Kobelco merges cranes and machinery

Kobelco Construction Machinery (KCM) and Kobelco Cranes are set to merge in Europe as part of a global reorganisation that followed the consolidation of KCM with Kobelco Cranes Co in 2016.

As part of this, KCM will implement a reorganisation of the business structure in Europe with the aim of improving efficiency, strengthening product development capabilities and using management resources effectively.

The sales and service of hydraulic excavators in Europe is currently carried out by Kobelco Construction Machinery Europe (KCME) in the Netherlands, and the sales and service of cranes is handled by Kobelco Cranes Europe (KCE) in the UK.

Following the reorganisation, a new company in The Netherlands will serve as the European regional headquarters, overseeing the sales and service of both hydraulic excavators and cranes in Europe.

The new company name will be Kobelco Construction Machinery Europe (KCME), under managing director Makoto Kato. The headquarters will be in Almere, the Netherlands, and it will be 100% owned by Kobelco Construction Machinery Co Ltd in Japan.

It will handle sales and service operations of hydraulic excavators and cranes in Europe, Russia (CIS), North Africa (French-speaking regions) and Israel.

Following the reorganisation, Kobelco Cranes Europe will be renamed Kobelco Construction Machinery Europe (UK) and its office in the UK will remain in East Grinstead, West Sussex, and the UK crane business will be unaffected.