Cramo makes management changes and reorganises regions

Cramo has divided its operations into three new market areas – Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and Central Europe – and reorganised its group management.

The company said the three-region structure reflects a new strategic phase with the focus on operational performance and achieving group synergies and economies of scale.

The reorganisation, which takes effect on 1 February, sees one executive take control for each region, and gives expanded roles to Erik Bengtsson, Tatu Hauhio and Dirk Schlitzkus as well as promotions for Per Lundquist, Martin Holmgren and others.

In the new structure Scandinavia is defined as Sweden, Norway, Denmark; Eastern Europe is Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland; and Central Europe is Germany, Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia.

Erik Bengtsson, who was senior vice president for Sweden, becomes executive vice president for Scandinavia and retains his role as managing director of Cramo Sweden.

Mr Hauhio, formerly in charge of the Finland operation, will be executive vice president for Eastern Europe and remains managing director of Cramo Finland.

Former Theisen manager Dirk Schlitzkus has been appointed executive vice president, Central Europe, taking on responsibility for the Czech Republic and Slovakia to add to his existing responsibilities for Germany, Austria and Hungary.

Leaving the company are Göran Carlson, deputy CEO, who departure was previously announced, and Jarmo Laasanen, senior vice president, Russia and the Baltics, who will retire during spring 2013. Cramo and Ramirent have created a joint venture for Russia and a manager for this business has still to be announced.

In other management changes Per Lundquist has been appointed Cramo's senior vice president, operations. He was formerly chief information officer, and now assumes additional responsibilities for human resources, marketing and communications.

Martin Holmgren, currently vice president, fleet management, has been promoted to senior vice president, fleet management, while Martti Ala-Härkönen continues as chief financial officer.

"We have entered a new phase in our strategic development, where the focus is on operational excellence in our core business and core markets", said Cramo’s CEO, Vesa Koivula.

"The new organisation will help us better seize group synergies and economies of scale to improve profitability, implement common processes to improve operational efficiency, and to strive for our vision as the role model in rental".

Other new appointments include: Aku Rumpunen, currently head of group business control, becomes senior vice president, group business control, and Petri Moksén, currently director of modular space has been appointed senior vice president, modular space.