Palfinger, the world’s leading manufacturer of hydraulic lifting, loading and handling systems, is expanding its business in India. The company has set-up a manufacturing facility in Chennai for truck mounted cranes. Mr. Subhamoy Ghosh and Mr. Lillian Clerc have been appointed as Managing Director of the Indian entity Palfinger Cranes India Private Ltd., which is a 100 per cent subsidiary of Palfinger AG. The company is in the process of expanding its distribution network across India and has recently appointed T V Sundram Iyengar & Sons as its distributor for the four southern States – Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.Established in 1932, Palfinger has for many years been the global leader in hydraulic lifting, loading and handling systems. As a multinational company with its headquarters in Salzburg, Austria, Palfinger has production and assembly sites in Europe, in North and South America as well as in Asia. Innovation, further internationalisation and diversification of products and services form the strategic pillars of the corporate strategy. Palfinger offers innovative lifting, loading and handling solutions at the interfaces of the transport chain.
The core product is the truck mounted knuckle-boom crane. The company is the world market leader in this segment with close to 150 models and a market share of 30 per cent. In hook loaders and timber cranes too (Palift and Guima) Palfinger is the world’s biggest manufacturer. Over the years the product portfolio has been steadily expanded with products such as the Crayler mounted forklift, the Ratcliff and MBB tail-lifts, and the Bison and Wumag truck mounted aerial work platform. In addition, the company develops innovative solutions for railway applications, bridge inspection and recycling. Cranes for use in agriculture, forestry and other off-road applications complete the product range.
Mr. Subhamoy Ghosh said: “India is an interesting market, not only due to its size but also because of the high economic growth. After Japan and China, India is expected to develop into the third most important country in Asia from an economic standpoint. The growth and the changes accompanying it will also increase the demand for lifting, loading, and handling solutions in the next 10 to 15 years. In addition, a trend to replacement of the currently still widely-used “pick and carry” cranes is beginning to emerge. We expect the demand to touch 1,500 cranes by 2015”.
In India, the company is looking at the market for truck mounted loader cranes, which can be integrated with truck. These cranes are largely used in cement, steel, automobile, municipal and construction applications. Hook loader is another important product for handling containers and more particularly in the solid waste management industry in India, says Mr. Ghosh.
Currently there are 60 such equipment already in use in India. Palfinger is also exploring the market in India for tail gates, which is of great use in the logistic segment.
TVS & Sons is a pioneer in the distribution business. The company is already the distributor for Escorts cranes. Mr. N. Krishnamoorthy, President, TVS & Sons, says: “We see a lot of synergy between Palfinger and our existing range of products. In the four southern States, we have 37 locations through which we will sell Palfinger products”.
Palfinger India has invested Rs. 80 million in India on new facility in Chennai, spread over an area of 4,000 sq.m. and is currently assembling products. This plant will have capacity to build 200 cranes per annum. Currently the Knuckle boom crane are being imported from Austria but very soon the company is planning to launch a new product, a stiff boom crane, which will be designed and manufactured in India. This product will be launched in the Indian market by the first quarter of 2011.
“These cranes, besides serving the domestic market, will also be exported to a number of countries such as China, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and other nations in the Far East. What is more, we would be looking at countries like Africa and the Middle East”, Mr. Ghosh added.
In India, the pick and carry cranes are the most popular. The market potential for such cranes is anywhere in the region of 6,000 to 8,000 units per annum. For the truck mounted, knuckle boom cranes, the market is still evolving and in the next five years the company expects demand to touch 1,500 units per annum in the civil market and there are further opportunities in defence applications.
Palfinger India is aggressively expanding its network by appointing distributors across the country in Gujarat, Nagpur, Delhi, Mumbai, Chattisgarh and Jharkhand. TVS will handle the business in all four southern States.
