HMF grows the business

Once again HMF Group increases capacity and invests heavily in automated production processes to be able to follow the increasing demand on the international crane market.

Since 2010, HMF Group A/S, manufacturer of truck-mounted cranes for the whole world, has experienced an increasing demand for Danish quality and continues to invest in increasing production capacity.

 “Quality is very important to us, which means that all main processes are gathered here in Denmark, where we can answer for all processes. This is why we also invest heavily in capacity and technology to follow the demand in the long term,” explains CEO Brian Stage.

"Lately we have invested in a brand-new production line for knuckle booms, where the optimized flow ensures that knuckle booms are ready-manufactured in one single workflow, before sending them directly into the fully automatic paint facility."

HMF continuously invests in welding robots and also in connection with the new production line, the company is currently phasing in a brand-new welding robot that uses ground-breaking technology with adaptive welding and a fully automatic conveyor system.

At the same time, HMF is running in a welding robot at the HMF Welding Academy, where the purpose is to train young metalworkers as well as upskilling their existing employees.   Here HMF has also invested in analysis equipment for securing the quality of the weld seams. “We are very conscious about combining high technology with craftsmanship and common sense,” says Brian Stage.

As a part of the new production line for knuckle booms, HMF has also invested in a new drilling centre capable of handling very big items.

In general, HMF experiences an increasing demand in particular for larger cranes. Thereby the need for more jib extensions increases correspondingly as does the need for hydraulic pipes. Therefore, HMF has recently ordered a new fully automatic pipe bending machine for hydraulic pipes, which is to ensure the necessary capacity and reliability of delivery. At the same time, the test capacity for large range cranes has also been increased by 50%.

Concurrently with the increasing order intake, the number of employees is also increasing and therefore HMF started using two newly refurbished office buildings in March this year. This made room among others for an extension of the R&D capacity with more than 25%, because innovation is an important competitive parameter. Within new technology, HMF sees great opportunities, and a special department for software and digitisation has thus been established.

“At the same time as we are investing heavily in new processes, facilities and staff, it goes without saying that we also optimize where we can. For example, we have gone through our entire range of sub-suppliers, and among others we have changed from yellow chromate to zinc-nickel treatment on sub-components to further enhance quality, just as we ensure capacity with our sub-suppliers - among others by Northern Europe's most modern laser cutter,” says Brian Stage.

Facts about HMF Group A/S

Turnover approx. DKK 1 billion.

More than 550 employees.

Distribution network in more than 50 countries worldwide.

Danish family-owned company. The operating company has been separated from Højbjerg Maskinfabrik in a new company, HMF Group A/S, which is owned 100% by Højbjerg Maskinfabrik.

HMF is amongst the world’s leading manufacturers of truck-mounted cranes and cranes for the wind turbine industry.