Since 1999 Mantis Cranes has been hiring and selling self erecting cranes, tower cranes and luffing cranes from our base in Co. Donegal. Over that time the company has grown to become an established name in our primary markets of UK and Ireland, offering a nationwide service in both countries.
However, our journey has taken us beyond these two countries; to Mainland Europe and beyond. The economic downturn, challenge and ambition were the catalysts that resulted in Mantis Cranes sending cranes and people to places like Mauritius, Oman, Brazil, Qatar, Nigeria, the USA and even to Australia.
In the canteen over coffee, Seamus McMenamin, Managing Director of Mantis Cranes explained how cranes from Donegal managed to travel around the world.
Some of these opportunities opened up as a result of Irish people emigrating due to the collapse of the construction industry in Ireland. These people had been involved in the construction sector here at home, had experience with Mantis Cranes, and realised the quality of both the products and the backup service provided.
Other opportunities arose as people discovered us on social media and made contact, while some of our best results came from participating in trade missions. I travelled to the Middle East and South America and took part in trade missions supported and organised by Enterprise Ireland.
Doing business in other markets is not easy and you have to factor in the country’s culture, customers expectations and for the most part gain your customer’s trust, otherwise, why would they do business with you if they think you are not going to be around to support them. While some of the opportunities came around by chance, others were targeted and planned and were at a time when the markets in Ireland, and indeed the UK, were going through a tough time. However, all were critical to the company’s survival and all played their part in our company’s journey.
Apart from selling cranes abroad it also meant that we had to send engineers to all these faraway places to familiarise our customers and train their employees in the use of the product. This mostly fell on the shoulders of one of our long-standing senior engineers Jonathan Kelly. Haven spoken with Jonathan he said “In my time with Mantis I have been given to opportunity to travel the world and I got to visit places that I could only have dreamed of while doing it all on the company’s credit card”!! Fair comment Jonathan!!
While we continue to provide those customers with products and services more recently our focus has been on the Irish and UK markets where we see endless potential for Mantis Cranes in the years ahead.
Mantis Cranes are a leading crane hire company, and supply self-erecting tower cranes, tower cranes, luffing tower cranes, and construction hoists. We are established throughout the UK and Ireland. For information on hiring or buying cranes and crane attachments, email us on info@mantiscranes.co.uk or info@mantiscranes.ie or visit www.mantiscranesgroup.com
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