The cranes ordered are two grab cranes and one turbine hall service crane. They will be installed at the end of this year at the Riikinvoima waste to energy power plant in Leppävirta, Finland, a project supplied by Andritz. Start-up of the new waste to energy power plant is scheduled for end-2016 and it will serve citizens in the Eastern and Middle Finland. The parties have agreed not to disclose the value of the order.

Andritz Oy is a member of the Andritz Group, a globally leading supplier of plants, equipment, and services for hydropower stations, the pulp and paper industry, the metalworking and steel industries, and solid/liquid separation in the municipal and industrial sectors.

Konecranes will deliver two automatic grab cranes to the WTE plant’s fuel storage. The cranes will have hydraulic orange peel type grabs for stacking, mixing and feeding waste in the waste bunker. The turbine hall service crane will mainly be used for service or assembly purposes.

“We are very pleased about this order,” says Jari Myyryläinen, Head of Industry Applications, Konecranes. “It is the first WTE plant where Konecranes’ delivery will include Remote Operation Station (ROS) for the crane operator. This means that the crane operator will drive the crane from the control room’s screens, based on camera views without physically seeing the cranes at all”.

There is a clear trend in waste to energy plants to aim for higher efficiency with lower emissions, while the plant capacities are increasing. To reach both environmental and financial targets, the customers in WTE require high availability, high degree of automation and energy efficiency from their production critical equipment, like cranes.

Konecranes’ one key strategic initiative is Industrial Internet, where we make machines intelligent and aware of their condition, and network them to create real-time visibility for enhanced safety and productivity. The new ROS concept is a good example of how we are utilizing the latest technology to improve safety and efficiency of our customer’s operations.

The value of the order is approximately USD 10 million and the equipment will be delivered during 2015.

The MOFFETT truck mounted forklifts are transported on the back of a delivery truck or trailer and are ready to use in less than a minute. The 4-way M8 model that will be delivered to Lowe’s has a lift capacity up to 2,500 kg (5,500 lbs) and it is designed for a wide range of industrial and commercial applications, especially for use on difficult terrain. The extensive features of the MOFFETT M8 provide maximum operating safety and efficiency, as well as the latest, lower emission Tier 4 final compliant engines

The order received is continuation for the order of truck mounted forklifts Lowe’s made already in 2014 and comments: “We chose Hiab to be our partner because of the high quality of the equipment accompanied with the high level of service nationwide”.

Hiab’s sales director Ronald Verzijl says “We are very proud of being Lowe’s partner. We have had a long lasting relationship with them since 1996 and delivered loader cranes as well as truck mounted forklifts over the years”.

Cargotec and CAG Marine Holding Limited, which is in turn wholly owned by Carlyle Asia Growth Partners IV, LP and CAGP IV Coinvestment, LP (jointly referred to as “Carlyle”) have jointly owned China Crane Investment Holdings Limited (China Crane), an investment company, which has owned 18.75% of the shares in Jiangsu Rainbow Heavy Industries Co Ltd (RHI) as at 18 March 2015.

Carlyle has decided to sell their portion of China Crane’s stake in RHI and hence exit RHI, and the related transactions have been executed. Cargotec’s aggregate ownership in RHI remains unchanged at 9.19% and following Carlyle’s exit Cargotec will own 100% of China Crane. Cargotec will continue to account for its ownership in RHI under the equity method as an associated company. The book value of the ownership at 31 December 2014 was EUR 59.0 million. RHI shares are listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in China.

In July 2011, Cargotec announced plans to establish a joint venture with RHI to strengthen presence in China. In connection with the establishment of the joint venture Rainbow-Cargotec Industries Co., Ltd (RCI), Cargotec strengthened its strategic partnership with RHI by purchasing RHI shares from Carlyle, who owned 100% of China Crane at that time. RCI has today an important role in Cargotec’s global supply chain and manufactures port and offshore cranes for Cargotec’s Kalmar and MacGregor business areas. Hence, RHI continues as a long-term partner for Cargotec.