01.08.2008

Tadano up 3%

Japanese crane and access manufacturer Tadano, has reported first quarter revenues of ¥39 billion ($360 million) an increase of three percent on the same period last year.

Gross margins increased by just over seven percent to ¥9.6 billion ($89 million) or 24 percent of sales compared to 23.7 percent last year.

Pre tax profits edged up almost seven percent to ¥4.29 billion ($39.7 million), Tadano continues to take a conservative view of its prospects for this year, which ends March 31st 2009, and is maintaining its original full year revenue estimates of ¥180 billion ($1.67 billion).

Vertikal Comment

Tadano does not say why it is so conservative, given that it has added considerable capacity with it its production restructuring. Compared to Manitowoc, Terex and Liebherr Tadano is standing still.

The company makes truly excellent products but is over dependent on its home market. In Europe the only products it currently sells in volume are its Tadano Faun All Terrain cranes, which could easily win a larger share of the market if it could build more units.

The company could add further sales if it offered its Japan built road going cranes, including truck mounted cranes and small city type cranes for sale again in Europe.