adaptation to meet the needs of another,” he adds. “For that reason, successful equipment deployments in Latin America often depend on understanding the specific application and working closely with customers to provide the right balance of productivity, durability, service support and long-term operating value.” Brazil is one of the largest markets for
Kalmar sees significant structural investment in port capacity, modernisation, automation and electrification across Latin America.
expansions, particularly in Brazil, Mexico, Peru and Chile,” says Goncalves. “Several terminals are investing to increase capacity and improve vessel and yard productivity.” However, this is not a blind rush to invest. With economic and geopolitical uncertainty, Kalmar says ports and terminals are being more disciplined with cap-ex. “Customers are demanding a stronger business case,” says Goncalves. “They increasingly evaluate total cost of ownership, productivity, reliability, financing and speed of delivery, rather than simply buying equipment.”
He believes that service level and strong footprint are key to winning business – both areas where Kalmar excels. “This combination is very positive to Kalmar as we have a very solid coverage of the region, strong focus on product support, high service level and an attractive total cost of ownership.” One trend that Hyster sees across Latin America is continued focus on total cost of ownership. “While initial purchase price remains an important consideration, customers are increasingly evaluating equipment based on its lifetime costs,” says Hirani. Equipment in the region is often acquired
through financing or monthly payment models, making residual value and op-ex particularly important. “This has also increased competition from value-focused manufacturers, especially in applications where customers feel a highly customised solution may not be necessary,” he adds.
Another trend is the growing demand for
scalable equipment solutions. Hyster notes that customers can be looking for the flexibility to specify the features, performance levels and technologies that add value to their operation, rather than investing in capabilities they may
not fully utilise. This allows ports and terminal operators to align their equipment investment more closely with operational requirements, productivity targets and budget considerations. “One of the defining characteristics of the Latin American market is the need for flexibility,” he says. “In many operations, a single machine may be expected to perform multiple tasks rather than being dedicated to one highly specialised application.” Operating environments can vary considerably between countries, terminals and inland facilities, with differences in layout, surface conditions, stacking practices and workshop capabilities. As a result, there is rarely a one-size-fits-all solution. “Equipment specifications that deliver strong performance in one operation may require significant
material handling equipment in Latin America due to the sheer scale and diversity of its port, terminal and inland logistics operations. The country has around 175 ports serving a wide range of industries and applications, from container handling at major ports such as Santos and Itajaí, to specialist bulk and export facilities supporting commodities including iron ore, pulp, sugar, corn and soybeans. “The size of Brazil also creates significant demand beyond the ports themselves,” says Hirani. “Extensive inland logistics networks and dry port operations require equipment for container handling, storage and distribution across the country. As a result, customers operate in a wide variety of environments, each with different productivity requirements, duty cycles and equipment preferences.” Beyond Brazil, it sees growing demand for heavy duty materials handling equipment and container handlers across the Pacific coast, particularly in Chile and Peru, as well as in markets with active container port and depot networks such as Panama, Uruguay, Colombia and parts of Central America. “The drivers of demand vary from country
to country. In some markets, activity is being driven by investment in port infrastructure and fleet renewal programmes. In others, growth is linked to container depots, inland logistics operations or export industries that require
Liebherr continues to see demand across Latin America that is supported by terminal expansion and fleet modernisation.
www.hoistmagazine.com | October 2026 | xvii
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79
