Inside information: Kalmar plans to simplify its operating model to accelerate growth, enhance customer focus, and optimize operational efficiency
KALMAR CORPORATION, STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE (INSIDE INFORMATION), SEPTEMBER 3, 2026 AT 17:00 EEST / 16:00 CEST
Inside information: Kalmar plans to simplify its operating model to accelerate growth, enhance customer focus, and optimize operational efficiency
The Board of Directors of Kalmar Corporation has decided to initiate a planning and reorganization of its operating model to accelerate growth, enhance customer focus, and drive efficiency.
As one crucial step, Kalmar plans to combine its Terminal Tractors and Horizontal Transportation divisions into a single, unified division. This strategic move is designed to simplify and bring more clarity to our governance, accelerate development, and enhance R&D across both port and terminals and distribution end-customer segments.
This step of the planned operating model renewal represents an internal restructuring primarily within the Equipment segment to create stronger divisions of scale, optimize cross-segment customer synergies, and enhance operational efficiency and organizational resilience.
The Services segment will remain dedicated to capturing recurring lifecycle value across Kalmar’s global installed base through spare parts, maintenance, and advanced lifecycle solutions.
The external segment reporting structure will be kept consistent and unchanged as Equipment and Services.
By establishing a leaner structure, Kalmar aims at accelerating its automation and electrification roadmap while supporting sustainable and profitable growth and the achievement of its 2028 performance targets.
The proposed operating model renewal also aligns with Kalmar’s “Driving Excellence” initiative, supporting the achievement of the previously communicated 2028 performance targets of a 15 percent comparable operating profit margin and a 5 percent annual sales growth target 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. As a result, the Board of Directors has appointed Arto Keskinen, the current President of Horizontal Transportation, to lead the design phase and to serve as the new President of the newly planned combined division of Terminal Tractors and Horizontal Transportation. In addition, the Board has appointed Thor Brenden, the current President of Terminal Tractors, to succeed Alf-Gunnar Karlgren as the President of the Counterbalanced division. Both appointments will be effective 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
The planning of the new operating model is expected to begin immediately and changes are subject to local employee consultation and union notification processes in accordance with local legal requirements in each affected country.
Kalmar estimates that the corresponding cost savings for the full operating model renewal including other organisational efficiencies would be approximately EUR 10 million, with full run-rate achieved by the end of 2027.
These restructuring plans do not affect Kalmar’s financial guidance for 2026: Kalmar continues to expect its comparable operating profit margin to be above 12.5 percent in 2026.
Further details regarding the planned new operating model will be shared at Kalmar’s upcoming Capital Markets Day on November 2, 2026, in Helsinki, Finland.
Kalmar Corporation
For more information, please contact:
Carina Geber-Teir, SVP, IR, Marketing & Communications, tel. +358 40 502 4697
About Kalmar
Kalmar (Nasdaq Helsinki: KALMAR) is moving goods in critical supply chains around the world, with the vision to be the forerunner in sustainable material handling equipment and services. The company offers a wide range of industry shaping heavy material handling equipment and services to ports and terminals, distribution centres, manufacturing and heavy logistics. Headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, Kalmar operates globally in over 120 countries and employs approximately 5,300 people. In 2025, the company’s sales totalled approximately EUR 1.7 billion. www.kalmarglobal.com
