Terex Cranes will relocate the manufacture of its self-erecting tower crane range from Fontanafredda, Italy to Montceau Les Mines, France, effective from July. The company said the new location would help to cut transport costs and have a positive impact for customers.

The move affects the full range of self-erecting tower cranes, comprising 12 models from 1 to 6 tonnes and 16 to 45 m jib length. The transfer is expected to create 150 jobs in France.

Steve Filipov, Terex president for developing markets, who is leading the relocation said, "We started to find that we lacked sufficient space to cater to the demand for our self-erecting tower crane products at our Italian facility. We see the move to Montceau-les-Mines as a good opportunity to continue our strategy of improving our production capabilities and finding synergies with our existing production facilities."

Current products manufactured at Montceau Les Mines include the AC 40, AC 60, TC 40, TC 60 and Roadmaster 5300 mobile cranes as well as reach stackers.

"We expect the reduction of transport costs, based on the geographically central location of our French plant, to have a positive impact for our customers," said Filipov.

The Fontanafredda plant meanwhile will take on the manufacture of luffing jibs for Terex subsidiary Recom. Recom was set up in 2003 by Ferruccio Moritsch the founder of Comedil. Terex bought a 37% stake in Recom in 2010, and has since fully-acquired the Belluno, Italy-based company.

"Following the transfer of our self-erecting tower cranes to France, the integration of Recom is an integral part of a logical and cost-efficient process that we intend to use to enhance our production capabilities, and the introduction of some exciting new models in the months to come," said Filipov.