Tadano up nearly 16%

Consolidated net sales at crane and access platform maker Tadano were up 15.7 per cent to JPY40,376 million (US$ 366 million) in the April to June 2019 quarter, from JPY 34,894 million ($ 317 million) in the same period of 2018.

Operating income was JPY 1,440 million ($ 13 million) or 3.6 %, down by JPY 836 million ($ 7.6 million) from the JPY 2,277 million ($ 20.7 million) or 6.5 %, in the same quarter a year earlier.

By product type mobile crane sales were up 23.6 % to JPY 23,396 million ($ 212 million), accounting for 58 % of the total. Truck loader crane sales were up 28.7 % to JPY 5,584 million ($ 50.7 million) and 13.8 % of the total. Aerial work platform sales were down 7.7 % to JPY 4,002 million ($ 36.3 million) and 9.9 % of the total.

In terms of geography Japan was the origin of 52.6 % of the total sales, down from the 53.6 % in the same quarter of 2018. Of the remaining 47.4 % total outside Japan the largest market, with 14 % of the total, was North America, up 1.9 %, followed by Europe at 11.1 % and up 12.6 %. Asia was up 18.6 % with 9 % of the total.

In outlook, for the first six months of 2019 from April, Tadano forecasts mobile crane sales to increase by 30.3 % to JPY 63,200 million ($ 574 million). Aerial work platform sales in the same period are forecast to increase 7.5 % to JPY 9,900 million ($ 89.8 million).

Note exchange rate used in this story: JPY 110.2 = US$ 1.