Control of Atlas Weyhausen, the German manufacturer of loader cranes and hydraulic excavators, has been sold by the Weyhausen family to Eder Handel und Beteiligungen GmbH, which is part of the Walter Eder Group.

Atlas Weyhausen, which is based in Delmenhorst, is understood to have got itself into financial difficulties because of a collapse in the German excavator market. Sales of loader cranes are also down, from about 6,000 five years ago in Germany to around 3,500 in 1998, according to some estimates. Eder’s background is in excavator manufacturing, rather than cranes, giving rise to speculation that the crane business may yet be hived off.

With the Weyhausen family disposing of its majority holding, general manager Carsten Weyhausen has resigned and been replaced by Christian Dummler.

Carsten Weyhausen said of the change in ownership: “In Walter Eder, Atlas Weyhausen is joining a business enterprise with long-standing experience in the construction equipment sector. I’m quite confident that Atlas Weyhausen and Eder will together write a new successful chapter in the company’s 80-year history.” Atlas has a strong market presence in the UK (and a factory in Scotland), Austria, Scandinavia and the Benelux countries. Eder said that the strategic aim was for further international expansion, to become less vulnerable to fluctuations in the German market.

“I would not have come to Delmenhorst if I hadn’t believed that Atlas Weyhausen has a strong future ahead of it,” said Eder.