Atlas Hydraulic Loaders, the UK subsidiary of German manufacturer Atlas Weyhausen, is reorganising to concentrate on truck loader cranes.
A separate distribution network, reporting to Atlas Weyhausen in Germany, will take over sales and marketing of excavators.
Ron Smith, who joined AHL as managing director at the beginning of the year, said the switch was designed to give a better focus to both sides of the company’s business. He added: “Atlas Weyhausen has long time experience of supporting European dealer networks and will use this expertise to build strong partnership relationships here in the UK. The knowledge and technical skills of the existing excavator team will be absorbed into the new network.” Atlas is the only loader crane producer to manufacture in the UK and claims to have more than 50% of the UK market. Said Smith: “Loader cranes have always been the core business of AHL in the UK, and now with a single market focus we have a wonderful opportunity to invest all our resources in the loader crane market.” The sales and service headquarters in Bradford is 35% taken up by the excavator business. With excavators now to be sold and serviced by independent distributors, this facility will now be wholly dedicated to cranes.
In addition, a new purpose-built crane depot opened last December in Bicester (near, but not on the site of the, the mobile crane facility that Grove recently closed down).
