04.07.2011

Zoomlion acquires Jost designs

Chinese manufacturer Zoomlion has agreed the purchase of certain rights to the flat-top tower crane designs from Jost the Bavarian based tower crane company owned by Franc Jost, one of the tower crane industry’s most prolific engineers.

We understand that Zoomlion plans to use the designs, which includes all models between 70 and 600 tonne/metres, to introduce a range of tower cranes for western markets, augmenting the tower crane models that it introduced last year for the domestic market. The designs are though likely to modified for production with Chinese sourced materials.

The deal will allow Jost to continue to produce and sell its flat top cranes for a limited period, after which it will source the current flat top models from Zoomlion.

So far we have been unable to obtain a definitive or official statement concerning details of the transaction. Jost does not manufacture its own cranes, preferring instead to design its product and then subcontract production to others. In 2006 it agreed a deal with Dutch sales and rental company Kranenbouw to produce the Jost series JT 112.8 tower crane under an OEM licence.
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A Jost S series flat top crane

While it has a good number of flat top designs Jost is probably best known for its innovative hydraulic luffing tower cranes.