The Palfinger Group has agreed to take over Bergen Group
Dreggen AS, a renowned Norwegian producer of marine and offshore cranes and
lifting equipment. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions,
including approval from the Competition Authorities in Norway, and is expected
to be closed by the end of November.
Herbert Ortner, CEO of Palfinger AG, says he is pleased with
the most recent addition.
“Dreggen is well-positioned and shares Palfinger’s high
quality demands,” he says in a Palfinger press release. “The incorporation of
this company into our group marks a milestone for our marine business.”
Bergen Group Dreggen AS, headquartered in Bergen, Norway,
has 25 years of experience in the market for marine and offshore cranes. An
independent division of the Bergen Group, the company specializes in
tailor-made crane solutions for the shipbuilding, oil and gas industries.
Dreggen is strongly positioned on the Norwegian market and
supplies renowned international customers, Palfinger says. Sales offices in
Brazil and Singapore and a global sales and services network ensure that
Dreggen is also well-positioned for further growth. In 2011, the company’s 75
employees generated revenue of approximately EUR 30 million.
Excellent growth opportunities are expected in the marine
sector and, in particular, the offshore sector, Palfinger says. Offshore fleets
for drilling platforms and their supply as well as commercial fleets have
recorded unrestricted growth in recent years and, in addition, high energy and
oil prices have encouraged further investments in exploration and production.
According to Palfinger, this acquisition is an important
growth step for its marine business. The integration of Dreggen is going to
reinforce the dynamic development of this business even further. The Dreggen
cranes will expand the product portfolio for the offshore sector considerably,
the company says, adding jack-up rigs, FPSOs and drilling vessels.
“The offshore sector requires cranes that have been adapted
to the highly explosive environment. In future, these special requirements will
be perfectly met by the new Business Unit ‘Offshore Cranes’,” says Karl
Oberreiter, Head of Palfinger Marine.
In future, Dreggen will operate under the name of Palfinger Dreggen
and combine the strong brand values of both companies in the offshore area.
“Our business area Marine has shown outstanding performance
and has already become a highly profitable area of our Company,” Ortner says. “With
Dreggen we can now enter a new dimension that will not only bring about a great
boost to growth but will also open up new opportunities and markets.”