The lift equipment business of Manitowoc Co Inc reports 11.6% growth in sales for the fourth quarter ended 31 December, climbing to USD767.2 million from USD687.6 million in the comparable 2011 period. The 11.6% sales growth includes a negative USD11.6 million impact from currency exchange.

"(For that segment), during the quarter we saw continued strength in the Americas region, coupled with positive performance in several emerging markets including Brazil, greater Asia/Pacific and Africa," says Glen E Tellock, Manitowoc chairman and chief executive officer. "We expect operational excellence to be a primary driver for cranes in 2013 as our sustained focus on efficiency will not only enhance our competitive position but also drive long-term profitability."

For the full-year 2013, Manitowoc expects its crane sales revenue to achieve high single-digit percentage growth.

In its engineered lift business, Manitowoc designs, manufactures, markets and supports lines of lattice boom crawler cranes, mobile telescopic cranes, tower cranes and boom trucks. Brand names include Manitowoc, Grove, Potain, National, Shuttlelift, Dongyue and Crane Care. As of year's end, the crane segment backlog was USD756 million.

For all operations, Manitowoc reports profit of USD101.7 million on 2012 sales of USD3.93 billion. That compares to a loss of USD11.2 million on 2011 sales of USD3.62 billion.