November 2 - Konecranes has acquired 100 percent of the shares in port crane service and modernisation company Techniplus S.A.R.L. in Morocco which has 120 employees and net sales of EUR7 million (2009) (USD9.7 million). The value of the acquisition has n

"Morocco is a country with a good business environment and a rapidly developing economy, and Techniplus is well-known and respected in Morocco for its technical capabilities," says Pierre Boyer, senior vice president. "Through the acquisition Konecranes will also be able to offer the whole Konecranes product range to the Moroccan market".

Techniplus is a family-owned company founded in 1991. Techniplus' headquarters are in Casablanca and it has service branches in Agadir and Tanger with activities in other ports. The personnel and top management will continue working for the company. Before the acquisition Techniplus was the distributor of Konecranes' lifttrucks and port equipment in Morocco. Techniplus will be consolidated into Konecranes from the beginning of October 2010 and is Konecranes' first acquisition in North Africa.