Manitowoc president and general manager Eric Etchart attended the event, and said, “The expansion here is important because it gives us greater capacity to build more cranes, but equally important is the capacity that is freed up at our other facilities. We are now building all our two-axle and three-axle all-terrain cranes here, allowing us more capacity at our factory in Wilhelmshaven, Germany. Building rough-terrain cranes here for the Italian market gives us greater flexibility at our factory in Shady Grove, USA.”

Manitowoc opened the plant in 2000, to assemble Potain self erectors, adding top slewing tower crane production and a new 2,500 sq m Grove RT assembly plant five years later. Work on the 5,000 sq m new facility began in 2007, and the first crane made there was delivered earlier this year.