We use superior engineering, innovative design and excellent customer service to ensure customers choose Manitowoc- Raman Joshi, Vice President (India), Manitowoc
India is one of the world’s leading developing markets and is progressing with a range of large-scale projects which have great opportunities, particularly as development is getting bigger. India’s potential will only be reached if it has the transport and energy network to support its blossoming economy.
Growth in Indian crane marketWe are experiencing continuing demand for our cranes and we expect low-level growth next year. Our cranes have been involved in some high-profile projects this year, including:• Mundra Liquified Natural Gas project in northwestern India• A $730 million hydroelectric power project in Uttarkhand• The 442 m tall World One Tower, world’s tallest residential tower, in Mumbai.
Tower, crawler and mobile cranes Tower: Our MCi 85 A from Potain is one of the most popular cranes currently available in India. Manufactured at our facility in Pune, the five-ton capacity crane offers quick assembly and versatility which contractors are looking for. Overall demand for tower cranes has been a little flat in the second half of 2012, but we’re optimistic 2013 will be better.
Crawler: India is one of the world’s brightest markets for crawler cranes, given the potential for infrastructure development. Ambitious new projects — particularly form energy and infrastructure sectors — mean latent demand is strong. However, the challenge is transferring latent demand to real orders. Customers need reassurance that projects will get going. For both the contractors and rental companies, there is a potential in this market.
Mobile: The crawler cranes market has a good potential, but customers are uncertain on the short-term outlook. Government, hopefully, will show some strong leadership to stimulate the market and push to get projects off the ground. Our Grove range of larger GMK all-terrain cranes and RT rough-terrain cranes already have a good reputation in the market, so we are hoping to build on that.
Competition in India marketCompetition in India is strong with a key focus on value and availability. We have worked in India for decades. We operate a production facility in Pune and have an extensive network of dealers which cover the entire country. This history has established long-standing relationships with construction companies, so our brand is well known and our cranes are working on some of the largest projects, currently underway. This commitment to the market and well-established presence build trust with our customers and allow us to develop long-term partnerships.
Manitowoc Crane CareManitowoc Crane Care makes a big difference for our company. It is a major reason that customers invest in us. Our latest development with Crane Care is a new telephone contact center in India which gives customers 24/7 support for their Manitowoc cranes. We also use superior engineering, innovative design and excellent customer service to ensure customers choose Manitowoc.
Manitowoc’s latest innovationsManitowoc’s latest products are one of its most powerful and versatile all-terrain cranes as well as crawler cranes with a special attachment for wind energy projects.
The first Grove GMK6300L all-terrain crane arrived in India earlier this year. The 300-ton crane features a class-leading 80- metre boom. It has proved to be one of the most capable and popular cranes ever built by Grove. The first unit has been sold to Shri Dinesh in Mumbai and has already completed several jobs.
The Manitowoc16000 crawler crane with wind attachment is the first crane of its kind in India. The 400-ton capacity crane has significantly improved abilities and can install a 2.1-megawatt wind turbine by itself, saving time and money.
Approach towards challengesThe challenges we face in India are similar to those found in other markets. These include fluctuating currency, securing funding and increasing costs of materials. As a global corporation, we are used to dealing with such issues. While these challenges have impacted demand a bit, we are using our purchasing power to try and secure the best possible materials prices. We are also working with local finance partners to help customers in securing the funding they need to invest in Manitowoc products.
Importance of used equipment marketIn any country, the used equipment market is important. We, as the manufacturer of construction equipment, are a champion of new machineries, but we also produce cranes which can stand the test of time and give customers strong resale values, reducing their total cost of ownership.
Used equipment allows smaller players to enter the market and to take on more projects in their regions. But customers should be sure that the used cranes they purchase are fit for purpose. The used-equipment market is certainly not detrimental for the market, but companies using cranes beyond their natural working life does cause problems.