Kalmar Industries, a world leader in materials handling equipment, has set-up a local venture, Kalmar Malaysia Sdn Bhd to demonstrate its confidence in the growing cargo handling equipment market in Malaysia.

The local venture, which commenced operations in May this year, is expected to serve the market more directly and improve its level of services to its growing network of clients in the country.

"The decision to have own office in Malaysia is in line with our philosophy to provide more value-adding solution and to allow customers concentrate on their core business," said the President of Kalmar Industries Asian Operation, Ken Loh.

Kalmar Industries as the subsidiary of the Partek Group provides a wide range of customer support service such as spare parts, field service, refurbishing and older machine upgrades.

“We also offer bundled packages including financial solutions (rental and leasing), trade-in machines, service packages and comprehensive service contracts and complete fleet management,” said Ken.

Kalmar industries is a fast-growing brand name in the Malaysian port sector. Malaysia which the company rates as its the third biggest market in Asia.

Kalmar Industries supplies various range of cargo handling equipment from terminal trailers, yard equipment to shoreside gantry cranes.

“We have been aggressively promoting our products in Malaysian market. To date we have supplied four units of reach stackers to Westport, 16 units of latest sixth generation straddle carriers to Northport Corporation Bhd and prime movers to Pelabuhan Tanjung Pelepas,” Ken said.

Northport, the largest container handling facility in Malaysia, recently acquired 16 units of a newly revamped Sisu 634 diesel engine and ZF Ergopower transmission plus the Smooth lift (patent pending) hoist system that uses simple wire ropes operated by a single cylinder.

“Our recent acquisition of the Dutch company NHC Holding BV consisting of Nelcon BV and Groot-Hensen, a service company has further strengthened our position to offer a complete range of container handling solutions to our valued customers said Ken. Nelcon is the manufacturer of container handling equipment including ship-to-shore cranes, mobile harbour cranes, rail mounted gantry cranes and straddle carriers,” said Ken.