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IRN SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2013
CHINA INTERVIEWS
western AWP manufacturers and some Chinese
products and says Mantall and others will need to
work hard to catch up.
That ‘gap’ relates to global sales coverage and
product ranges, although Mr Lee says the quality
gap is ever reducing; “In the future I believe that
improving productivity will be important; volumes
will be important to get costs down.”
He says the price difference between Chinese and
western manufacturers is lessening; “This is not
a serious factor now”, he tells
IRN
, “I welcome the
foreign manufacturers: if there are only one or two
manufacturers it will not help the market become
mature. We are not scared of competition. I feel very
confident about competing with the big brands in
China, even if we are not well known outside China.”
New products on the horizon include new 8 m and
smaller scissors, including push-around and self-
update
Lee Shen, president of Mantall, pictured at the company’s
head office in Qidong, Jiangsu Province.
Mantall made less than 2000 machines last year, but is
hoping to more than double that within three to five years.
propelled with working heights of 3 m and 5 m. Its
smallest boom is a 20 m unit, but Mr Lee says smaller
booms are not a priority – more likely are new
versions of its existing models, making them more
cost effective.
Mr Lee says, for example, that there will be two
versions of its booms, ‘economy’ version using locally
produced components for China (such as Yuchai
engines), and one higher-specification machine for
export markets (using Cummins, for example).
Like the other Chinese manufacturers Mantall is
hoping for continued growth of the domestic rental
market. “I believe rental will be a necessary trend for
the future…In foreign countries 85-90% of sales are
to rental, but it’s different [less] in China.”
Around 60% of Mantall’s Chinese sales go to rental,
although that is buoyed by its still close relationship
with XYZ.
