One of the industry's longest-running acquisitions has finally been bedded down, with Terex's take-over of Fantuzzi. This on-again, off-again deal brings together two giants of the crane sector and should produce significant economies of scale as well as logistical and support synergies. At the other end of the scale, we report this week on another union of sorts - the co-operation agreement between Germany's family-controlled KAUP attachments maker and Brazil's family-managed SAUR company. This union combines local networks with global R&D and should benefit both parties.