Hitachi's Morocco deal

European Hitachi Construction Machinery dealer Moviter is expanding into Africa. The Portuguese company is venturing into Angola and other countries on the continent with historical and linguistic links to its native land.
April 26, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
European 233 Hitachi Construction Machinery dealer Moviter is expanding into Africa. The Portuguese company is venturing into Angola and other countries on the continent with historical and linguistic links to its native land. Leiria-based Moviter, part of the Movicortes Group, linked up with Hitachi in 1993, cashing in on a huge and prolonged investment in Portugal’s infrastructure which saw building companies keen to use high performance construction machinery. Now that domestic demand for construction machinery has waned, Moviter is looking to new underdeveloped markets to for its Hitachi fleet. The company already has customers with machines in more than 14 African countries, all requiring the Hitachi Support Chain after-sales programme. As Hitachi’s preferred dealer for the Angolan market, Moviter hopes to use its status in the country to build a more significant commercial presence across the entire African continent. Movicortes Manager and Board Member, Arnaldo Sapinho, said Angola was an obvious choice for its ambitious expansion plans. He said: “It is a Portuguese-speaking country and it was a colony until 1975. This means that the language and similar culture are two of the main advantages that Moviter - and other Portuguese companies - have in trading with this huge African country.” In 2009, Angola suffered a financial crisis when the price of oil bottomed out. With 95% of the country's revenue coming from the natural resource, it had a major negative impact on an already stagnating construction industry. However Sapinho believes the signs for recovery are encouraging, as projects recommence and existing and potential Moviter customers are looking to subcontractors to complete the work on their behalf. Sapinho added: “The big issue is trust, so we need to continue to build relations and then develop the network.”
Earthmoving & soil compaction

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Road transport key to Africa's trade links
    February 17, 2012
    Road transport is the key to improving Africa's links within its own territory, and further afield as Patrick Smith reports. Development of road transportation is the key to the future of the African economy, and countries on the continent are making great strides. According to a report by a transport infrastructure expert at the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), within the next 15 years the value of trade in Africa could reach US$250 billion if a $32 billion investment is made to integrate
    Read More
  • Hitachi aims for 20-30% growth in five years through mining offer
    January 6, 2017
    Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) president and chief executive Moriaki Kadoya believes HCME can achieve 20-30% sales revenue growth in the next five years through its wide range of mining-suited machines. The Hitachi Group subsidiary has a vast range of larger machines, including six crawler excavators – the 1200, 1900, 2600, 3600, 5600, and 800tonne 8000 model – which, Kadoya said, leaves HCME in an ideal position to pursue its ambitious growth target. The construction equipment industry giant also
    Read More
  • Hitachi aims for 20-30% growth in five years through mining offer
    April 18, 2013
    Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) president and chief executive Moriaki Kadoya believes HCME can achieve 20-30% sales revenue growth in the next five years through its wide range of mining-suited machines. The Hitachi Group subsidiary has a vast range of larger machines, including six crawler excavators – the 1200, 1900, 2600, 3600, 5600, and 800tonne 8000 model – which, Kadoya said, leaves HCME in an ideal position to pursue its ambitious growth target. The construction equipment industry giant also
    Read More
  • German construction equipment industry’s sales rise 8 per cent
    February 18, 2015
    German manufacturers of construction equipment reported an 8% rise in sales, amounting to €8.4 billion. The level was higher than expected and equal to sales in 2006, according to the Construction Equipment and Building Material Machinery Association (VDMA). However, the VDMA, part of the German Engineering Federation, suggested that company profits may not have risen along with sales and tough times remain ahead. “Turnover is one thing, profit is another,” Joachim Strobel, deputy chairman of VDMA, said.
    Read More

Highlighted Content