Manitowoc names RMB Service Group new Australian dealer

Manitowoc has strengthened its Australian coverage by appointing a new dealer for South Australia and the Northern Territories. RMB Service Group, a well-established crane sales and service company, will represent Manitowoc crawler cranes, Grove mobile cranes and National Crane boom trucks in the two Australian states.

Kelvin Kent, general manager for Manitowoc in Australia, said this latest dealer appointment highlights both the strength of its existing sales network and its desire for growth.

“This is our first new dealer appointment in Australia in 10 years,” he said. “We have an established sales team and excellent regional dealers that have grown with us over the past decade. Appointing RMB is an important next step, allowing us to provide even stronger support to customers in key areas of the country.”

Based in Largs Bay, South Australia, RMB Service Group is well known to Manitowoc and the general crane industry, as many of its staff have worked with Manitowoc in the past. RMB’s crane inspection and repair services have been recognized as leaders in South Australia with their seasoned and Manitowoc-trained technical staff. The company also has years of experience in providing sales and repair services for a variety of major construction equipment brands, including a leading manufacturer of cargo cranes.

Heading crane sales at RMB Service Group is Cheryl Woodhart, general manager of the company and a well-known personality in the Australian crane industry. She is currently a board director for the Crane Industry Council of Australia (the first woman to hold this position) and president of the South Australian Crane Association.

Woodhart says that raising market share for Manitowoc’s brands will be her first goal.

“I came to learn about the quality of Manitowoc through selling Grove cranes at a previous company, so it’s nice to be back representing a great company with great products,” she said. “I’m looking forward to the challenge. We’ve already identified four key sections of the Manitowoc product line where we see potential."

Of the four product sections where Woodhart sees opportunity, one is the crawler crane line. The Manitowoc 16000 with wind attachment has strong potential in South Australia, with several wind farms coming on stream. “The crane can assemble most 2.5 MW wind turbines and several larger ones, so it will appeal to many contractors,” she says.

The oil and gas industries also offer good potential for RMB Service Group, especially for sales of Grove rough-terrain cranes. Woodhart feels the higher capacity cranes in particular will entice customers. “Higher capacity rough-terrain cranes are one of the core strengths of Grove, as they allow owners to do more,” she says.

In addition to oil and gas applications, the fast-moving mining industry in South Australia and new gas projects in the Northern Territories offer even more opportunities for rough-terrain cranes.

In the all-terrain crane line, Woodhart notes that Manitowoc has market-leading models in the four-, five- and seven-axle classes but says her company sees particular potential in the GMK3055 and GMK6300L, two models that will appeal to customers.

“The GMK3055 is a great taxi crane, perfect for working in downtown areas and a proven machine in this country. Also, the newer GMK6300L, with its incredible 80 m main boom, will be great for companies looking to rig tower cranes or take on other high rise work.”

RMB Service Group employs 23 personnel on the service side of its business. There are five field service technicians, each with a fully-equipped support vehicle. There are two in the company’s paint shop and the others are either fabricators/boiler makers or mechanics. The company’s full-service capability allows it to offer a one-stop-shop, handling all aspects of service and repair for customers’ cranes.

In addition to its paint shop, the company has a 2,000 m2 fully-equipped workshop that includes an overhead crane and crane test bench. RMB Service Group will be a Manitowoc Crane Care dealer for parts and service, and the company is already targeting achieving Elite status. Elite status is awarded only to dealers that meet Manitowoc’s strict requirements for facilities, resources and staff.

Kelvin Kent said the dealer is already progressing well in its push for Elite status.

“Appointing RMB Service Group was an easy decision for us, given the company’s experience in both South Australia and the Northern Territories,” he said. “In addition, the company has a first-class facility and service team. I’m sure that with the right focus and development, the company can achieve its target of attaining Manitowoc Crane Care Elite dealer status.”

Following its appointment as a Grove dealer, RMB sent several technicians for Manitowoc Crane Care training on both the all-terrain and rough-terrain crane ranges. Although RMB’s service staff is already familiar with Grove cranes, the training was necessary to ensure the company meets its commitments as an official service dealer for Manitowoc Crane Care.

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