Kranbau Köthen has also declared war on them. That is why the specialists from the business operation in the Anhalt region are collaborating in the “Refresh” research project, reports Engineering Manager Ingo Brötzmann.

The project promoted by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) intends to prolong the lifespan of existing and new welded steel constructions. Kranbau Köthen can not only contribute considerable know-how, but also extensive experiences in this nationwide project with many partners. Special cranes for heavy industry as well as for materials handling and shipbuilding have been manufactured in Köthen since 1934. Up to now, 5,000 cranes have left the factory halls “Am Holländer Weg” in Köthen. The company assumes a leading position as manufacturer of innovative special cranes for all possible applications in Europe, says Managing Director Andreas Klatschow. Cranes from Köthen swivel almost all over the world. In peak years, 80 percent of cranes are exported abroad. The export rate lies at 40 percent on average, says Klatschow.

The tradition of crane construction in Köthen was nearly disrupted. The first privatisation after the Fall of the Berlin wall and the transition to market economy failed. Kranbau Köthen was acquired by Georgsmarienhütte Holding GmbH in the course of a second privatisation in 1998. Together with Alpha Elektronik GmbH (also located in Köthen) and Saalfelder Hebezeug GmbH in Saalfeld, they constitute the crane technology division of the Georgsmarienhütte group of companies. “We have been repeatedly in the black since 1998”, reports Klatschow. The three companies generated a turnover of about 87 million euros in 2009. Since there is a forerun period of two to five years in the field of crane construction, the crisis has only had a real effect in the current year, explains the Managing Director. “But in the coming year we will already be able to increase the turnover again”, he says while looking ahead. The confidence of the business management is nurtured by the capabilities of the nearly 250 employees. Among them are 40 design engineers, project engineers and structural engineers. “We have well-trained engineers and technicians”, says Brötzmann self-assuredly. “We know everything about cranes”, he adds. So no cranes are built “off-the shelf” in Köthen. Every crane is an individual solution for individual demands. Nevertheless, the Köthen-based specialists do not build everything. Klatschow: “Interesting for us are cranes from an ultimate load of 250 tonnes or also cranes with lesser lifting capacities, but which then necessitate very special technical individual solutions.” Klatschow and Brötzmann mention gantry cranes for metallurgical plants and rolling mills, gantry cranes for heavy industry as well as portal cranes and slewing cranes.

The Köthen-based crane manufacturers consider themselves as a system provider with own production in Germany. This also includes corresponding electrical and control technology. Engineering, assembly and service are included in the extensive array of services provided by Kranbau Köthen GmbH. “In order to comply with customer requirements, all crane facilities are developed, conceived and manufactured by our own employees”, assures Brötzmann.

Cranes from Köthen have proven that under extreme temperature conditions they also achieve a very high safety level and an extraordinary long lifespan. The collaboration in the “Refresh” research project shall safeguard the operating life of expensive cranes costing millions of euros even longer in the future.

Contact:

Kranbau Köthen GmbH

Andreas Klatschow

Am Holländer Weg 5 – 7

D-06366 Köthen

T: +49 (0)3496 700-101

E: a.klatschow@kranbau-koethen.de

www.kranbau-koethen.de