Alimak Group, the vertical access solution company, has signed an agreement with US-based capital goods manufacturer Manitowoc Company Inc regarding joint development and production of specialised internal tower crane elevators.

The agreement covers co-development and distribution of tower crane elevators. Alimak will supply its standardised external operator elevators adapted to fit the Manitowoc range of cranes that will be offered in both Alimak´s and Manitowoc´s respective global sales and distribution networks. In addition, Alimak has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Manitowoc regarding an internal tower crane elevator, attached within the crane´s mast, which will be exclusively sold and distributed by Manitowoc.

The new tower crane elevator solutions will meet stringent health and safety regulations in Europe, including the latest as laid out in France, stating that motorised access must be available for operators climbing 60 m or more to the tower crane cab, and from 30 m in the new regulation taking effect in 2017.

“Increased health and safety requirements on vertical access solutions are one of the global trends that we see in both mature and emerging markets. The new tower crane elevators provide safe and fast access to tower crane cabs and is an additional example of our strategy to broaden our product portfolio to service different industries and application areas,” says Tormod Gunleiksrud, CEO of Alimak Group.

Both the internal and external product-versions were presented for the first time during the Manitowoc customer event in late June. Both elevator solutions will be available at the beginning of 2016.

Alimak is a global market leader and pioneer in designing, developing, manufacturing, distributing and servicing industrial rack-and-pinion vertical access solutions. The company provides high quality hoists, elevators and platforms primarily for the industrial and construction sectors. Alimak was founded in 1948, is headquartered in Stockholm and employs over 1,100 people across the world. It had revenues of SEK 1.7 billion ($200 million) in 2014 and is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.

Founded in 1902, The Manitowoc Company, Inc is a multi-industry, capital goods manufacturer with 92 manufacturing, distribution, and service facilities in 25 countries. The company is recognised globally as one of the premier innovators and providers of crawler cranes, tower cranes, and mobile cranes for the heavy construction industry.

Manitowoc´s Potain brand has since its inception in La Clayette, France, in 1928, been the world leader in tower crane production, with more than 100,000 cranes sold and installed around the world.

As well as Potain tower cranes, the company is renowned for its lifting equipment including Grove mobile telescoping cranes, Manitowoc lattice boom crawler cranes, National Crane boom trucks and Shuttlelift industrial cranes. In addition to its product lines, Manitowoc offers support services through Manitowoc Crane Care.

In 2014, Manitowoc’s revenues totalled $3.9 billion, with approximately half of these revenues generated outside of the US.