The new Hiab XS 544 HiPro
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INTERNATIONAL AND SPECIALIZED TRANSPORT
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AUGUST 20
13
Carl Gustaf Göransson, Hiab’s new senior vice president
for global markets, plans to make one of the oldest
names in loader cranes more visible and approachable
around the world. CHRIS SLEIGHT reports
INTERVIEW
Renewed
focus
we have is strong. If the market wants a
premium spec product, we will do that with
the right distribution. If
you look at the market for trucks in
China, for example, that is becoming
more international.
What will change?
IC
asked Göransson what changes
customers will see following his
appointment. “I have a fresh pair of eyes
and the immediate reaction from customers
was that Hiab is a very good product but
it hasn’t been as visible or approachable as
we could have been. Cargotec putting the
business in three focused areas is important
for that. People realise that now but we have
not had that focus in the last decade or so.”
“From the basic position, we want to
deliver our products more efficiently, to
get them configured quickly and get them
delivered on time. Stronger field support –
we are good, but we want to become
even better.
“In developed markets, I think there will
be much better coverage for service and
support. Those are concrete things that we
are doing right now.”
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T
here are parts of the world where
people in the building and
construction trades will say ‘Hiab’
instead of ‘loader crane.’ This remarkable
piece of brand recognition is thanks to the
company’s long history – it will celebrate its
60th birthday next year – but, anecdotally
at least, Hiab does not have the same iron
grip on the markets it once enjoyed.
A combination of internal and
external factors is to blame. From the
outside, competition has improved, while
acquisitions and reorganisations at parent
Cargotec over the last decade could,
perhaps, have served Hiab better. The
recognition that Hiab needs to be more
prominent and visible to its customers was
one factor leading to the appointment in
May of Carl Gustaf Göransson as senior
vice president responsible for Hiab’s global
markets business unit.
Previously at Volvo
Construction Equipment,
Göransson was brought on
board to improve the sales
network and address some
of these issues. When
IC
spoke to him he identified this as a
key priority.
“We are working very much with
how our brand is perceived. We
have very strong brand recognition,
and we want to build on that in
the market and understand what
the customer wants. We also see
the need to adapt in some cases and we
may consolidate our distribution to be
more efficient in some markets.”
“That’s what I’m here to do. We have
strong distribution in many territories
and strong brands, but there is a clear
opportunity to improve that around the
world. We work with our own distribution
and independent distribution. We will
probably continue with that, but what I am
doing now is looking at how we can use
that to be as close as possible to customers.”
Although Hiab is known for loader
cranes, the business has a wider portfolio,
including log lifts, demountables,
tail-lifts and truck-mounted forklifts. All
are primarily sold in the world’s richer
countries but that is not to say the company
will avoid emerging markets.
“It is a developed world product, but
there are opportunities in developing
markets for stiff boom cranes, with our
joint venture in China, for example. We are
looking at Russia and, similarly in Brazil
and the rest of South America, I think we
can succeed if we have the right product,”
said Göransson.
The joint-venture in China is a deal
announced last year with China National
Heavy Duty Truck Group Co Ltd
(CNHTC), which manufactures under
the Sinotruk brand. Hiab products
will be sold through the Sinotruk
network in China, starting
with six models of straight
boom crane. “It’s great access
to distribution in China which
we want to use to get our
products out there.”
He acknowledged, however,
that while emerging countries
might be an opportunity for
truck cranes, it needs a careful
approach to succeed. “We are
looking at how comparable
businesses have done it
and are learning from
that. The portfolio
Hiab’s joint venture with CNHTC gives it access
to Sinotruk’s distribution network in China
Carl Gustaf
Göransson
