Best known as the world's largest manufacturer of telehandlers, Manitou Group's business took a significant hit during the downturn. Refreshed, it now intends to compete against the likes of Bobcat with what would be the world's largest skid-steer loader.
Late last month, Manitou Group president and CEO Jean-Christophe Giroux offered an assessment of the Ancenis, France-based equipment manufacturer's performance through the global construction recession. "We certainly did some white-water rafting back in 2008 and 2009," he said during an event in Punta Umbria, Spain, on May 31. "But we kept the boats intact and afloat. We are profitable again."