Konecranes has acquired its former Chilean licensee Gruas Koman Limitada, along with its subsidiary Koman Gruas Peru, for an undisclosed fee.

Gruas Koman Limitada, a Konecranes licensee for standard duty cranes since the early 1990s, has an installed base of 500 cranes, most of which include Konecranes components.

Along with its subsidiary, the company specialises in providing overhead lifting equipment and maintenance services for markets in Chile, Peru and Bolivia.

The company’s crane maintenance business, established in Santiago, Antofagasta, and Calama, also serves areas of Chile’s mining districts.

With around 60 full-time staff at its premises in Recoleta, Santiago, half of whom are crane technicians, Konecranes believes the acquisition will strengthen its foothold in the region.

Senior vice president and head of Konecranes for the Americas, Tom Sothard, said: “South America holds a great potential for the future growth of Konecranes. Gruas Koman is, via its installed base of equipment, an excellent base for building our service, parts and equipment business in South America.”

Gruas Koman Limitada generated €7m in net sales during 2009, however Konecranes expect the acquisition to have little tangible effect on its results for 2011.