Page 10 - CE_Industral_Journal_2015

Powerful Partnerships in the Caribbean

Konecranes Miami develops a niche Market

in the Islands

The business of delivering electricity to Caribbean contractors, government entities and public utilities. Their
customers is always on the move, as political alliances supplier of choice for lifting equipment is Konecranes.
shift and power providers evolve, dissolve and reform.
Being on the move can also mean that Caribbean When Statia Utility Co. (formerly GEBE) on the Caribbean
power plants are—literally—moved, as Jamaica’s unique island of St. Eustatius (Statia) moved to expand their power
barge-mounted power plants have the ability to relocate plant in 2013, Spark International contacted Konecranes
to better serve customers. There are few large power Miami branch for a quote to extend the crane runway
conglomerates in the Caribbean. Rather, it is a group and electrification system. The runway extension was the
of dedicated and hardworking smaller providers—some third time Konecranes had been called back to inspect,
government backed, some privately owned—that keep maintain and expand the crane at the facility, which had
the lights on. It is a challenge for many power companies purchased a 5-ton Konecranes CXT overhead crane in
to operate efficiently because the markets are so tiny on 2005.
the smaller islands.
The recovering U.S. economy was renewing tourism and
One consistent ally that has emerged for power providers driving the need for more power generation capacity on
in the Caribbean is Konecranes Miami branch. Crane the island. Statia’s governing body wanted to publicize
equipment and service are critical elements in the ongoing and celebrate its plant expansion with a ribbon-cutting
effort to keep power plants operating. Konecranes supplies ceremony, which made for a tight timeline.
the lion’s share of the overhead cranes that Caribbean
power companies use to maintain their generators— According to Brennan, it was a straightforward project,
estimated at more than 90 percent market share by some but not one that some crane companies would consider
sources. because of its small size, difficult logistics and short
deadline. Rafael Ojeda provided a firm quote in a matter
“Konecranes provides support for Caribbean power of days. After the quote was accepted, all the required
producers either directly or as a subcontractor on jobs components were drop-shipped into Miami, flown to
ranging from routine inspections to emergency call-outs,” St. Maarten and sent then on to St. Eustatius by boat
says Rafael Ojeda, manager of Konecranes Miami branch. in 12x12x20-foot wooden crates. Two Konecranes
“We are ready to go wherever we are needed to support technicians from Miami performed the install in a matter
our customers and our equipment in this region, no matter of 3-4 days, making Statia Utility’s deadline with time to
how remote.” spare.

A tIght dEAdLInE on St. EUStAtIUS “People in the islands are very receptive when somebody
Konecranes customer Dean P. “Sparky” Brennan has been comes to help,” says Sparky Brennan. “Each time
running trading companies in the Caribbean since 1975, Konecranes went down there I received glowing reviews
originally based in St. Maarten. His latest venture, Spark for the work they did and from the people they interfaced
International, relocated to Tampa, Florida in 2000. Spark with. On Statia, the crane performs the lifting of heavy
is an export trading company, taking orders from clients in engines and components that had historically been
the Northeastern Caribbean that range from office copiers done manually. It was inefficient and unsafe. So, it was
to rock crushing machines. Spark’s customers are large very significant to create a safer environment, where

industry Journal 8