In recent years, Konecranes has invested substantially in its Hyvinkää factory, which manufactures components for heavy cranes. A central goal has been to develop the manufacturing of heavy gear products. As part of the effort, Konecranes has also invested in an automated warehouse, which was taken into use in mid-August 2011. The official opening of the warehouse will be held on January 10, 2012.

The main objective of the company's investments has been to boost the assembly and material flows. Storage, collection, and relocation of parts has been made easier by renewing the model of the entire gear production assembly, and by investing in materials handling equipment. The new automated warehouse will help shorten the collection times, in particular. The unnecessary work related to collection has been successfully eliminated, and the stored gear parts stay in good order. It is easy to order and collect parts from an automated warehouse; therefore starting the assembly phase is effortless and efficient.

In the renewal special attention was paid to occupational safety and comfort at work. The improved facilities, equipment, and procedures reduce the risk of accidents and have a positive impact on the work atmosphere. As a result of more efficient work and improved working conditions, the productivity of the entire factory is believed to grow significantly.

Automated warehouse:
• Dimensions: width 6.4 m, length 49.2 m, and height 7.1 m.
• Two material stations, two long collection conveyors, and one short outdoor conveyor.
• Automated warehouse capacity: 752 EUR loading pallets
• Shelving elevator capacity: 69 transfers/hour
• Maximum load: 1,500 kg/pallet
• Stored parts: semi-finished products, purchased parts, storage parts, and line storage parts

The Konecranes Hyvinkää factory manufactures about 5,000 gears for Konecranes cranes per year. The Hyvinkää gear factory employs about 70 people.

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 2010, Group sales totaled EUR 1,546 million. The Group has 11,400 employees at 578 locations in 46 countries. Konecranes is listed on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki (symbol: KCR1V).