Manitowoc has strengthened its support for Potain and Grove customers in France with the opening of a new service facility in Méru (around 50km north of Paris), enhancing coverage across Paris and the wider northern France region. Strategically located near the A16 motorway, the new facility provides expert, localised support, says Manitowoc, enabling customers to enhance fleet uptime, reliability, and lifecycle value. In early July, the company welcomed a group of local customers and partners for the official opening.
“It was great to show our customers and colleagues our expansive new facility in Méru,” said Aurelien Raho, customer service director for Grove cranes in France. “We are striving to deliver the most comprehensive array of support services in the industry, and investing in substantial new spaces such as this one reflects our commitment to that goal.”
Spanning 13,700 m2, the facility features a fully equipped workshop, office, and training spaces, as well as a secure outdoor yard with a Potain MD 365 tower crane on site. The centre functions as a central hub, supporting preventive and corrective maintenance, machine storage, tests and regulatory inspections.
Through the Potain Academy, the site provides a wide range of training for both tower and mobile cranes, and includes a new Potain MDT 159 and Igo 22 for hands-on skills development. Courses available include CACES®-certified programs (R487 and R483) for operators, electrical safety, working at height, and technical sessions on assembly and fault diagnostics.
“This new facility provides stronger support and more effective training for operators and technicians servicing our cranes across the Paris region and northern France,” said Cédric Fourier, global technical training manager at the Manitowoc Potain Academy.
Manitowoc’s on-site experts also offer full-service support for Potain and Grove cranes, including tailored maintenance contracts and in-depth inspections in line with French regulatory requirements.
“This new facility enhances our ability to deliver responsive, high-quality service to local customers,” said Xavier Rabourdin, Potain Used, Rental and Aftermarket director at Manitowoc. “Offering secure storage and maintenance before machines return to site gives customers greater flexibility, improves fleet readiness, and contributes to safer, more efficient operations.”
With this latest investment, Manitowoc now operates nine service centres across France, including existing locations in Bordeaux, Toulouse, Nantes, Orléans, Dole, Lyon, Marseille, and Nice. Manitowoc says this expansion reflects its long-term strategy to enhance regional coverage and deliver expert, accessible support for crane customers nationwide.
