The king of heavy-lift cranes, Gantrex, is taking over Dutch company Liftcom. The deal strengthens its position in port crane services. Montmartre, Madrid and Wimbledon all owe Gantrex a debt of gratitude. Thanks to its expertise, the funicular there climbs the equivalent of 222 steps, the turf at Real Madrid’s new stadium is stored in a special box, and it’s all thanks to the company’s expertise.
Based in Nivelles, Gantrex is a global giant in heavy-duty track systems. Its products can be found in every corner of the globe, alongside docks and shipyards, near mines and power stations, but also in the vicinity of steelworks and cement works, giant warehouses and the launch pad for the Ariane 6 European rocket, for example.

Around two years ago, the black-yellow-and-red vessel started out on the road to crane services in port terminals. The acquisition of Spain’s ABS Consultor marked a major turning point in its history. Unlike the rail sector, everything remains to be done in the so-called PCS (Port Crane Services) sector: the market is still fragmented, with no one holding more than a few per cent of the market share. The business covers the inspection, monitoring, maintenance and repair of behemoths weighing in excess of 2,000 tonnes. This is the context in which Gantrex is now stepping up a gear. This time, the Brabant gem is acquiring Liftcom, a company that has been established in Rotterdam for some fifteen years. This presence in Europe’s leading port, with half a billion tonnes of goods a year, will complement a presence in ports such as Barcelona, Valencia, Alicante and Las Palmas (Canary Islands).

It will also enable sales to be doubled by 2026 in this “fast-growing” sector, which is already “making a significant contribution” to performance, said the company, which employs 450 people, without giving any precise figures. Gantrex posted record consolidated sales of €113 million last year, in addition to double-digit EBITDA. This represents an increase of more than half since the arrival in 2015 of the pan-European fund Argos Wityu (Lineas, Maison Berger, etc.). A majority shareholder, they wanted to sell its stake, four years after an initial attempt; we have now been told that it is now looking to develop the business a little further, before thinking of selling it.

Source : L’ECHO, Simon Souris, 13 February 2024 24:39 , https://www.lecho.be/entreprises/private-equity/le-nivellois-gantrex-revient-a-la-charge-dans-les-services-portuaires/10526265.html