Matt Mollross has joined the team at XCMG as national crane manager, marking a return to the industry after nine years working in his own lifting and rigging business.
“I am so passionate about the lifting sector, from my time at Liebherr, and in rigging I am just excited to be back in the industry that has been such a constant in my life from my Dad through to me,” said Mollross.
“We always find our way back to the sector because it is so good to be a part of.”
Mollross experience in the industry can trace its way back to his father who worked for the likes of the Men from Marr’s and Heavy Haulage expert Rex Andrews.
“I am very excited about leading the XCMG crane division into the future with a strong focus on winning the trust of the Australian market with a strong range of cranes at my disposal,” he said.
“I will be focusing on customers’ wants and needs along with XCMG support and willingness to react quickly to the needs of operators. We have a good product and I know the industry well and will draw on this knowledge to lead XCMG to new goals, increased market presence, and continued improvement to better the customer experience and create the perfect cranes for Australia.”
XCMG is currently ranked number one in wheeled-based crane sales in the world according to the authoritative release from British KHL group, it has been producing cranes for more than 70 years. XCMG also has risen to be the third largest machinery manufacturer in the world only surpassed by Caterpillar and Komatsu, and the desire to be number one is strong in the vision of XCMG.
The XCMG mobile crane factory located in Xuzhou Jiangsu has a land size of 73 square kilometres with six production units and 33 production lines pumping out 5,500 cranes per year.
In production XCMG concentrates on best practice and employing the best technologies for example in the field of welding. XCMG has recently purchased 32 robotic welding machines to ensure quality control and uncompromised skill on a continuous level, along with state-of-the-art laser hybrid welding machines and Swedish built Ursvken 4,000-tonne bending machine to manufacture the special curved boom sections.
XCMG globally has grown to 110 dealers worldwide with over 2,000 service centres 6,000 technicians and 5,000 salesmen and women working in 176 different countries.
XCMG offers an extensive range of cranes with an impressive capacity across the fleet, this includes:
• all terrain cranes from 40t two-axle to 4,000t 10-axle
• rough terrain cranes 25t up to 130t
• telescopic crawler cranes 25t to 220t
• pin jib crawler cranes 55t to 4,000t
• high duty cycle crawler cranes 35t to 100t
• truck cranes 8t to 220t including a new hybrid electric truck crane the XCT25EV.
“In the Australian market interest has been shown for a large mobile crane to tackle the new challenges facing the increase in weight of wind turbines and XCMG is up to the task,” Mollross explained.
“The XCMG XCA2600 has all the answers, with an impressive capacity of 160t load to a hook height of 160m at a radius of 26m, or alternate 240t load to 120m at a radius of 20m.
The XCA2600 has an in-principal road approval on 10 axles at a reduced travel weight of 75t, slightly less than its ability to travel on site at 317t complete with main boom, super lift, all out riggers, and part of the fixed fly.
“XCMG, since becoming number one in crane manufacture, has expressed its desire to keep growing around the world. Australia was a key market to start a new drive to demonstrate to the crane owners that XCMG has a commitment to starting a long relationship with the Australian market by providing excellence in service, parts, and technical support, partnered with our dealer network alongside the likes of D & D Diesel Melbourne and newly appointed dealer Ronco in Perth,” he said.
XCMG will also be investing in growth, having already secured warehouses in Melbourne and Karratha, with more servicing centres to be finalised in the next 18 months on the east coast to offer customers ease and accessibility to service.
XCMG realises its goal is to support the customer not only at the point of sale but beyond throughout the machine’s lifespan. This will be the cornerstone of Mollross’s time at XCMG.
XCMG has already grown to more than 25 people around Australia (excluding dealer personnel), led by the GM of XCMG Oceania Eric Renhua and Country GM Roy Rossini, with a team of dedicated people leading the other divisions in excavators, road building and mining machinery.
“XCMG staff come with great depths of experience that will, in turn, strengthen the desire to demonstrate high levels of customer focus in every task we accept,” said Mollross.
“Our logo states XCMG ‘For your Success’ and that is how we approach every operator we work with and how we will work in Australia.”