News Release

January 6, 2006

Top Manitowoc Welders Win National Competition

From left to right, Bruce Buchan, Vice President of Sales - North America Lattice Boom and Mobile Hydraulic; Troy Yeager, welder; Chris Pollock, director of education at the American Welding Society; Scott Braun, welder and Chuck Mogged, Senior Vise President of Operations America's region.

Two welders from the Manitowoc Crane Group – Manitowoc manufacturing facility recently placed first and second in the 2005 American Welding Society’s Professional Welders Competition. Scott Braun and Troy Yeager ranked one and two respectively in the competition. A total of 133 welders from a variety of US industries took part in the event, held during the FABTECH International & AWS Welding Show in Chicago.

Jim Hoffman, Manitowoc Crane Group’s welding engineer, said the results of the contest were a fitting tribute to the excellent work done at the Manitowoc weld school.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that Scott and Troy were worthy champions in this event and their success doesn’t surprise me. I’ve seen them both pass through the weld school at Manitowoc so I know just how good they are,” he said. “Our school curriculum encourages excellence and most welders need to spend three weeks in the weld school before they’re ready for the shop floor. Our reputation for perfection and a rigorous training program mean we’re an attractive proposition to welders and we’re already looking to recruit and train the next generation of Scotts and Troys.”

Everyone at Manitowoc enters the welding profession with the same minimum qualifications and is required to pass a six-plate basic welding test and workmanship sample. The company actively encourages further training for its welders throughout their careers and operates some of the most advanced welding equipment in the business. With demand for the company’s products continuing to grow, Manitowoc is organizing a recruitment drive to add even more welders to its growing team.

Chris Pollock, director of education at the American Welding Society, visited Manitowoc to present the awards to Scott Braun and Troy Yeager. He was impressed with what he saw at the facility.

“Having looked at the welding systems and training in place at Manitowoc I have to admit I couldn’t think of a single improvement that needed to be made. The quality of the facility and the knowledge and experience of the staff are as good as I’ve seen,” Pollock said. “I would encourage anyone looking to a career in welding to explore the possibilities on offer at Manitowoc. They are a great advertisement for our great industry.”

Both winners received a cash prize from the American Welding Society, along with duffle bags full of gifts and leather jackets from Manitowoc Crane Group. The winning welds were judged at the contest by 12 certified welding inspectors and by a laser profiling machine which was used to

inspect the shape and contour of the weld. The contest required participants to weld one side of the web and flanges of an I-beam to a vertical plate within five minutes.