Delay in Engine Certification will Temporarily Halt Delivery of Most Kobelco Cranes to the U.S.

Feb. 18, 2021 – Kobelco Construction Machinery Co. Ltd. (KCM) will temporarily halt delivery of most lattice-boom crawler crane models to the U.S. because the maker of diesel engines used in those cranes faces a delay in certifying its new-model-year engines to U.S. emission standards.

A Kobelco news release says the company will have to temporarily suspend deliveries when its present stock of certified engines runs out.

The company lists the affected crane models as the CK850G, CK1100G, CK1200G, CK1600G, and CK2750G. They all use engines supplied by Hino Motors Ltd.

Not affected is the CK3300G-2. The 330-USt Kobelco crane is powered by a Scania DC13 084A diesel engine that complies with EPA Tier IV Final standards.

Kobelco is considering installing an alternative engine in models affected by the supply disruption and is striving to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

During the suspension of crane deliveries, the company will continue its business in North America, including the sale of models other than those subject to the suspension and after-sales service for machines already delivered.

Certified Engine Delay will Also Pause Excavator Production

The same announcement also said that the Hino Motors Ltd.’s delay in certifying new-model-year diesel engines to U.S. standards is causing Kobelco to temporarily halt production at its Spartanburg, South Carolina, factory, starting May 1. The factory manufactures hydraulic excavators.

Kobelco’s statement says that it has been examining the problem’s impact on production and has looked at alternate solutions, but that producing hydraulic excavators equipped with those engines would be difficult, so the company will suspend production at its Spartanburg plant from May 1, until the supplying of engines resumes or another solution is found.

“We are currently scrutinizing the impact of the suspension of the production and sale on our business results. We will promptly make an announcement when any matters to be disclosed arise in the future,” the company statement said.