Excavator production rises 20% at Komatsu

Sales of Komatsu excavators both in the UK and Europe have hit an all-time high for the second successive year.
The company's principal European excavator facility in Birtley, Tyneside, has reported a 20% increase in production
with 3,754 units being built in the year to the end of March 2005.
Mal McCoy, public relations officer for Komatsu UK, said the facility builds units in the 13t to 75t operating weight range and the UK, European and North African markets are all currently performing well.
"Our forecast is to produce at least 3,900 excavators this year as our markets are very strong at present," he said.
Komatsu's UK distributor, Marubeni Komatsu, has also had a bumper 12 months. McCoy said Marubeni's sales accounted for 24% of the Birtley site's overall production last year, which was a significant increase on the previous year.
A buoyant worldwide market for mining and construction equipment has seen the Japanese manufacturer report record sales and profits for the year ending 31 March 2005.
Consolidated worldwide sales of all Komatsu products increased 19.9% over the previous 12 months to £7.5bn, the second successive year the company has reported record figures.
Meanwhile, operating profit reached £539m, up 54% on 2004 and again setting another company record high. Komatsu claimed sales of its construction and mining equipment across all worldwide markets increased, except China, where sales declined.
The company also claimed its efforts to reduce production costs and increase sales prices offset the negative effects of higher steel prices and demonstrated an improvement in profitability.