Mantis Cranes Considers U.S. Expansion

December 19, 2007 • According to a report in the Irish Examiner, Donegal, Ireland-based Mantis Cranes is looking at the possibility of setting up a manufacturing base in the

United States

. The company is already supplying cranes through a previously announced joint venture with Celtic Self Erecting Cranes.

Since its inception in 1999, Mantis Cranes (Ireland) is the only manufacturer of self-erecting cranes outside continental Europe. The latest crane to be launched by the company, the TC-25, was designed and built at the company's manufacturing facilities in Killygordon. Several other Mantis crane models have also been picked up by Celtic Cranes that have been made available in the United States since summer 2007.

The Examiner reports that sales in Mantis have developed rapidly and are more than $11.5 million, with sales of $21.6 million a realistic target in three years, despite the negative impact of the construction slow down.