Konecranes shakeup addresses move towards emerging markets

As a result of new equipment demand moving towards emerging markets, Konecranes‘ business area Equipment has initiated actions to align operations closer to customers.

In doing so, the group, in its business unit Industrial Cranes will organise itself into larger sales areas with fewer, yet stronger units.

In addition, it will consider discontinuing industrial crane manufacturing in Hyvinkää, Finland and Vic, Spain. Hyvinkää will remain the main location for component manufacturing for heavy-duty industrial cranes and port cranes.

In business unit Port Cranes Konecranes will consider terminating straddle carrier manufacturing in Tauberbischofsheim, Germany. In straddle carrier manufacturing it will continue using other group facilities, as well as the group’s extensive subcontracting network.

These actions will affect approximately 140 employees globally. Konecranes expects to incur restructuring costs of approximately €10 million due to these actions of which approximately €6 million will be recognised in the fourth quarter of 2012 and approximately €4 million in the first quarter of 2013. The total cash flow impact of these restructuring costs will be approximately €5 million. With these planned actions, Konecranes targets annual cost savings of approximately €10 million starting from the second half of 2013.

Due to this business reorganisation, Konecranes will start statutory negotiations regarding possible personnel reductions in Finland. It estimates that the permanent personnel reductions will affect 35 employees within the business area Equipment. The planned changes in Finland are part of the business area-wide realignment of operations.

Konecranes Group has approximately 12,100 employees globally. In Finland, Konecranes employs approximately 2,000 people of which approximately 1,200 are located in Hyvinkää. Konecranes aims to offer employment possibilities for the affected employees in the growing markets.