Liugong to buy HSW

Liugong has announced plans to acquire Polish dozer, pipelayer and wheeled loader manufacturer Huta Stalowa Wola (HSW). The deal will give the Chinese manufacturer a foothold in Europe and add new products to its portfolio.

Liugong president and vice chairman Zeng Guang'an said, "Liugong has been interested in a European expansion and we have been waiting for the right opportunity. This will be our first overseas acquisition."

The company has set out a strategic aim to be one of the world's ten largest construction equipment manufacturers by 2015, and Mr Zeng said the addition of a European manufacturing base was a key part of this plan.

The HSW range includes a range of dozers from 74 hp to 515 hp (55 kW to 384 kW), and its range was described by Liugong vice president for research & development, David Beatenbough as, "Excellent."

In addition, HSW produces several wheeled loader models that fill a gap in Liugong's range, including variants for logging, landfill and hot slag applications. The company also has an 8 yd3 (6.1 m3), the 57E, which is larger than Liugong's current largest model

Liugong's has plans to manufacture other products from its range at HSW's factory for sale in Europe. "As soon as possible we will begin production of key Liugong products in Poland that are important in Europe - mainly wheeled loaders and excavators," said Mr Beatenbough