SPRINGFIELD, OH --(Marketwired - February 08, 2017) - Konecranes Machine Tool Service has announced an agreement with Italy's 1960 Seravesi to distribute, service and install its hydraulic three-roll and four-roll plate-bending machines in the U.S. and Canada. 1960 Seravesi also manufactures dishing presses and flanging machines that expand the company's pipe-forming capability to create complete tank solutions.

"Konecranes Machine Tool Service will assist 1960 Seravesi by providing installation and service support for all of its machines sold in North America," said Harold Schoch, vice president, technology & sales. "We will also look for opportunities to sell their products to new customers as we continue to be involved after the sale with in-warranty service and after-warranty repairs."

Konecranes Machine Tool Service is a subsidiary of Konecranes, a global leader in crane manufacturing which also operates the world's largest crane service network. The continent-wide geographic presence that Konecranes offers in the United States and Canada was one of the factors that contributed to the formation of this agreement.

Another factor making this relationship attractive for Konecranes Machine Tool Service was the technical superiority of the 1960 Seravesi product. Completely computer-controlled, machines built by 1960 Seravesi feature solid hydraulic tubing that is superior both in robustness and ease of maintenance, which reduces long-term service costs. The first machine of this design was sold to American Tank and Fabricating in Cleveland, Ohio in 1974, where it is still in daily use.

Today's 1960 Seravesi is the successor to a well-known earlier company also founded by Tommaso Seravesi, and continues to rely on his collaboration. Known as the "father" of plate-rolling technology in Europe, Seravesi's first machines were manually driven. Successive machines became motorized and hydraulic, and finally evolved into the computerized CNC-driven machines built today. 1960 Seravesi is the current entity, established as the result of a merger between the Seravesi family and the Lozza family, involved in machining parts for Tommaso Seravesi since the early 1980s.

Glenn Binder, vice president of sales for North America, says plate-bending machines built by 1960 Seravesi are sought after by companies manufacturing pipe for the petrochemical industry, tower sections for the wind industry and applications in the nuclear containment, space and aerospace industries. Konecranes Machine Tool Service will be servicing 40 installed machines of this design in the U.S. that are currently in use building stainless steel tanks.

"Competency was the first factor we looked at when selecting a North American partner," Binder said. "Candidly, Konecranes Machine Tool Service is more than qualified to work on these machines, which are much simpler than what they currently service. They are competent, professional, and have the geographic reach that we need to expand into Canada."

Binder also had praise for the parent company. "For us, there is a lot of synergy with the Konecranes service network," he noted. "There will likely be an overhead crane in any building where our machines are located."

About Konecranes, Inc.
Konecranes is a world-leading group of Lifting Businesses™, serving a broad range of customers, including manufacturing and process industries, shipyards, ports and terminals. Konecranes provides productivity-enhancing lifting solutions as well as services for lifting equipment and machine tools of all makes.

In 2015, Group sales totaled EUR 2,026 million. The Group has 11,900 employees at 600 locations in 48 countries. Konecranes is listed on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki (HEX: KCR1V).

This press release is available at www.konecranesUSA.com