Manitowoc Cranes has built a multimillion dollar, state-of-the-art testing facility to rigorously scrutinise the components that go into its cranes. The Product Verification Centre at Manitowoc's Shady Grove, Pa., facility in the US will help produce stronger, more-reliable cranes. By allowing rigorous testing of component performance and working lifecycles, it will give Manitowoc engineers new insight into the anticipated performance of cranes in the field. It will also speed up the product development phase for new designs, reduce warranty claims and on-site stoppages, and allow for the direct comparison of supplier components.

Eric Etchart, Manitowoc's President and General Manager, says the Product Verification Centre represents an investment in quality. The Centre features a number of technologies that will deliver detailed pictures of anticipated component performance and will test designs earlier in the product development process than was previously possible. That means suppliers and their components can be vetted before the products are placed in cranes. Also, the head start allows Manitowoc engineers to discover any potential difficulties at an earlier stage and devise solutions long before equipment reaches job sites.