NEWS

NEWS NEW MACHINES, NEW OFFICES, NEW PROJECTS, NEW INITIATIVES – WE LOOK AROUND THE REGION AT WHAT’S NEW THIS MONTH 6

POST-ACQUISITION RESTRUCTURING JACK VAN DEN BRINK TO HEAD MAMMOET MIDDLE EAST

Famco launches Volvo Uptime Centre in region

Al Futtaim Auto & Machinery Co. (Famco UAE) has launched the Middle East’s first Uptime Centre supported by Volvo as it “looks to raise standards of customer service to even higher levels in 2020”. According to the company, owners of both Volvo Trucks and Volvo Construction Equipment will now benefit from upgraded standards of support at the Famco UAE. workshop facility in Dubai Investment Park. The facility features technical bays to ensure efficient servicing and unplanned repairs are dealt with in an efficient manner.

Fleet and equipment owners will also be able to get advice and access to fleet management systems which will enable designated uptime bays, updated workflows, and provide better managed access to Genuine Volvo Parts and specialised technicians.

For truck owners, the Dynafleet fleet management system provides constant updates on a vehicle’s performance, making it possible to pinpoint critical data and take prompt action to reduced costs, improve vehicle utilisation and allow for the quick re-deployment of assets, explained Famco UAE.

At the same time, equipment operators can use the CareTrack advanced telematics service which allows machine problems to be caught before they occur, while also improving technical response time and downtime resolution speed. “Our customers are central to everything we do, so it was a logical decision for us to enhance our services by establishing the Middle East’s first Uptime Centre,” said Vladimir Knezevic, managing director, Famco UAE.

“This will allow us to better support our partners, providing further reassurance that when they choose a Volvo truck or construction machinery, they are actively prioritising increased uptime and maximising profit, whilst reducing downtime and any negative impact on their investments.” MIXED RESULTS FOR HAULOTTE Powered access heavyweight Haulotte Group has reported a decline of 9% in revenues for the last quarter of 2019 compared to the year before but has said the full year outlook for last year is expected to be better than 2018. The French manufacturer of MEWPs and telehandlers said its revenues for Q4, 2019 were approximately $144m. Meanwhile, stable volumes in the global MEWP market saw Haulotte post revenues of $661.6m for 2019, up 8% year-on-year. Asia-Pacific, was the only strong growth market in 2019 for Haulotte with sales up 15%, mainly on growth in China and Australia.

Global heavy-lift and move specialist Mammoet has confirmed details of an expanded regional structure and the appointment of regional managing directors following its recent acquisition of ALE, with Jack van den Brink appointed as head of the Middle East region.

The company said its business organisation now consists of five regions in order to reflect the operational footprint of the newly combined business. The regions are Asia Pacific (APAC), Europe & Russia (EU/R), Latin America (LATAM), Middle East (MEA) and North America (NA). The regional managing director roles mirror these five regions and will be occupied by established figures from across the company’s culture. Apart from Van den Brink, the other appointments are John Halfweeg for APAC, Wouter van Noort for EU/R, Sergio Vannina for LATAM and Martijn Kuijpers for NA. All regional managing directors will report to Mammoet CEO Paul van Gelder.

“Our regional managing directors are a strong representation from both Mammoet and ALE, and as such provide a good foundation for preserving the best of both cultures as we continue to integrate and optimise our operations,” said Van Gelder. “Importantly, their experience as seasoned engineered heavy lifting and transport professionals will ensure that our newly expanded capabilities deliver the very best value for our clients, wherever they are in the world.”