Portunus will distribute Konecranes Lift Trucks container handling equipment in Turkey.

Konecranes Lift Trucks has expanded its forklift business in Europe with the appointment of Turkish distributor Portunus.

The Swedish manufacturer has identified the Turkish market as having "good potential", with opportunities in the industrial and container handling fields.

"We are now looking at strongly establishing ourselves in the country through the cooperation with Portunus," says Lars Fredin, vice president and head of Konecranes' lift trucks business unit.

"Turkish customers are seeking high-quality products to support their productivity. At the same time, they demand a very high service level including product support and parts.

"We will provide the market with excellent products helping the Turkish companies to be more productive while keeping a high focus on safety."

Portunus chairman Sami Ozedemir is enthusiastic about the new co-operation, which he believes will create "a force to be reckoned with" in the Turkish market. "From now on, we will channel our combined experience and know-how for a common goal."

Portunus, headquartered in Istanbul, Turkey, was established in 1992. It is one of the first private Turkish firms to deal with container handling equipment. The company has been supplying equipment, service and spare parts to the Turkish ports sector for 22 years. Its services now extend to South America, Africa, the Middle and Far East and Europe.

Portunus hopes the new partnership will add significantly to its traditional ports and terminals customer base. It will now also start servicing heavy industries like iron and steel as well as cement factories, mining, paper and pulp and the forestry industries.

In 2013, group sales for Konecranes totaled EUR2.100 billion (USD2.864 billion). It employs 11,800 employees at 600 locations in 48 countries. Konecranes is listed on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki.