Tadano grows aerial platform market share

Japanese, crane and aerial platform manufacturer, Tadano has reported a 2% rise in the value of sales up to the end of its third financial quarter (31 December 2008) but a 31% drop in profit. Predictions for the year end are an overall drop in sales from ¥173120 million to ¥160000 million (8.2%) and a drop in profit of over 50% from ¥8601.3 million to ¥5700 million.

The aerial platform segment of Tadano's business accounted for ¥8605 million up to the end of the third quarter - a drop of 11.9% for the same period in 2007. Tadano reported that, "Demand from the telecommunications market peaked in the first half of the previous fiscal year while demand from the rental industry fell considerably due to restrained capital investment." Nevertheless, through its sales efforts Tadano was able to increase its aerial platform market share.

Overall the effects of global market conditions caused a reduction in demand for construction cranes from Tadano's domestic market in the latter half of the fiscal year. In overseas markets, some backlogged orders were either cancelled or postponed due to the credit crunch and the suspension and postponement of energy related projects.

Domestic sales fell 15.8% compared with the same period in 2007 to ¥54948 million as sales of construction cranes declined and there were decreased sales of truck loader cranes and aerial platforms. Overseas sales rose 22% to ¥70244 million due to increased sales of construction cranes in Europe, North America and the Middle East. As a result total sales increased to ¥125192 million with the ratio of overseas sales to total sales oat 56.1%.