Late 2023 marked two years since Tokyo-based G Machinery took on the role of Manitowoc’s distributor for Grove all-terrain cranes in Japan. To celebrate the strong start to the partnership between Grove and G Machinery, the two companies staged their first Customer Event at the end of October, which proved a huge success.
Towards the end 2021, two Grove GMK models arrived in Japan and underwent a comprehensive homologation process ensuring compliance with local laws and regulations for both crane and vehicle functionalities. Following this, the two models were actively deployed to worksites, entering a monitoring stage to identify potential improvements in real-world working environments in Japan.
The insights gathered from this phase led to the refinement and redesign of certain features, which were tailored to the specific demands of the Japanese market. The proactive response in addressing evolving customer needs underscores the success of Grove and G Machinery’s partnership.
Shohei Konno, president of G Machinery, said the decision to partner with Grove had been a sound one.
“We knew the reputation of the Grove brand for high-quality products and proven reliability. It’s very highly regarded in the global crane industry. So, we knew Japanese customers would appreciate these models in their fleet. We were proved right and have delivered our first units and are continuing discussions for further deliveries. It was great to stage a Customer Event to showcase the power and performance of Grove all-terrain cranes.”
The Customer Event was hosted in Osaka, Japan, to highlight the leading-edge all-terrain models, the GMK5150L-1J and the GMK5250XL-1J, both of which were on display (The crane models have the “J” denomination at the end to reflect their design is tailored specifically for the requirements of the Japanese market).
The event attracted a large number of attendees, including crane owners, operators, and financial agents, as well as representatives from Manitowoc and G Machinery.
Representatives from Manitowoc included Brian Wang, senior vice president of Emerging Markets; Giorgio Angelino, senior vice president of Mobiles EU; Andreas Cremer, vice president of product management EU; and Heng Ming Wong, director of sales operation Asia.
Leonard Siow, Manitowoc regional sales manager for mobile Manitowoc Crane Group Asia, expressed his excitement and optimism following the event.
“This was our inaugural event in Japan with G Machinery, and we are thrilled with the fantastic response and turnout from our valued stakeholders. It was pleasing to see such a diverse crowd so interested in learning more about Grove all-terrain cranes. We particularly enjoyed observing guests test-driving the cranes and exploring different functionalities. It truly speaks to the success and positive response to the event.”