Gantrex acquires Liftcom

Gantrex HQ in Belgium. Photo: Gantrex

Crane rails specialist Gantrex Group headquartered in Belgium has acquired Liftcom, a Netherlands-based crane business.

This acquisition is the second for Gantrex in the port crane service sector. It will form a hub for the north west of Europe. “Integrating Liftcom will allow to reinforce Gantrex’ position in the Dutch market and in Europe’s leading port in Rotterdam, a port with over 100 ship to shore cranes and 300 yard cranes spread over multiple terminals,” Gantrex said.

The deal was backed by private equity group Argos Wityu, Gantrex majority shareholder since 2015.

Growing business

Port crane services is an expanding area of activity for Gantrex that “already contributes significant revenue to the Group’s top line and is expected to double in profitable turnover by 2026,” according to the company.

Liftcom’s primary activity is inspecting, maintaining, repairing and moving new and existing port equipment. Engineers carry out load testing, periodic inspections, life cycle analyses, accident recovery and refurbishment. Jethro Van Eersel, managing director, started the company more than 15 years ago in Rotterdam.

Commenting on the development Van Eersel said, “After 16 years of relying on our own strength, knowledge and persistence, the time has come in 2024 to join forces and knowledge and seek co-operation with a partner who thinks about quality and core values in the same way as we do. Gantrex was already known to us as a good supplier with high-quality products, so when we were asked to think about collaboration, it quickly fit with our ideas. We are grateful and proud that our customers have given us the opportunity to develop as a service supplier. And we hope that with the acquisition of Liftcom into Gatrex we can continue and expand our services. We look forward to a great collaboration and a bright future.”

Gantrex engineers and supplies crane rails and other specialist rail tracks. Applications include ports, shipyards, steel mills, aluminium smelters and railway depots. It has 13 subsidiaries in Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East. Annual turnover is €113 million and there are around 450 employees in more than 20 countries.