28.07.2015

Manitowoc to open European test centre

Manitowoc Cranes has announced plans for a second product verification centre close to its Wilhelmshaven factory in northern Germany. Its first verification centre was opened in 2012 at its Shady Grove plant in Pennsylvania - see: Manitowoc unveils test centre.

The new facility will be built on a 90,000 square metre site at the Bauens/Memershausen industrial park and is scheduled for completion before the end of 2016. The company has an option to purchase an adjacent 90,000 square metre site for possible future developments.

Jens Ennen, senior vice president All Terrain and truck cranes, said: “Having monitored the success of our product verification centre in the US in recent years, we feel the time is right to expand the concept with additional capacity. The past five years have seen a transformation in the manufacture of Grove GMK mobile cranes. We have continued our focus on innovation and moved to lean manufacturing, as well as launching a number of industry-leading new models. By adding a product verification centre we can now take our design and production to the next level, and ensure we maintain our position as one of the world’s leading producers of mobile cranes.”
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Manitowoc will open its new product verification centre by the end of 2016

The company has also announced it intends to modernise and update the Wilhelmshaven facility, with plans to optimise production efficiency and increase capacity by up to 40 percent. The move follows the introduction of a new boom production line with laser welding system at the end of 2013, and further production improvements last year.

Wilhelmshaven managing director Klaus Pohl said: “Wilhelmshaven remains a very important manufacturing site for our company so we are delighted to strengthen our position here. A number of our key suppliers and service providers have expressed an interest in relocating here and we are proud to support the local economy with our ongoing investment. Our customers will benefit too, as we continue to focus on leading innovation for our industry and driving better return on investment for our cranes.”