Terex Changjiang, probably the nearest cranemaker to the epicentre of the earthquake, sent its first team of 17 people on May 13, the day after the quake. By the 14th, company staff had donated CNY600,000 for the relief effort, it said.

The company worked over the weekend of May 17-18 to put together an emergency allocation of 70 mobile cranes, worth CNY5.6m, which it shipped in four consignments to affected city centres. The government will use the cranes for the rescue effort, and then return them.

“The people across the country are of one heart and one mind; we will overcome the disaster and provide earthquake relief,” the company said in a statement.

In addition, the company will donate CNY2m. Chinese crane manufacturers Sany will also donate CNY18m and Zoomlion will donate CNY28m to relief efforts, said a Cranes Today source.