Kalmar's 7,000m² factory and office buildings are located on a property that extends to approximately 50,000m².

Kalmar Industries CEO Christer Granskog has sent a message to competitors that the Swedish equipment manufacturer intends to establish and grow its business in the "important markets" of China and Asia.

At the opening ceremony of Kalmar Industries (Shanghai)'s new plant last month, Granskog said the USD10 million, 7,000 square metre assembly plant, in Shanghai's Lingang Industrial Park, would give Kalmar "shorter lead times".

"It sends a strong message that China, and Asia as a whole, are important markets in which we intend to stay and grow together with our customers," he said.

A convoy of Kalmar empty container handling forklifts and terminal tractors bound for the Yangshan Deepwater Port Phase.

The Asian container-handling equipment market is now Kalmar's fastest growing area. Kalmar's Shanghai plant assembles terminal tractors, empty container handling forklifts, rubber-tyred-gantry cranes (RTGs) and reach stackers. It is next to Yang Shan Port, a 20 million TEU-container terminal development project whose first berths began operating in 2005, a Kalmar statement said.

Kalmar deliveries to Yang Shan Port (phase one) included two reach stackers, eight empty container handlers and 68 terminal tractors. It has delivered six reach stackers, two empty container handlers, five terminal tractors and three RTGs to Yang Shan Logistic Park.

Last month, Kalmar delivered a 25 tonne-forklift, two reach stackers and four empty container handlers to Yang Shan Port (phase two).

Construction began on the Shanghai plant at the end of 2004 (Forkliftaction.com News #185). The plant has delivered three one-over-five high, 6+1 wide RTGs to Tongsheng Logistics Park, in Shanghai, and two one-over-five, 6+1 wide RTGs to Yangzhou Yuanyang International Ports Co Ltd. Yangzhou Yuanyang will receive two new all electric RTGs by the end of the year.

"Our success in the RTG market is evidence Asian customers are looking for state-of-the art equipment that combines the latest in design with improved performance and high environmental standards," Granskog said.