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 News Release
November 21, 2006
MCG Zhangjiagang facility celebrates first birthday
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| MCG Zhangjiagang facility celebrates first birthday |
High Resolution Photograph
Manitowoc Crane Group’s new production facility in Zhangjiagang, China celebrates its first anniversary during this year’s bauma China event in Shanghai. The factory, which began manufacturing its first cranes in November last year, produces Potain tower cranes for use throughout China and the wider Asia-Pacific and Middle East markets.
Eric Etchart, executive vice president for Manitowoc Crane Group in Asia-Pacific, said the new plant can offer the market a stronger range of Potain tower cranes.
“Chinese and Asian contractors are demanding more sophisticated, more reliable tower cranes and nobody is better placed to provide those than Manitowoc Crane Group, through this Zhangjiagang facility,” he said. “We have a great history in China and our former factory, which was also in Zhangjiagang, served us well. But this new plant takes us to the next level. It offers more capacity, more choice and even better product quality, which is all good news for our customers. I believe this new plant is not only the best tower crane factory in China, it is also one of the best in the world.”
The Zhangjiagang factory covers 56,356 m2 and builds a range of tower cranes from 5 t to 25 t capacity. The most recent addition to the factory’s product line is the 14 t MCR 225 luffing jib crane introduced earlier this year. In addition to tower cranes, the factory also produces components for Grove mobile cranes and Manitowoc crawler cranes.
A major focus at the Zhangjiagang plant is the company’s customer-service brand, Manitowoc Crane CARE. Manitowoc Crane CARE runs a tower crane training center in the facility offering training for the full line of Potain products manufactured in Zhangjiagang. The training courses encompass three different ability levels: T1 for beginners, T2 for intermediate and T3 for advanced level.
Each level builds confidence and proficiency in tower crane operation, while a host of training mechanisms provide practical hands-on experience for topics such as crane function and hoisting, trolleying and slewing. Experienced trainers, who speak both Chinese and English, conduct all training courses.
Jack Lee, general manager for Manitowoc Crane CARE Asia-Pacific, said the new on-site training facility offers end-users and dealers practical benefits.
“The main goals of the training center are to promote safety awareness, to share know-how and best practice, and to improve knowledge of the latest industry technology,” he said. “By providing professional training for our Chinese customers we can help them improve their efficiency and profitability in the workplace.”
About The Manitowoc Company
The Manitowoc Company, Inc. is one of the world's largest providers of lifting equipment for the global construction industry, including lattice-boom cranes,tower cranes, mobile telescopic cranes, and boom trucks. As a leading manufacturer of ice-cube machines, ice/beverage dispensers, and commercial refrigeration equipment, the company offers the broadest line of cold-focused equipment for the foodservice industry. In addition, the company is a leading provider of shipbuilding, ship repair, and conversion services for government, military, and commercial customers throughout the U.S. maritime industry.
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