India's swift development amazes us on every visit

This interview explores how India's rapid infrastructure growth and the Make in India initiative are creating new opportunities for Manitou Group to expand its global portfolio, while promoting self-reliance and sustainability.

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Can you tell us about your professional journey and the core offerings of your company?

Manitou Group is an international company with headquarters based in France, both family-owned and publicly listed. We specialise in the handling, aerial work platform and earthmoving equipment distributed across the globe. The company generates revenues of approximately USD 3 billion, with manufacturing plants located in Europe, the United States, and India, our three main bases for new product development.

We established our presence in India in 2005, initially as an importer. In 2017, we acquired a plant that was manufacturing backhoe loaders. Since then, we have further developed this operation, expanding our product range and adapting it for both the Indian market and export.

What distinct strengths position India as a prime hub for producing material handling equipment for both domestic and international markets?

India offers many advantages. It has a strong industrial base and excellent engineering capabilities. People here have a natural inclination for product design and manufacturing. The abundance of internal resources, combined with the ability to build competent teams in engineering, manufacturing, and support functions, makes India very attractive for a group like ours to establish a strong base. This allows us to better serve our customers, both in India and across the world.