Konecranes recently acquired 100 percent of the shares in port crane service and modernization company Techniplus S.A.R.L. in Morocco. This is Konecranes’ first acquisition in North Africa. Techniplus has 120 employees and net sales of EUR 7 million (2009). The value of the acquisition is not disclosed.

“Morocco is a country with a good business environment and a rapidly developing economy, and Techniplus is well-known and respected in Morocco for its technical capabilities,” says Pierre Boyer, Senior Vice President. “Through the acquisition Konecranes will also be able to offer the whole Konecranes product range to the Moroccan market”.

Techniplus is a family-owned company founded in 1991. Techniplus’ headquarters are in Casablanca and it has service branches in Agadir and Tanger with activities in other ports. The personnel and top management will continue working for the company. Before the acquisition Techniplus was the distributor of Konecranes’ lifttrucks and port equipment in Morocco. Techniplus will be consolidated into Konecranes from the beginning of October 2010.

Konecranes is a world-leading group of Lifting Businesses™, serving a broad range of customers, including manufacturing and process industries, shipyards, ports and terminals. Konecranes provides productivity-enhancing lifting solutions as well as services for lifting equipment and machine tools of all makes. In 2009, Group sales totaled EUR 1,671 million. The Group has 9,800 employees, at 545 locations in 43 countries. Konecranes is listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki Ltd (symbol KCR1V).