19.12.2005

Arcomet invests

Arcomet has confirmed that it has ordered 230 new Potain tower cranes worth around €30 million for its new UK operations and to help reduce the average age of its fleets in Germany, France and Benelux.

The order includes 100 self erectors, ranging form the Igo 13 to the GTMR 386B and 130 top slewing models, from the MC85B up to the MD365B.

The first new units will be shipped into the newly created Arcomet tower cranes with the self erectors going into Midland Cranes, also a newly formed company.
Deliveries will be scheduled throughout 2006 and into 2007.

In the UK, Arcomet is planning to be operating a fleet of between 300 and 400 cranes by 2008, split between 100 top-slewing tower cranes, and 200 to 300 self-erectors. All of the new units will be painted in Arcomet’s blue and orange house colours.

In the USA the Arcomet joint-venture P&J Arcomet LLC, based in Washington DC, has ordered 25 model SK 415 Terex-Peiner tower cranes, valued at approximately €10 million. Although some of these units may be diverted to the Benelux fleet. Arcomet says that it intends to place further orders with Terex Comedil worth up to €15million..
Please register to see all images

Dirk Theyskens

“One of our major objectives, in addition to expanding our fleet and our field of operation, is to maintain a young, modern fleet, with no cranes more than five years old”, said Arcomet group managing director, Dirk Theyskens.

“We expect to achieve this goal within three years, and our worldwide rental fleet will then be concentrated on a mixture of Manitowoc-Potain, Terex-Peiner and Terex-Comedil cranes. In the renewal and replacement process, we shall be selling some of the older cranes in our rental fleet, with an estimated value of some €30m.”

“We see the worldwide demand for tower cranes continuing to grow, as the world economy picks up, and as end-users increasingly realise the benefits in construction efficiency in using modern tower cranes, even on smaller building sites with self-erectors. We are already experiencing this in Germany, Italy and France - throughout Europe really - and it will continue as the EU community expands and develops.”

“In the UK for instance, there is already a healthy level of building and construction activity, and with considerable further potential as new projects, both large and small, come on stream, including the build-up to the 2012 Olympic Games.
“In the US too, a wider understanding of tower crane usage is opening up new opportunities.”
Please register to see all images

Frans Wouters, Arcomet group joint managing director

Frans Wouters, joint group managing director added, “We face the future with considerable optimism and confidence. This new investment programme represents a major commitment on our part, but we firmly believe that by selecting and investing in the latest and most suitable cranes for different circumstances and requirements, we can continue to offer our customers the best possible choice and service - and maintain our position as the leading supplier of tower cranes in the world.”