Potain splits tower cranes
21 June 2018
USA-headquartered crane manufacturer Manitowoc has divided its Potain tower crane organisational structure for Europe and Africa so that self erecting tower cranes (GMA cranes) and top slewing cranes (GME cranes) are being run independently in terms of production and product management. The company said it has made the changes to better serve its customers and dealers.
Two years ago Manitowoc split its tower and mobile crane businesses with the aim of increasing customer focus and enhancing the capabilities of both businesses. Since then, the crane manufacturer said it has identified similar potential in managing its tower business differently.
Orlando Mota, sales vice president for tower cranes in Europe and Africa, elaborated, “GMA and GME are two different products that serve different types of applications,” he said. “They require different market approaches and ultimately follow two different roadmaps. In addition to giving independent visions to GME and GMA, we have recognised the need to create operations strategies that individually cater to GMA and GME. Allowing our factories to focus on a specific product will make them more effective, particularly regarding production capacity and delivery times.”
Manitowoc said the new tower cranes organisational structure is based on five areas: GME; GMA; sales and aftermarket; engineering; and finance and administration. Manitowoc’s regional sales and Crane Care teams remain unchanged.
The GME division is being led by Christophe Simoncelli, VP GME tower cranes. He is responsible for leading the two European GME factories in Moulins, France, and Porto, Portugal, and for GME product management. The GMA division is managed by Giorgio Angelino, VP GMA tower cranes, who is leading the European GMA factories of Charlieu, France, and Niella Tanaro in Italy, and is responsible for GMA product management.
The sales and aftermarket section is run by Orlando Mota, VP sales & aftermarket. His new role involves taking on the aftermarket division (which covers high service support, parts, logistics, and used cranes and EnCore programmes), in addition to all marketing communications activities. Engineering for all tower cranes ranges is headed-up by Bruno Roni-Damond, VP engineering, who is working with Simoncelli and Angelino to provide engineering support. Finally, finance and administration is managed by Jean-Noel Gros, VP finance, who has taken over all administrative services, including finances and human resources.
They all report to Aaron Ravenscroft, tower senior vice president for Europe and Africa within his role as Manitowoc executive vice president.
