30.10.2013

Konecranes consolidates UK service

Finnish overhead crane and lifting equipment specialist Konecranes has opened a new UK facility in Thornbury, Gloucestershire, consolidating two smaller existing branches within south Wales and the south west of the UK.

The company is combining its former service branches in Bristol and Cwmbran into the new 300 square metre facility, it hopes that the move will increase its presence in the waste to energy and intermodal freight markets, while retaining existing customers.

With an onsite team of eight the facility will feature a high bay workshop with overhead crane, spare parts store, office accommodation and a training room. It also controls around 30 field based service technicians, all of whom have fully-equipped mobile workshops, enabling them to service, inspect, maintain and undertake certain routine repairs on any make of crane or hoist.
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Konecranes' new service facility in Thornbury, Gloucestershire

Konecranes' director of Europe West, Pat Campbell, said: “Our overriding aim is to create a number of strategically located service districts as opposed to service branches, and this centres on improving the quality of what is a progressive and enhanced Konecranes' service offering. It is an expansionary move and not one of closure or downsizing. Indeed within each district we will be appointing a number of clearly identifiable experts covering a number of key operational areas and this has already happened at the South West district facility.”

Mark Goringe, Konecranes’ district manager, added: “Not only has our new location in Thornbury given us 50 percent more physical space, workshop facilities in south Wales have been retained as part of the centralisation process. We have also already increased our head count having recruited in the field of service planning, health and safety, and contract administration. This will undoubtedly help us to deliver elevated service levels across our existing customer base, whilst also helping us to attract new contracts in the process, so progression is very much the order of the day.”