ICT50 2017: Change at the top

For the first time since any of the ICST toplists started, well over 20 years ago, we have a different company at the head of the table. In this year’s IC Transport 50 ranking of the world’s largest specialized transport companies we have a new number one. ALE has increased its capability sufficiently to displace Mammoet and move into the top spot. The top two companies have swapped places.

Since last year’s table, UK-headquartered ALE has added 3.4 percent to its Transport 50 Index, taking its T50 Index total from 200,318 to 207,093 tonnes. Mammoet, on the other hand, has reduced its fleet by basically the same amount, 3.3 %, from 207,300 to 200,480 tonnes, in what is very close to being a reversal of numbers. Our interview with Jan Kleijn, Mammoet CEO, in ICST July 2017 gives some insight into the company’s situation and its approach to the future that might be linked with this.

Catching up fast in third place is Sarens from Belgium which has added 30,475 tonnes of capacity in the last 12 months, an increase of 26 % over its 2016 fleet total of 116,491.

Showing a steadier increase behind them is Fagioli from Italy which increased its fleet by 2.3 % this year, less than the 10.9 % in the year before. It is interesting to also compare the numbers for all of the above companies in the ICST June issue’s IC50 ranking of the world’s largest crane-owning companies.

All the rest of the top ten in the Transport 50 have remained the same as 2016’s table, other than Challenger Motor Freight and All Erection and Crane Rental, the former now up to seventh again, having changed places with All Erection which is now at 8th once again.

In terms of overall totals, for modular equipment in the top 50, the figure was up 3.99 % (41,070 tonnes) while for specialized trailers it was up 6.29 % or an equally impressive 44,361 tonnes. The number of tractor units was up by 1.9 % or 433 units on 2016. This was far less than the 10 %, or 2,067 unit increase the year before.

The two figures that are down this year are the number of employees, by 0.7 %, or 672 people, and the number of depots, by 2.4 %, from 3,209 to 3,131. The year before (2015 to 2016) they were both up, employees by 2.9 % (2,692 people), and 8.9 % or 262 depots.

Outside the top ten, among the most notable increases was posted by Maxim Crane Works, up to 15th place from 31, following its acquisitions of AmQuip and Essex. Burkhalter entered the top 50 by moving up an impressive 21 places from 67 to 46. Another notable increase was posted by Vietranstimex, up nine places from 43 to 34.

There are eleven new entries for 2017, five of them in the top 50. Highest are a crop of four: Sterett, Combined Transport, Daily Expresss and MSA Delivery Services, from the USA, and numbers 22, 23, 24 and 26, respectively. Last of the top 50 new entries is SOP&G from Russia in at 37th place. Nine companies were removed, mostly because it was old data. Just three of them were from the top 50.