Atlas Copco moves Specialty Rental division

Atlas Copco’s Specialty Rental division has been moved to the group’s Construction Technique business area after several years as part of the Compressor Technique business.

The manufacturer said the change was designed to “strengthen growth by further developing product and service synergies.” Specialty Rental rents compressors and other equipment mainly to the industrial sector and is active all over the world.

The Construction Technique divisioon includes the Portable Energy bsuioness - which sells gensets, compressors, lighting towers and pumps - as well as onstruction and demolition tools, and compaction and paving equipment.

The performance of the rental division, which has revenues in the €200-300 million range, improved in 2013 said Atlas Copco, with the highest growth in Africa, Middle East and South America.

The developments at the rental business were included in Atlas Copco’s results announcement for 2013, with reported revenues of SEK83.9 billion (€9.5 billion) for 2013, down 7% compared to the previous year.

Orders received fell 10% against 2012 to SEK81.3 billion (€9.2 billion), while operating profit dropped 11% year-on-year to SEK17.1 billion (€1.9 billion).

Overall, the company said demand for industrial equipment was stable during 2013, offset by weak demand for mining equipment.

Meanwhile, the construction technique division reported a 5% drop in revenues for 2013 to SEK12.3 billion (€1.4 billion), while orders received fell 4% year-on-year to SEK12.5 billion (€1.4 billion).

The division’s operating profit totalled SEK1.2 billion (€137,524) for 2013, down 9% compared to 2012.

Atlas Copco said order volumes for construction equipment were largely unchanged compared to 2012. Geographically, it said organic order intake increased in South America, and in Africa and the Middle East, but decreased somewhat in the much larger regions of Europe, Asia and North America.

It added that order volumes for road construction equipment increased compared to previous years, while other equipment categories were flat or decreased slightly.

In the short term, Atlas Copco said it expected overall demand for group products and services to remain at the current level.