Tadano rises in “challenging year”

JAPAN: Tadano has seen substantial growth in its domestic and export sales in the first half of the current financial year. Rises in the April 2007 to March 2008 fiscal year came despite a tough season in the truck loader crane market.

Bolstered by replacement demand for construction cranes, domestic sales in the first half of the fiscal year rose 12.3% to Yen 44.9 billion ($415 million), while overseas sales increased 29.3% to Yen 36.9 billion ($340 million), following a sharp increase in the sales of construction cranes in Europe and North America, the company said.

As a result net sales grew to Yen 81.8 billion ($755 million), a 19.3% increase compared with the same period of the 2006 to 2007 fiscal year. The ratio of overseas sales to total sales rose to a “record- breaking” 45.1%, added the company.

In the domestic market Tadano saw 24.1% growth of its mainstay 25 and 60 metric ton (28 and 67 US ton) rough terrain cranes, while overseas sales increased by 39%.

However, figures for the company's truck loader crane division told a different story, with a drop in sales of 86.2% compared to the same period of 2006 to 2007. “As the cycle of replacement demand for trucks that meet new diesel emission regulations came to an end, leading to a significant decline in demand for trucks, we endeavored to boost the sales of cargo cranes by reinforcing sales activities targeting the rental industry,” according to the company.

Tadano said its efforts to expand its parts and used crane division paid off with a 6.6% rise in sales, while sales of aerial platforms rose 18.1%.