Capital Equipment News September 2019

SKID STEERS

trucks, thanks to its 2,2 m dump height, with a turning radius of just 1,75 m. With safety in mind, the new loader complies with the FOPS/ROPS standards and is equipped with a handrail and safety belt. The Manitou group’s expertise can also be seen in the quality of components. With a boom and chassis made of very high-resistance steel, operators can count on a durable, reliable loader, even in difficult climactic or environmental conditions. The controls inside the cab are ergonomic to allow the operator to learn the ropes easily, thus ensuring better productivity. Maintenance is also optimised with easy access to daily maintenance locations, thereby speeding up recurring inspections. Meeting local market needs Steve Ryder, who recently assumed his new role as MD at Manitou Southern Africa, says one of his key focus areas is to get the Manitou subsidiary to step up its business into the construction market. “A key enabler will be the new products recently introduced to the market, including the Manitou branded backhoe loader, telehandlers and skid steers, which speak directly to the needs of the local construction market.” “My immediate focus is to up Manitou’s stakes in construction and with the arrival of the new solutions, we are able to expand into new product areas. We launched our Manitou-branded backhoe loader last year and we are starting to make significant progress with the product. With the new Manitou-branded skid steer, which I expect to be available in South Africa during the last quarter of this year, we will further increase our foothold into the construction market,” he says. Ryder says Manitou’s reputation for providing simple, reliable machines is its key competitive edge in this overtraded, but lucrative market. “More importantly is the way we support and service our customers, because the product is just one part of the equation in terms of the total solution. We have experienced and capable dealers across the market area to support our customers. As part of our total solutions approach, we also offer our own in-house finance. The total package approach allows us to better service our customers,” says Ryder. “Another strong point for us is that we are not new to the targeted markets with our skid steer range; the customers we are targeting with these solutions are our existing clientele. We are already selling them our telescopic handlers, and the backhoe loader and the skid steer are great additions to the portfolio,” concludes Ryder. b

“Skid steer users in developing markets have certain expectations from their machines, and chief among them are simplicity, productivity, safety, reliability and cost efficiency, all of which are addressed by the new Manitou 1340R / Gehl R134 model.”

Michel Denis, president and CEO of Manitou group

“The growth of the skid steer market will be largely driven by spending on infrastructure development, including railways, roadways and buildings in emerging countries such as China, India and South Africa.”

Laurent Bonnaure, Manitou group’s executive vice president – Global Sales & Marketing

“One of my immediate targets is to get Manitou Southern Africa to step up its business into the construction market. A key enabler will be the new products recently introduced to market, including the Manitou branded backhoe loader, telehandlers and skid steers, which speak directly to the needs of the local construction market.”

Steve Ryder, MD Manitou Southern Africa

“With the new compact loader, we assure operators on site of many hours of use. They thus benefit from a machine that is versatile, easy to control and offers optimised maintenance.”

Rick Alton, president of the Compact Equipment Product Division

TALKING POINTS

CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS SEPTEMBER 2019 10