The new-build facility for mobile and crawler cranes under the Bendini, PPM and Demag brands allows the company to manage both operations from a single point, said Terex-Demag Ltd managing director Barry Barnes. “When we were under Mannesmann and Siemens, we never had a workshop. Under Terex, we took over a couple of sheds in an old American air base in Hayford. But there were 60 miles in between the service and the office, and you would plan to go there Wednesday to do something, and Wednesday never arrived.”
Barnes said that refurbishment was part of the business plan for the facility. “We see that trade-ins will increase, as the used market is coming back. Mainly this will be Demag cranes. And we do accident repairs.”
The new facility has a 1,300sq m four-bay workshop with a single pit, spare parts warehouse and 800 sq m over two storeys of offices and meeting rooms for sales, operations and training functions. The warehouse opens on to a four-acre yard. It has been open since April.
“There is a big value add in service. This is the first facility that we are investing in, but there will be more,” said new Terex-Demag vice-president and managing director, Doug Friesen.
At the ceremony on August 8, Barnes awarded key customers including Ainscough Crane Hire, Weldex, ALC, which has organised a 65-crane order for the British Army, William O’Brien, Sparrow Crane Hire and King Lifting. He also awarded Terex Demag engineer Helmut Meyer and Terex PPM’s Maurice Teixeira, head of parts and service.
The facility is in Long Crendon, Buckinghamshire, in the unit next to mini-crawler crane dealer GGR Unic. UK crane rental companies will soon be able to tour three mobile crane dealers in the same day; Liebherr’s facility in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire is less than 50 miles away, and Manitowoc’s new facility is even closer.
