Manitou debuted a new line of telehandlers designed to meet the needs of the construction and rental markets in North America at ConExpo-Con/Agg 2023.
Available under the Manitou or Gehl brands, the new range offers seven models with lifting heights of 43 to 56 feet and lifting capacities of 6,000 to 12,000 pounds.
“We’ve worked on the performance, stability and capacity,” say Arnaud Boyer, vice president, marketing and product development, Manitou. “We’ve increased capacity by 50%, and now we are among the best in terms of outreach capacity.”
The cab has been completely redesigned for improved operator comfort and better visibility around the machine and on the attachment. Noise levels have been reduced to 80 dBA inside the cab.
An intuitive dashboard displays operating and maintenance alerts, and the Joystick Switch and Move (JSM) gives operators fingertip control of every function. For enhanced safety, the range also features an automatic parking brake.
“We have done a great deal of work on the comfort and performance of this new range,” adds Steve Kiskunas, U.S. telehandler product line manager. “The new load-sensing hydraulic system improves smoothness and accuracy, and the combined hydraulic movements provide greater efficiency for increased productivity. The new transmission’s automatic mode offers greater flexibility and optimum torque with less operator fatigue, with the option to switch to standard powershift transmission at any time.”
Manitou says that, thanks to more robust components and design changes including easier access to the engine, preventive maintenance costs on the new models have been reduced by 8.7% compared to the previous range.
“The engine, instead of being in line with the chassis, is perpendicular to the chassis,” says Boyer. “This provides much better access to all of the components, saving money when you’re performing maintenance.”
In 2022, the company announced a $74 million investment plan to expand and modernize its U.S. production facilities. The new telehandler range will be manufactured in Manitou’s Yankton facility in South Dakota. Deliveries will begin at the end of the year.