Over the past six months Kalmar has reinforced its position as the leading supplier of heavy forklift trucks for ports and industry. Kalmar has secured a number of substantial orders in its major Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) market and made significant progress in North America.
The orders reflect Kalmar acknowledged track-record in tackling diverse and often complex handling assignments, says Mikael Rietz, VP Sales and Marketing, Kalmar Industrial Systems:
"We’ve made a number of significant breakthroughs in interesting markets. Kalmar is supplying more and more forklift trucks to both new and returning customers. Wherever heavy handling requirements are growing, Kalmar is in there."
Feeding global port development
SA Stevedores in South Africa has expanded its cargo handling fleet with five additional 15-tonne Kalmar trucks, this time equipped with a detachable counterweight. The machinery is to be used at the stevedore company installations in Durban. SA Stevedores, which has been supplied with a number of heavy-duty trucks in the past, is hiring all machines from Saficon, Kalmar South African dealer. Meanwhile, P&O Durban has also purchased four medium trucks.
Moving to Asia, China continues to report vigorous development. For the brand-new harbourside facilities at Ningbo Port, close to Shanghai, Kalmar is supplying three heavy-duty trucks. The container manufacturer Shunde Shun and the port of Tianjin have both purchased Kalmar empty-container handlers capable of stacking containers five high
Medway Ports in the UK has purchased four Kalmar trucks for its mixed cargo handling operations. These trucks are the first to be delivered to the UK with Kalmar new Flexcab and powertrain, the Dana 13000. In addition to forks, they are able to operate with a variety of specialist attachments to handle different types of cargo.
Kalmar has also delivered around ten heavy-duty trucks to a number of ports in the Mediterranean. Two of these units are going to the Port of Sokhna in Egypt. Stevedoring Company Sappsa Pasajes in Spain is also using Kalmar machines and at the Black Sea port of Novorossisk, two 20-tonne Kalmar trucks are currently in operation. Meantime, Kalmar has recently closed a deal to supply a customer in Syria with a series of lightweight trucks for cargo handling.
Handling paper and forestry products
For a long time now, Kalmar machines have occupied a strong position within the forestry product industry. Their excellent accessibility, unsurpassed driver environment and valuable operating economies generate a large amount of business in terms of both new and return customers.
International Paper in the US, one of the world largest sawmill and paper conglomerates, is a recent convert to Kalmar trucks. In an important breakthrough for Kalmar, the company has now bought its first machine following a trial operating period.
Tool Logistics, a member of Germany Gluns Group, has recently purchased six Kalmar trucks for inventory management and offloading chipboard in Saarland, while Friesau-based Klausner Holz, another German timber company, has ordered six 15-tonners to handle its lumber.
Austria Mayr-Melnhof is continuing to expand its fleet with an order for seven Kalmar trucks with a lifting capacity of 16 tonnes to service its operations in the Czech Republic.Kalmar makes its mark on heavy industry
Kalmar ability to adapt machinery to extreme handling environments proved the deal-clincher when foundry operator Fritz Winter needed trucks to handle its castings. The job called for machines with proper safeguards against heat and steel splash, to guarantee driver safety as well as to prevent machine reliability from being jeopardised. By offering a neatly customised solution, Kalmar was entrusted with the task of supplying ten specially equipped trucks with an 8-tonne lifting capacity.
The UK Tarmac Concrete, which is part of leading global mining and mineral specialist, Anglo American plc, has again increased its fleet of 10-tonne Kalmar trucks with the purchase of a further seven. The machines are being used to lift Tarmac various stone, concrete, brick and tile products.
Kalmar has also achieved an important breakthrough in Turkey through its deal with the Turkish steel producer Içdas for the purchase of six 15-tonne trucks. The machines are to be used for handling large steel wire coils. Kalmar is also supplying 13 trucks to ISPAT Hamburger Stahlwerke for the same kind of activity.Versatility reaps rewards
Through Kalmar UK dealer, Masterlift, a wide range of machines have been sold to a variety of users, most recently trucks with an 8-14 tonne lifting capacity and empty-container handlers. UK fertiliser manufacturer ABP Fertiliser has chosen four 9-tonne Kalmar trucks to lift large sacks of fertiliser products.
Ford, Opel, BMV,Daimler Chrysler and Audi are major buyers of Kalmar larger electric-powered trucks and have over the last year purchased eight machines. These trucks are being used inside the manufacturers’ factories to provide environmentally friendly handling of items such as crates full of car parts and tools for large presses.
Norwegian armed forces choose Kalmar
Kalmar has also secured a deal with the Norwegian National Defence for a series of 16-tonne trucks with appropriate add-ons for the military airports in Gardemoen and Bodø. The machines will be loading and unloading large Galaxy military aircraft.
Another Norwegian customer – this time the brewery Ringnäs – has also chosen Kalmar to handle beer and soft drinks. The company has taken delivery of a truck equipped with a vertically adjustable cab that can be lowered or raised to enhance precision and provide drivers with the best conceivable all-round view.
Notes to editors:
This press release is also available in Swedish . Please contact either Lotta Sundstrom (lotta.sundstrom@kalmarind.com) in Sweden.
Picture 1:Kalmar machines occupy a leading position in the forestry product industry. Picture 2: Kalmar forklifts make light work of heavy handling for Germany's Hamburger Stahlwerke.
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Kalmar is a global provider of heavy duty materials handling equipment demanding industrial customers. Kalmar focuses on supplying handling solutions that enable customers to operate with a high level of efficiency and reliability. Every fourth container or trailer transfer at terminals around the world is handled by a Kalmar machine.
Kalmar provides a large range of value added services such as maintenance contracts and fleet management. Manufacturing plants are situated in Sweden (as is the head office), in Finland, the Netherlands, Estonia, Malaysia, China and the USA.
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