Tadano Italthai banks on infrastructure

Thai-Japanese joint venture Tadano Italthai Co plans to take advantage of more infrastructure development projects in Thailand to increase its truck-mounted crane sales, with revenue expected to reach 700 million baht this year.

"Following Thailand's reopening, we believe public and private infrastructure projects will soon resume," said Shigeki Nozawa, managing director of Tadano Italthai.

The government decided to reopen the country late last year after Covid-19 infections eased. Tourism revenue increased as more tourists arrived, but other sectors also reported higher sales.

Industrial land developers reported an increase in land sales following the reopening of the country.

Steel manufacturers also deemed the government's infrastructure projects as a key positive factor in bolstering steel demand in the construction sector.

Tadano Italthai's products serve customers in the construction industry, but the company also sees opportunities in the logistics, transport, rental and advertising sectors.

"The truck-mounted crane market in Thailand is considered the largest in Asean and it is expected to keep expanding with supportive factors economically and geographically," said Mr Nozawa.

He said the company focuses not only on efficiency when it develops new products, but also safety issues, which it believes help it gain trust from customers.

"We believe safety will be a key factor in our sales in Asean," said Mr Nozawa.

Tadano Italthai, which recently launched a new truck-mounted crane model with "Safety Eyes" technology, aims to introduce the products to both Thai and Laotian markets.

Using Safety Eyes, the lifting capacity is calculated according to the cargo, thus avoiding overloading problems.

Machines are equipped with an alarm system to spot unsafe issues, helping to reduce possible accidents, according to the company.

Tadano Italthai is working with Saha Crane Auction Co after it was appointed the company's truck-mounted crane distributor.

Saha Crane Auction, which conducts heavy machinery leasing, distribution and auctions, has more than 1,000 customers.