Manitowoc puts customer support front & centre at JDL

Manitowoc will bring three Grove cranes to JDL EXPO in France and use the event to present additions to its customer support offering.

The three Grove all-terrain cranes are the GMK5150XL, GMK4100L-2 and GMK3060L-1. Two of them, the GMK5150XL and GMK4100L-2, will be shown in the colours of FOSELEV Group, while the GMK3060L-1 belongs to Groupe Cayon.

The line-up gives Manitowoc a broad spread across lifting classes. The GMK5150XL is a 150-tonne mobile crane on a five-axle chassis with a 68.7-metre main boom. The GMK4100L-2 is a 100-tonne four-axle all-terrain crane with a maximum reach of almost 89 metres when fitted with jib extensions.

The third crane, the GMK3060L-1, is a three-axle model with 60-tonne capacity. It has an 8.67-metre carrier and a 48-metre seven-section boom. Its load charts start at a 0° boom angle, allowing it to be used both outdoors and indoors.

Support focus

Alongside the cranes, the manufacturer is placing significant emphasis on support products and services for owners. The display will include the BCS camera system for mobile cranes and mobile tower cranes, an updated wire rope cleaner for Grove mobile cranes, a boom lubrication package, and a long-reach spray lance for maintenance work in harder-to-access areas.

The wider push reflects a broader effort to expand service coverage in France. Manitowoc has invested in new service locations and staff as it looks to strengthen support across the country.

"We're proud to be part of JDL EXPO in its 20th year and are ready to welcome customers, partners, and visitors to our stand," said Olivier Regis, Sales Director of Grove Mobile Cranes in France at Manitowoc. "We've got a great selection of cranes on show, but just as importantly we will be highlighting the support we provide through products, services, tools, and expertise to help customers get the most from their equipment. We have invested substantially in new service locations and personnel in France to help our customers achieve the maximum return from their Manitowoc products."

Customer support will be central to the company's presentation, including regional expansion and service staffing.

"Manitowoc will have a strong focus on customer support at JDL EXPO, underlining our strategic evolution from a product-focused business to a customer-centric provider of full-lifecycle lifting solutions," said Aurélien Raho, Customer Service Director for Mobile Cranes in France at Manitowoc. "We will also be highlighting our expanding regional capabilities. Last year, we opened a new facility in Bouaye and a further location in Meru. We now offer dedicated, focused customer support to owners across France and are growing our team of service technicians."

Potain products

Potain, another brand in the group, will also present support products and accessories. These include the PP200 external battery, anti-intrusion kits aimed at improving site security, and an autonomous urinal designed for installation close to the operator cab without the need for water or drainage.

For technicians, Potain will show a range of drop-prevention tools from GRIPPS. The brand will also present outrigger pads for self-erecting cranes.

Potain will also highlight its experience in constructing nuclear plants. In addition, the display will include information on the future Potain crane portfolio designed to comply with the EN14439:2025 standard.

French market

The focus on France comes as manufacturers and equipment owners continue to weigh machine availability, maintenance support, and operating life alongside initial purchase decisions. For crane makers, aftermarket products and service networks have become a larger part of competition in mature European markets, where fleets are already established and uptime can weigh heavily on contractor margins.

In that context, Manitowoc's decision to highlight support tools as strongly as finished machines suggests an effort to broaden customer discussions beyond crane specifications. The presence of customer-owned units from FOSELEV Group and Groupe Cayon also gives the display a more direct link to established operators in the French market.

JDL EXPO has grown into one of Europe's better-known gatherings for the lifting sector, and this edition marks its 20th anniversary. Manitowoc's presentation combines heavy equipment, maintenance products, and operator accessories in a single stand built around ownership and day-to-day use rather than only new machine launches.