example, Fassi launched a new crane last year. Fassi claims sales of 250 units a year in the USA and puts itself as world number three in loader crane sales, claiming annual production of more than 4,000 units.
Much of the competition is in the construction industry, a rapidly growing US market segment for loader cranes. Cranes used for handling wallboard and other stacked materials are a major growth area. Cormach’s model 30000 high reach wallboard unloader is just one example of several cranes specifically designed for this sector. It has a high reach, four-section boom and three-section jib fitted with forks and continuous rotator. Lifting capacity is 5,500lb (2.5t). Autogru PM offers its Series 3 with forks and rotator in a wallboard version. Hiab says its 235K is a popular model for wallboard work in the USA and is generally selling larger units – in the 25tm to 35tm range. Other important applications are roofing (truss setting), road maintenance and glass handling, Hansson says.
Hiab exhibited at 28 shows across the USA last year as part of its strategy to target niche markets and supply tailor-made cranes, rather than cranes for general duties which is what happens in Europe. American companies tend to be large enough to buy cranes for specific jobs whereas in Europe cranes are expected to do several jobs, such as hook work and grabbing, for example, using different attachments. Hiab is pushing for business in the railway sector with several models. Railways is a market where buyers have traditionally been notably loyal to domestic product.
For Flli Ferrari a growth market in the USA is the utility business, particularly telecoms and electricity, where its best sellers are in the 4.5t (model 545) to 10t range, mounted on service trucks. Some larger models, 14tm to 28tm, have recently gone to California.
Japanese manufacturer Tadano is also pushing hard into North America. Its drive is led by its Canadian distributor, Procrane Sales. Tadano says that it has been ‘constantly shipping’ its loader cranes to Canada since it showed the ZR-300 series at last year’s Conexpo show in Las Vegas, USA, and the ZR-500 series is to be launched there this year. Procrane is working to develop Tadano’s distribution network and aims to have a dealer in each Canadian province by the end of this year.
Domestic manufacturer IMT’s regional sales manager Jim Darr attributes the increased foreign competition to a slowdown in the world market. But Darr says there is strong interest in IMT cranes in niche areas such as mining where special service type cranes are used, usually with tirehand or grapple boom tip attachments.
“IMT remains strong in the market place by the continual addition of new product offerings and maintaining a strong dealer network to service our customers needs,” Darr says.
Flli Ferrari’s interest in the utilities market is also taking it into Central and South America where it says there is a boomoing power line industry. A new dealer has been engaged in Mexico as part of the is drive.
The total market in South America is estimated at 3,000 units a year, two-thirds of which are sold in Brazil, according to Hiab’s Hansson. South American markets have their problems too – buyers are holding back in Venezuela because of uncertainty and a new president, and not much is moving in Brazil or Chile, says Cormach’s de Luca.
Hiab says that increased sales in Europe and the USA have more than compensated for the fall in the Asian market, most of which remains poor due to the continuing glut of used equipment. Both Cormach and Flli Ferrari put Germany as their top market for turnover. Other good markets, Ferrari says, are Argentina and Australia where there is a particular demand for large models. In terms of volume, Italy, Flli Ferrari’s home market, is also its best and is ‘growing and growing,’ largely because of a government concession that allows 41% of building costs to be claimed against tax which has meant a boom in private housing refurbishment. And local authorities and the military in Italy are also good markets, the company says.
