ICTSI chooses Kalmar handling equipment for its new Ecuador container facility

Kalmar Industries has received orders from leading global terminal operator International Container Terminal Services, Inc (ICTSI) for 13 DRF450 reachstackers, four DCE90 empty container handlers and 18 Ottawa 4x2 terminal tractors, for delivery to Contecon Guayaquil SA (CGSA), operator of the container and multipurpose terminals at Ecuador's Port of Guayaquil. CGSA has just recently taken delivery of all four ECH units and 18 tractors, as well as the first ten reachstackers. Delivery of the remaining three reachstackers is scheduled to be completed early 2008.

The Ecuador order represents a further strengthening of the longterm partnership between ICTSI and Kalmar, according to Gaston Chipy, Latin American Area Sales Director:

"Because ICTSI is so familiar with the quality of Kalmar's equipment and the standard of our after-sales service, opting to equip its new Ecuador facility with Kalmar products was the natural choice," he explains. "We work with and have delivered equipment to ICTSI at a number of its facilities around the world including, for example, Baltic Container Terminal in Gydnia, Poland, and its flagship facility, Manila International Container Terminal in the Philippines."

Gustavo Cercos, Director of Engineering, CGSA, adds:

"For the CGSA order, time was of the essence. We needed to get high-quality equipment onsite and into operation as soon as possible. The fact that Kalmar could guarantee a fast order-to-delivery turnaround time was paramount. As we fully anticipated, Kalmar has since fulfilled that guarantee, with the majority of equipment already onsite and ready to go."

ICTSI was awarded the 20-year operating concession for the container and multi purpose terminals in Guayaquil by Autoridad Portuario de Guayaquil (APG) in March 2007. The Guayaquil facility handles some 65 percent of Ecuador's containerised, general and bulk cargo.

Latin America is a strong market for Kalmar - and one that is still developing alongside the region's general growth in containerised trade. Reachstackers have traditionally been the best-selling products in Latin America, although terminal operators there have in recent years revealed an increased appetite for rubber-tyred gantry (RTG) cranes, particularly Kalmar's E-One RTG.

Santos Brazil SA, for example, recently ordered 12 Kalmar E-One RTGs (6+1 high and 7+1 wide) for delivery between September 2007 and January 2008. Other E-One RTG customers in the region include the Port of Trinidad and Tobago, major Peruvian intermodal terminal operator Neptunia SA, Terminal Pacífico Sur Valparaiso SA in Chile and Buenos Aires Container Terminal in Argentina.

Meanwhile, the Japdeva port authority in Costa Rica recently concluded an order for three Kalmar straddle carriers for Puerto Limon on Costa Rica's Atlantic coast, with delivery scheduled for early next year.

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Notes to editor:

Press information can be found on Kalmar's website: www.kalmarind.com. Simply click on News Room to be taken to a list of recent press releases. A photograph to accompany this release is also available on the Kalmar website, by clicking on Press Pictures. The caption for the photograph reads:

"As a long-time user of Kalmar equipment, global terminal operator ICTSI opted for 13 reachstackers, four empty container handlers and 18 terminal tractors for its container handling facility at Ecuador's Port of Guayaquil."

Kalmar is a global provider of container and heavy duty materials handling equipment, automation applications and related services. It is the world's leading supplier of cargo handling equipment to ports, terminals and intermodal facilities.

Every fourth container or trailer transfer at terminals around the world is handled by a Kalmar machine. The company also supplies a wide range of machines to demanding industrial customers for applications as diverse as handling steel and paper to shunting road trailers at distribution hubs.

Kalmar is also leading the way in port automation applications with its application of unmanned container handling technology, on-board smart features and remote maintenance products developed in co-operation with customers and partners.

Kalmar's product range is complemented by a large range of value added services such as maintenance contracts and fleet management. Production plants are situated in Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, Malaysia, China and the USA. Kalmar's net sales were EUR 1.2 billion in 2006.

Kalmar is part of Cargotec Corporation, the world's leading provider of cargo handling solutions, which are used in local transportation, terminals, ports, distribution centres, and ships. In 2006 Cargotec's net sales were EUR 2.6 billion. Cargotec's class B shares are listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange.