Arcomet and P&J Crane Systems Enter Joint Venture

July 7, 2005 — Belgian rental house and crane manufacturer Arcomet and Washington, D.C.-based tower crane company P&J Crane Systems recently joined forces to establish a new North American crane company called P&J Arcomet. The new company was created to leverage P&J Crane Systems' growing market share in North America with Arcomet's wholesale purchasing strength, fleet size, and technical capabilities.

 

“P&J Arcomet provides us a greater platform in which to move into the North American market” said Frans Wouters, managing director of Arcomet. “We foresee this growth as being quite considerable over the long term.”

 

Starting operations on July 1, P&J Arcomet will have 30 top-slewing cranes and six Arcomet self-erectors. In addition, it has ordered five new Comedil CTT331s and eight Peiner SK415s for delivery in 2005, plus it plans to acquire six more Arcomet built self-erectors. With all of its 2005 deliveries assigned to rental contracts, the company has begun working on acquisition plans for 2006.

 

In late 2004 both companies announced the formation of a joint venture focusing on the self-erecting market but have since agreed to expand the scope to cover all crane types. View the original report covered in November 2004 Lift and Access 360.

 

“We have been working with each other for several years and as we concluded the self-erecting venture together it became apparent that both parties would greatly benefit from taking it one step further and totally combining operations,” said P&J Senior Vice President Stephen Jehle. “The whole thing came together relatively quickly.”

 

The newly merged company is headquartered in Washington D.C. with Peter Jehle and Stephen Jehle serving as president and senior vice president. Arcomet Managing Directors Dirk Theyskens and Frans Wouters will serve as board members.