Haulotte Group this week reported that equipment sales in the first half of 2012 grew 30 percent to €146.4 million (about U.S. $184 million) from €112.4 million in the same period of 2011 with significant growth in South America and Asia Pacific. North America also had a good first half with 34-percent growth.
The Rental business continues to increase with the development of Latin America and improvement in the company’s fleet utilization rates in Northern Europe. Equipment rental revenue in the quarter grew 10 percent to €22.1 million from €20.0 million in the first half of 2011.
The global market for powered access platforms continues to be boosted by growth in the U.S. market in the first half of 2012, the company said. In this context, Haulotte Group increased revenue by 25 percent to €184.5 million compared to €148.0 million in the first half of 2011.
The increase in volume and the rise in production levels have improved the operating income to 3 percent of sales (excluding restructuring costs and exchange gains & losses). It is also affected by the improvement in profitability of Services and rental business.
Despite a slowdown in the growth of the global market due to persistent macroeconomic uncertainties, Haulotte said it expects the second half to be comparable to first-half 2012, enabling it to achieve a positive operating income for the full year.
Haulotte is based in Paris with U.S. headquarters in Archbold, Ohio.
