Palfinger UK

What Palfinger UK does

Palfinger UK is the trading name of T H WHITE Limited, a private UK company and subsidiary of the family and employee-owned T H WHITE Group (founded 1832). It is the official UK distributor for Palfinger knuckle boom lorry cranes and Epsilon construction, recycling, and forestry cranes, and describes itself as the UK's largest national lorry crane provider. Operations were consolidated in May 2018 when T H WHITE Ltd acquired Outreach Truck Ltd (Falkirk) and rebranded the merged T H WHITE Lorry Cranes division and Outreach Truck Ltd as Palfinger UK.

The product portfolio spans the Palfinger PK and PC range (3.5t to 32t GVW knuckle boom cranes), Epsilon forestry, construction, recycling, and specialist activity cranes, hook and skip loaders, the BM26 builders merchant crane, heavy lifting and crawler cranes, plus distributed lines from Orteco (pile drivers), Alucar (aluminium timber superstructures), and Kinshofer / HSP Gripen accessories. Core technology is Palfinger's hydraulic knuckle boom architecture with electronic control via the Paltronic family, complemented by Power Link Plus, HPSC variable stabilisers, AOS automatic outriggers, Soft Stop precision control, KTL cathodic dip coating, P-Profile booms, and continuous slewing on heavy models.

The business model combines one-time hardware sales (crane unit plus bespoke body build from bare chassis) with recurring and contracted revenue: maintenance contracts (PAL-PAYGO, PALSERVICE, PALCARE), genuine parts supply, 24/7 emergency breakdown with mobile engineers, LOLER thorough examinations and overload inspections, and ALLMI / IPAF / PASMA accredited training. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales via six regional representatives and product specialists, supported by five depots (Devizes, Bradford, Falkirk, Leicester, Dartford) and a dedicated service control centre. Customer segmentation is vertical-led, covering local authorities and roads, construction, recycling and waste, timber processing, post and pile driving, transport and distribution, and specialist applications.

Name

Palfinger UK

Legal name

T H WHITE Limited

Website

https://palfinger.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Palfinger UK is the official UK distributor for Palfinger lorry cranes and Epsilon construction, recycling, and forestry cranes, serving local authorities, construction, waste management, timber, and transport operators via five regional depots, nationwide mobile engineers, body-building, maintenance, parts, and accredited training.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Vehicle Cranes and Lifting Equipment

NAICS

Construction Machinery Manufacturing (333120), Material Handling Equipment Manufacturing (33392), Industrial Truck, Tractor, Trailer, and Stacker Machinery Manufacturing (333924)

SIC

Construction Machinery & Equip (3531), Industrial Trucks, Tractors, Trailors & Stackers (3537)

akta.pro primary industry

Mobile & Crawler Cranes (IMAHAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cranes, Hoists & Rigging Equipment MRO (Mobile/Tower Cranes, Winches) (TLAKAHAE), Material Handling & Industrial Lift Vehicle Manufacturing (Forklifts/Telehandlers/Reach Stackers) (IMACAFAD)

Keywords

• Lorry loader cranes
• Commercial vehicle bodies
• Forestry crane equipment
• Hook and skip loaders
• Crane maintenance services

Headquarters

HQ city

Devizes

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Lorry Crane Sales: Sale of Palfinger lorry cranes, Epsilon construction/forestry/recycling cranes, and hook/skip loaders to commercial vehicle operators and businesses.
2. Commercial Vehicle Body Building: Bespoke body building services including flat bed bodies, builders merchant bodies, timber transport structures, barrier rigs, and specialist vehicle conversions. Work conducted from bare chassis to finished unit.
3. Parts Supply: Supply of genuine Palfinger, OEM, Kinshofer, and other crane manufacturer parts. Parts available as supply-only or supplied and fitted. Typical 90% parts in-stock rate with 24-hour sourcing for remaining items.
4. Maintenance and Servicing: Service packages including PAL-PAYGO (pay-as-you-go), PALSERVICE (scheduled maintenance), and PALCARE (comprehensive coverage). Includes routine servicing, preventive maintenance, and breakdown support.
5. Emergency Breakdown and Repair: 24/7 emergency breakdown assistance with mobile service engineers. Includes mobile body repair services for commercial vehicles.
6. Compliance Testing: LOLER thorough examinations and overload inspections required for crane compliance. Fixed-price service based on crane type.
7. Operator Training: ALLMI-accredited training courses including Lorry Loader Operator, Slinger/Signaller, Managers courses, IPAF MEWP, and PASMA qualifications.
8. Extended Warranty: Extended warranty coverage beyond standard warranty period for continued protection and support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Palfinger UK manufactures, assembles, and distributes Palfinger knuckle boom lorry cranes, Epsilon forestry, construction, and recycling cranes, hook and skip loaders, and complementary equipment such as Orteco pile drivers and Alucar timber superstructures to commercial vehicle operators across the UK. The company also provides bespoke commercial vehicle body building, genuine parts supply, scheduled and emergency maintenance services, ALLMI-accredited operator training, and LOLER compliance testing as a full-lifecycle service offering.

Product overview

Palfinger UK is the official UK distributor for Palfinger lorry cranes and Epsilon construction, recycling and forestry cranes, offering a comprehensive portfolio of lifting and loading solutions. The core product lines include Palfinger PK and PC Range knuckle boom lorry cranes (from small 3.5t to heavy 32t vehicles), Epsilon forestry cranes (timber haulage, forwarders, skidder cranes, harvesters), Epsilon construction and recycling cranes, hook and skip loaders for waste management, the specialized BM26 builders merchant crane, heavy lifting cranes, and crawler cranes. Complementary offerings include Orteco pile driving equipment (lorry and crawler-mounted), Alucar timber transport superstructures (Finnish aluminium bunks), and Kinshofer/HSP Gripen accessories. Palfinger UK provides full lifecycle support through in-house assembly, bespoke body-building at five UK depots (Devizes, Bradford, Falkirk, Leicester, London), nationwide mobile service engineers, 24/7 emergency breakdown response, maintenance contracts (PAL-PAYGO, PALSERVICE, PALCARE), genuine parts supply, ALLMI-accredited operator training, and LOLER compliance testing services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% of repairs carried out on-site
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• PALFINGER AGflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal parent company and world market leader in lorry cranes. Palfinger UK is the official UK distributor for Palfinger lorry cranes, Epsilon cranes, and branded ancillary equipment. Partnership spans over 50 years of collaboration, with T H WHITE Group beginning Palfinger distribution in 1974 and formalizing as official national distributor.
• AlucarcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFinnish manufacturer of superstructures and bunks for timber transport vehicles. Palfinger UK is the sole UK distributor of Alucar products. Products are primarily manufactured from aluminium to maximize timber truck payloads.
• EpsiloncoreTechnology or IntegrationSister brand under PALFINGER AG specializing in construction, recycling, and forestry cranes. Palfinger UK distributes the full Epsilon range including forestry, construction & recycling, and specialist activity cranes.
• OrtecocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorItalian specialist in lorry and crawler-mounted pile drivers. Palfinger UK is the sole UK distributor of Orteco equipment. Products feature unique double-action pole extraction system and are used in solar installation, fencing, and barrier installation applications.
• KinshoferminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAccessories brand supplying grab buckets and parts for crane applications. Kinshofer products are distributed alongside Palfinger cranes as ancillary equipment options.
• HSP GripenminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAccessories brand supplying ancillary equipment for lorry cranes. Products available as factory options or for aftermarket installation.
• ALLMIcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation of Lorry Loader Manufacturers and Importers setting UK safety and compliance standards. Palfinger UK is a full member and ALLMI-accredited training provider. Engineers are ALLMI-accredited and training meets ALLMI Code of Practice standards.
• IPAFminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational Powered Access Federation providing training certification for Mobile Elevating Work Platforms. Palfinger UK delivers IPAF courses at Falkirk depot including MEWP operator and harness use & inspection training.
• PASMAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrefabricated Access Suppliers and Manufacturer's Association providing qualifications for mobile access tower safety. Palfinger UK delivers PASMA courses at Falkirk depot for safe use of mobile access towers.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Fassi UK: Fassi Group is an Italian manufacturer of loader cranes with active UK distribution. Competes head-to-head with Palfinger in the mid-to-heavy loader crane segments serving construction, transport, and municipal fleets, with overlapping service and parts support models.
• Hiab UK (Cargotec): Hiab, part of Cargotec, is Palfinger's principal global competitor in lorry loader cranes and operates a UK sales, service, and distribution network. Directly comparable on product category (knuckle-boom loader cranes), customer segments (construction, waste, logistics), and after-sales model (parts, service, MOFFETT truck-mounted forklifts).
• HMF UK: Danish loader crane manufacturer HMF sells into the UK through a dedicated distributor network, competing in the same lorry loader and container handling segments as Palfinger UK, with comparable service and warranty structures.
• DENKA Lift / Dening Lift Trucks: UK-based distributor of forklifts and material handling equipment with national service coverage. Comparable operating model (multi-depot, field sales, mobile service engineers, recurring maintenance contracts) applied to adjacent lifting equipment categories.
• Cormach UK: Italian knuckle-boom loader crane manufacturer with UK dealer coverage, particularly active in waste handling and transport applications. Directly comparable product category and customer overlap with Palfinger UK.

Broad incumbents

• T H WHITE Group: Palfinger UK's parent group, a diversified family/employee-owned engineering services business founded in 1832 covering agriculture, construction, energy, dairy, and fire & security. Provides the capital, shared services, and corporate structure within which Palfinger UK operates.
• Volvo CE UK: Volvo Construction Equipment's UK operation sells and services a broad range of construction machinery including wheeled loaders and material handlers. Comparable indirect overlap through construction and infrastructure customer segments, but operates at significantly broader scale and scope.
• Balfour Beatty Plant & Fleet Services: Large UK provider of plant, fleet, and lifting equipment services to infrastructure contractors. Overlaps with Palfinger UK in commercial vehicle bodies, lifting equipment provision, and on-site maintenance, though within a broader construction services portfolio.
• JCB UK: UK-headquartered construction and agricultural equipment manufacturer with a national dealer network. Comparable operating model (in-house assembly, dealer service, parts, warranty) and customer overlap in construction and builders merchant segments, though covering a far broader equipment portfolio.

Regional players

• Spearhead Timberwolf: UK-based manufacturer and supplier of wood chippers and forestry equipment, with comparable vertical exposure to the UK forestry and timber haulage segments Palfinger UK addresses via Epsilon forestry cranes and Alucar bunks.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PalfingerUK
• LinkedInuk.linkedin.com/company/palfinger-uk
• Xx.com/PalfingerUK

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Palfinger UK