The Manitowoc Company, Inc. is an American manufacturer which produces cranes and previously produced commercial refrigeration and marine equipment. It was founded in 1902 and, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, markets, and supports mobile telescopic cranes, tower cranes, lattice-boom crawler cranes, and boom trucks under the Grove, Manitowoc, National Crane, Potain, Shuttlelift and Manitowoc Crane Care brand names.[citation needed]
During World War II, the Department of the Navy contracted Manitowoc to build a total of 28 submarines, plus the canceled USS Chicolar (SS-464).[3] Before they built the submarines for the Department of the Navy, the company built car ferries.[citation needed]
In November 2002, the company acquired the Grove Crane company for approximately $271 million. In March 2016, Manitowoc completed the tax-free spin-off of its food service equipment operations, placing itself as a standalone crane company.[4]
Manitowoc produces several lines of cranes to serve the construction, energy, and numerous other industries. The company produces high-capacity lattice-boom crawler cranes, tower cranes, and mobile telescopic cranes for heavy construction, commercial construction, residential construction, energy-related uses, wind farm,[5] infrastructure, duty-cycle, crane-rental applications, among others. It is also a producer of boom trucks. The company has a thriving after-sales business as well, providing service, parts, renovation and training.
Main Brands:
Manitowoc cranes — Lattice Boom Crawler cranes
Grove cranes — rough-terrain, truck-mounted, all-terrain, Grove YardBoss, industrial cranes and Shuttlelift carry deck cranes. Grove began producing cranes in 1947 in Shady Grove, Pa.
Potain cranes — Tower cranes and self-erecting tower cranes. Founded in La Clayette, France in 1928.
National Crane — Telescoping boom trucks (articulating line was discontinued at the end of 2008). Founded in Waverly, Nebraska, in 1963 and all production of National Crane Boom Trucks moved to Shady Grove, Pennsylvania, after the acquisition by Manitowoc.
Food service
Manitowoc Foodservice was a sub-division of the Manitowoc Company, producing ice machines and refrigeration equipment for businesses.
The company acquired SerVend International, a manufacturer of ice and beverage systems equipment for the foodservice industry, in October 1997.[7]
In 2008, the company acquired Enodis PLC, a UK-based supplier of restaurant equipment, including fryers, ovens, and ice machines. Manitowoc Foodservice was required to sell off the ice division of Enodis, including the Ice-O-Matic, Scotsman, Simag, and Barline brands, to address antitrust concerns.[8] The division was sold to American private equity firm Warburg Pincus in 2009.[9] Warburg Pincus later sold the ice division to the Italian Ali Group.[10]
On March 4, 2016, The Manitowoc Company completed a one for one common share split and created Manitowoc Foodservice. As of March 7, 2016 the newly created company began standard stock offerings on the NYSE under the symbol "MFS"[11] Manitowoc Foodservice rebranded itself as Welbilt, Inc. and traded under the symbol "WBT".[12]
The newly formed company was under the leadership of former Manitowoc Company executive Hubertus M. Muehlhaeuser, who had eight direct reports.[13] They were supported by a seven-member board of directors which included Mr. Muehlhaeuser.[14]
Manitowoc Foodservice consisted of 23 global brands that include 12 holding either #1 or #2 position in their respected global markets.[15]
In 2022 Welbilt was acquired by the Italian Ali Group.[16] As part of the acquisition, Manitowoc Ice was sold off to British-American firm Pentair to address antitrust concerns.[17]
