Demag Cranes Launches International Dry Bulk Competence Centre in Banbury, UK

Demag Cranes has announced the launch of its International Dry Bulk Competence Centre with the aim of further expanding the company’s activities in this sector. The centre is located in Banbury, United Kingdom, and will offer customers a complete bulk-handling product family ranging from mobile harbour cranes, portal harbour cranes and floating cranes to hoppers, conveyors, grabs and drive components. Moreover, the centre will also supply customers with state-of-the-art software tailored to bulk-handling applications, expert consultancy services and service packages provided by qualified professionals.

The International Dry Bulk Competence Centre is headed by Mark Reardon and will serve bulk terminals intending to expand or upgrade their facilities or material flows. Demag Cranes will offer them an innovative and reliable one-stop-shop approach. “Many terminals are currently sourcing equipment from a disparate range of suppliers with a view to configuring their own system using these different elements”, explains Mark Reardon. “Under the name of its leading brand, Gottwald Port Technology, and together with its software specialist subsidiary, DBIS, and a proven network of partners, Demag Cranes will be ideally placed to provide optimum solutions from a single source.”

The Competence Centre indicates a major commitment by Demag Cranes in developing its long-term bulk-handling strategy with a view to positioning Gottwald as a leading brand in this rapidly expanding market: “Dry bulk is the largest seaborne commodity, driven by increasing demand for energy and food resulting from continuing growth in global population”, says Giuseppe Di Lisa, Senior Vice President Port & Intermodal Cranes. “Our Dry Bulk Competence Centre will help terminals to master the challenges triggered by this growth quickly and sustainably.”

 Additional information:

 Gottwald – innovation leadership in bulk handling applications

Through its Gottwald subsidiary, Demag Cranes is a key supplier of products and services in the bulk-handling market and stands for innovation leadership. With handling capacities of up to 1,850 tonnes per hour, depending on terminal and operating conditions, Gottwald four-rope grab cranes are the most powerful in the industry. Around the globe, some 300 of them are in use moving coal, iron ore, gravel and agribulk rapidly and cost-effectively. An important factor affecting many clients’ decisions in favour of Gottwald products is its electrical drive concept. It enables the crane to be operated from external power sources, which makes operation not only more economical but also more environmentally compatible. Apart from cranes, Gottwald’s innovation leadership extends to other products, such as the new verifiable weighing system for Mobile and Portal Harbour Cranes.

 Bulk-handling applications – a strategic pillar of the company’s business strategy

Handling equipment for bulk materials is one of the corporate strategic pillars with regard to the company’s aim of consolidating and expanding its position in the market. In 2010, bulk-handling applications represented a significant portion of the company’s business, and the company intends to further extend these activities. The success achieved is based on the excellence of the company’s own products and on joint operations with trusted partners, offering the same standard of innovation and quality as Demag Cranes itself. Due to such partnerships, Demag Cranes can, for instance, offer state-of-the-art hoppers and conveyors. In addition, the acquisition of DBIS, a UK-based dedicated bulk terminal software provider, in spring 2011 has been a milestone on the way to becoming a provider of turnkey terminal installations. The new Competence Centre will draw together this comprehensive range of products and services in a single location, which will further underline the company’s long-term commitment to bulk handling applications.

 Bulk materials – dynamic growth in an expanding world

The Dry Bulk Competence Centre is Demag Cranes’ sustainable answer to rising demand both from clients and partners – bulk applications are predicted to see major growth in the coming years. According to estimates, trade in seaborne thermal coal will increase from 680 million tonnes in 2010 to 1.1 billion tonnes in 2025. Key markets for coal will be China and India. A further example for anticipated growth is the iron ore trade, which is likely to increase by around 46% between 2010 and 2020. The market for dry bulk handling in general is expected to grow by 7% by 2015, due, on the one hand, to the booming Asian markets and, on the other, to the increasing world population, that will significantly increase the demand for grain.

 About Demag Cranes

The Demag Cranes Group is one of the world’s leading suppliers of industrial cranes and crane components, harbour cranes and terminal automation technology. Services, in particular maintenance and refurbishment, are another key element of the Group’s business activities. The Group is divided into the business segments Industrial Cranes, Port Technology and Services and has strong and well-established Demag and Gottwald brands. Demag Cranes sees its core competence in the development and construction of technically sophisticated cranes and hoists as well as automated transport and logistics systems in ports and terminals, the provision of services for these products and the manufacture of high-quality components.

As a global supplier, Demag Cranes manufactures in 16 countries on five continents and operates a worldwide sales and service network that is present in over 60 countries through its subsidiaries such as Demag Cranes & Components GmbH and Gottwald Port Technology GmbH, agencies and a joint venture. In financial year 2009/2010, the Group, with its 5,711 employees, generated revenue of EUR 931.3 million. Since August 2011, the Terex Group in the United States (www.terex.com) has held a majority share in the company.

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Dredging Today Staff, November 16, 2011; Image: gottwald