Lai Chun Yuan, senior technical service specialist for Grove mobile cranes and Manitowoc crawler cranes, shares his thoughts on what makes his job exciting and why he loves supporting customers across Southeast Asia.
Since starting at Manitowoc as a customer service representative in 2013, Lai Chun Yuan has reinforced his passion for cranes and delivering results for customers. He quickly learned how to best support crane owners by carefully listening to their issues and tailoring his assistance to meet their needs.
After serving as a customer service representative, Yuan progressed to working directly with cranes and customers as a field service technician. Since 2023 he has been serving as a senior technical service specialist. Based in Singapore, he operates across Southeast Asia, including Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam.
Looking Up spoke with Yuan to learn more about his passion for cranes.
Looking Up: What is one of the most memorable or challenging crane care jobs you worked on?
Lai Chun Yuan: One of the most rewarding jobsites I’ve worked on was at an oil and gas facility in Kyaukpyu, Myanmar. I was leading the repair job with the customer’s mechanical and rigging teams to reseal the telescopic cylinder and handle repairs for a Grove GMK3055 all-terrain crane. Through our teamwork, we managed to complete the repair job successfully and return the crane back to its full operational condition. The customer was really pleased throughout the process, and we also ensured the strong brand reputation of Grove in the local market remained strong.
LU: How does Manitowoc’s commitment to innovative design make your job easier?
Yuan: One of Manitowoc’s best innovations is its CCS (Crane Control System), which is applied across all Manitowoc products including tower cranes, crawler cranes, and all-terrain and rough-terrain mobile cranes. Each machine uses the same control hardware (with the same spare parts) and service software for crane diagnostics. This makes it easier for us to diagnose and fix crane issues quickly, reduce machine downtime, and deliver customer satisfaction.
LU: What’s the best part about being a Manitowoc Crane Care technician?
Yuan: I am a curious and hands-on person, so I love the opportunity to learn about all of the latest technologies in the crane industry. I enjoy being able to support customers with my skills and knowledge and meet their needs. I am so proud to be a part of the Manitowoc family.
LU: When you are not fixing customers’ cranes, what else do you enjoy doing for fun?
Yuan: When I am not at work, I like cycling, traveling, gaming, watching movies, and reading books or crane manuals.