The Board of Directors of Kalmar Corporation has decided to begin planning and reorganizing the company's operating model in order to accelerate growth, sharpen customer focus, and improve efficiency.

Kalmar, a Finnish provider of cargo and material handling solutions for ports, terminals, distribution centers and heavy industry, was listed on Nasdaq Helsinki in July 2024 following its separation from Cargotec. The company supplies terminal tractors, straddle and shuttle carriers, automated guided vehicles, counterbalanced lift trucks and Bromma spreaders, alongside lifecycle services for its global installed base.

As a key step, Kalmar plans to merge its Terminal Tractors and Horizontal Transportation divisions into a single unified division. The company says the move is intended to simplify and clarify governance, speed up development, and strengthen R&D across both its port and terminals and distribution end-customer segments.

The planned operating model renewal is an internal restructuring taking place primarily within the Equipment segment. Its aims are to create stronger divisions of scale, optimize cross-segment customer synergies, and improve operational efficiency and organizational resilience.

The Services segment will remain focused on capturing recurring lifecycle value across Kalmar's global installed base through spare parts, maintenance, and advanced lifecycle solutions. The external segment reporting structure will remain unchanged, continuing to consist of Equipment and Services.

By establishing a leaner structure, Kalmar aims to accelerate its automation and electrification roadmap while supporting sustainable, profitable growth and the achievement of its 2028 performance targets. The renewal also aligns with Kalmar's "Driving Excellence" initiative, supporting the previously communicated 2028 targets of a 15 percent comparable operating profit margin and 5 percent annual sales growth over the cycle.

"Our core strength lies in customer proximity and delivering sustainable material handling solutions. This planned model simplifies our internal governance and strengthens our commercial focus and path towards a services driven company. Unifying our Terminal Tractors and Horizontal Transportation portfolios into one major division allows us to deliver a complete, customer-focused and technology-driven horizontal solution to our port, terminal and distribution customers. Throughout this transition, our commitment to customers remains our absolute priority, and we will work closely with our people and unions to ensure a smooth transition," says Sami Niiranen, President and CEO of Kalmar.

The proposed organizational changes will affect the structure and composition of the Kalmar Leadership Team. The Board of Directors has appointed Arto Keskinen, currently President of Horizontal Transportation, to lead the design phase and to serve as President of the newly planned combined Terminal Tractors and Horizontal Transportation division. In addition, the Board has appointed Thor Brenden, currently President of Terminal Tractors, to succeed Alf-Gunnar Karlgren as President of the Counterbalanced division. Both appointments take effect on January 1, 2027.

As of January 1, 2027, the Kalmar Leadership Team will consist of the following members:

• Sami Niiranen, President and CEO
• Ulla Bono, SVP, General Counsel
• Thor Brenden, President, Counter Balanced
• Carina Geber-Teir, SVP, IR, Marketing & Communications
• Tamara de Gruyter, President, Services
• Katri Hokkanen, Chief Financial Officer as of 1 October
• Arto Keskinen, President, Horizontal Transportation and Terminal Tractors
• Tommi Pettersson, SVP, Strategy, Sustainability & Technology
• Hanna Reijonen, SVP, Human Resources
• Shushu Zhang, President, Bromma

Planning of the new operating model is expected to begin immediately, and the changes are subject to local employee consultation and union notification processes in accordance with local legal requirements in each affected country.

Kalmar estimates that cost savings from the full operating model renewal, including other organizational efficiencies, would be approximately EUR 10 million, with full run-rate achieved by the end of 2027.

The restructuring plans do not affect Kalmar's financial guidance for 2026: the company continues to expect a comparable operating profit margin above 12.5 percent in 2026.

Further details of the planned new operating model will be shared at Kalmar's upcoming Capital Markets Day on November 2, 2026, in Helsinki, Finland.

Source: Kalmar via Hellenic Shipping News