Manitowoc shuts Manlift and Liftlux production

Production of Manlift aerial work platforms and Liftlux scissor lifts is to be abandoned, The Manitowoc Company Inc has announced.

A planned reorganisation of Manitowoc Crane Group, announced on 15 December, sees it leave all but the vertical mast segment with the Toucan product line that is made in France.

Although production of Manlift platforms is to stop at Grove's US factory in Shady Grove in the USA, the Manlift name will be kept on as the North American brand for Toucan masts.

The Liftlux business, based in Dillingen, Germany, was acquired by Potain in 2000. At that time, it had annual sales of Euro 17m, 27 types of scissor lift in its product range and 65 people.

Manitowoc said that it would continue to offer product support for the discontinued product lines through its CraneCare service operation, although the Manlift product support facility in Kronau, Germany is to close.

A loss of $4.5m for the discontinued Liftlux and the US Manlift businesses will be reported in the 2003 accounts. Discontinued operations will also reflect special provisions for withdrawal from the business of approximately $14m in the fourth quarter and goodwill impairment of $4.m previously recorded in the second quarter. These provisions are principally related to asset value adjustments, the company said.