Manitou Group is known in the United States for its telehandlers and forklifts, and now the company plans for the Manitou brand name to also resonate with buyers of compact construction equipment.
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The company is currently launching a Manitou compact equipment line worldwide, including in North America. The nine compact track loader models, 10 skid steer models and two articulated wheel loader models will be identical to those the company offers under the brand names Gehl and Mustang (renamed “Mustang by Manitou” last year).
But unlike the yellow machines of Gehl and Mustang by Manitou, the Manitou equipment will feature the company’s trademark red and carry the Manitou name.
All three brands are manufactured in the same U.S. factories in South Dakota and Texas and share common chassis and components.
Rick Alton, president of Manitou Group’s Compact Equipment Products division, said that during the first step of the Manitou brand introduction, the machines will remain similar, but over time, that could change, depending on the market and customer demands.
“As the brand penetration continues to grow,” he says, “I would expect us to better understand those different attributes better of what makes each brand unique … and to continually integrate those elements into product development in future years.”