Hi i agree the hole industry has been looking as if there were only a couple of companies and the rest did not ex hist but now they are coming to relies that there are other companies out there.This is the start of the biggest consolidation the industry has ever seen.There are many people in some big companies now looking over the shoulder because they don't know what is coming next share holders are doing deals with out tell the directors about them and they are now finding out when it leeks out to the press. I'm sure the people at KION would nearly have had to look twice at the news of Shandong and Shandong will not only look at 25% this is the start of a full takeover. Kion Share holders have some quite big refinancing next year and there is no capital in Europe or North America to do a deal So they have had to go East. There have been rumors for some time that they are struggling to find fiance. Also they will have to make some big changes in there manufacturing Linde will be a small name in five years time Shandong want the technology for there own truck that will be a low cost version of the Linde. Heli are to enter the market next year with a very good designed truck from 2,000kg all the way up to 45,000kg with full container handling range this will have a big impact on all the markets because they use western parts. Companies like Clark , Doosan, Hyundia, Komatsu , Mits cat ,will struggle with the big power houses as they won't be able to compete on price and they have nothing special to offer on service.
Nacco will be bought by Sammons and will work with HC so that will be another large company , Nissan TCM will also incorporate
Mits Cat to make another large group junghienrich and Crown will concentrate on warehouse equipment and services to keep ahead of there competitors.
Clark who have bought Omega will now struggle to market there trucks the competition will just be to strong. to compete now your going to have to be able to offer some thing other than just a truck you are going to have to give a lot more in service this is why i think our project will succeed because it can offer more on service and is very well priced with some major partners who have the capital backing to help it succeed. There are a number of thing's that we can do better than most of our competitors to help us stay in front but it will be very hard and we know this so we have to keep on coming up with new ideas to keep our truck in front.
The one thing that is for sure is that in three years time our market would have changed for good will this suit the customer only time will tell but it will be harder for companies like mine to get started
Noticed KION declined to comment on the Shangdon deal also noticed they did not mention they lost 93 Million Euros in 2011 and losses might even be higher this year. Goldman Sachs and KKR have both said they are not willing to put more capital into KION and are looking at over a Billion dollar loss on the purchase. When Sany purchased Putzmeister it is reported that the Directors did not know till after the deal had been done looks like the same with KION Goldman Sachs and KKR might not of even told the directors about this. KION have been trying to cut loses for quite some time with the closer of Bari and the move of equipment from Montataire , also paying 16 Million euro for 50% of Voltas and then having to invest or send old linde or OM products there might not be a good deal. India will become quite competitive over the next couple of years and there are many local deals that have happened such as NACCO and tractors of India on trucks over 8,000kg , Kalmar with Inditec. KION might be able to say sales are up on paper but they are not moving as many trucks over the hole year no one is. It looks like KION are trying to put a brave face on this but it must really hurt the Linde and Still people to know that in two years time they will be Chines Owned.
This whole industry is operating in cuckoo land for years. there has to be major changes in the next few years. Some of the big players will certainly go.
Hopefully it will give you an opportunity to get your programme rolling in the vacuum
Good luck.