13.09.2021
Palfinger to close Krefeld manufacturing site
Palfinger is relocating production from its aerial work platform plant in Krefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia, to its platform facility in Löbau, Saxony.
The lease on the Krefeld plant expires in 2023, and the company says that having evaluated all its options for the site, it simply cannot be expanded cost effectively to cope with the company’s growth plans for its aerial lift business. The company is holding talks with the works council in order to find what it describes as ‘socially acceptable solutions’ for around 50 employees. The product support operations will remain in the Krefeld area.
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The Krefeld plant
A statement from the company said: “Palfinger is striving for further growth, especially in the market for aerial work platforms. For this a site is needed that can be substantially expanded and developed. This option cannot be implemented cost effectively in Krefeld. Production will be relocated to Palfinger’s Löbau site. This decision creates the conditions for making optimum use of growth potential while integrating production even better into the company’s global organisational structure.”
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The Löbau plant
Regional operations officer Gernot Pichorner added: "This decision was not easy for us. it is important for us to emphasise that this decision has nothing to do with the performance and commitment of the employees but was made purely for economic considerations."
Palfinger also builds some aerial work platforms at its Palfinger Italia facility in northern Italy, mostly truck mounted lifts up to 3.5 tonnes and spider lifts. The Krefeld site was acquired with the Wumag truck mounted lift business in 2008 - see:
Palfinger takes over Wumag.
It first entered the truck mounted lift market when it acquired Bison in 2004 which is also where the Löbau facility came from - see:
Palfinger buys Bison. It merged the two operations into Palfinger Platforms in 2009 - see:
Palfinger merges brands.
jim-longstaff
This is a huge shame for the loyal production employees in Krefeld.
Palfinger have never truly got to grips with the Truck Mounted Platform business and their former MD - Rolf Kulawik has done a fantastic job making Ruthmann the European Market leader. Palfinger Platforms has never recovered since letting Rolf's Brother - Stephan go and whilst a shame for the employees, this move is no surprise.