“India is not only a strategic manufacturing hub for Manitou Group, but also a driving force behind our long-term vision for sustainable industrial growth. By combining French engineering excellence with India’s manufacturing strength and innovation capacity, we are building solutions that support infrastructure, agriculture & safer working environments across emerging markets.”
President, LAPAM for Manitou Group
My professional journey has been defined by a transition from the technical precision of mechanical engineering in the UK to a two-decade-long immersion in global industrial leadership.
After honing my expertise across production, marketing and general management at JCB for 20 years, I joined the Manitou Group in 2018 to spearhead our expansion across the Middle East and Africa as Vice President. My tenure in Dubai and South Africa was centered on more than just market entry.
It was about architecting a robust dealer network and tailoring our specialized ranges, such as backhoe loaders and telehandlers, to the specific demands of the mining and construction sectors. This mission of bridging global standards with local excellence naturally led me to India in 2022.
Moving to Greater Noida to lead Manitou Group’s LAPAM* region (Included Manitou Equipment India) represented a strategic commitment to one of the world’s most dynamic economic frontiers.
Now, as President of the LAPAM* region and a member of the Executive Committee since January 2026, my focus is on cementing LAPAM region’s role as a cornerstone of the group’s international legacy, ensuring our operations here are as vibrant and scalable as the market itself. One of my objectives is of course to develop the business in India.
*Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Africa & the Middle East.
We had a presence since 2005 in India, but the most significant operation was the acquisition of Terex Equipment Private Limited (TEPL) in 2017 that helped us inherit a manufacturing footprint and a ready-made distribution network that served as our launchpad in the region. Over the past nine years, we have meticulously expanded this dealer network and diversified our ‘Made in India’ ranges to align with the country’s steady 6% annual growth trajectory (except the pandemic period).
For us, India is far more than a production site. It is a high-potential market where our solutions in agriculture and construction meet an expanding demand. Furthermore, its geographical positioning is a cornerstone of our ‘Global-Local’ strategy, serving as a vital hub to efficiently support our customers across the entire Asian landscape.
Our operations are centered on a high-demand portfolio of backhoe loaders, telehandlers, skid steers and scissor lifts.
While these machines are built to serve India (one of the world’s largest markets for backhoe loaders), they are also exported across the world.
However, we do far more than just manufacture machines. Our Indian footprint includes dedicated R&D centers, sales and comprehensive spare parts services for both domestic and global markets.
Our true added value lies in a customer experience that provides best-in-class after-sales performance while ensuring maximum ‘uptime.’ Through our Greater Noida logistics center, we prioritize responsiveness, so our clients never face costly delays.
While we compete with established players like JCB and various Chinese manufacturers, our edge is our ‘Global-Local’ approach: combining global innovation with local industrial agility to deliver the reliability to the market demands.
Our ambitions in India are fueled by the expertise of our 550 local employees and a vision deeply rooted in our new LIFT 2030 roadmap. We are committed to making life safe and easy by developing solutions that improve working conditions and safety while remaining steadfast in our environmental responsibility.
Our strategy is simple: a regionalized manufacturing approach coupled with a global supply chain that allows us to deliver high-performance, robust solutions at a competitive price.
Looking ahead, we are focused on becoming a key player in India’s industrial landscape by further expanding our nationwide dealer network and optimising our parts delivery to eliminate client downtime. Ultimately, we aren’t just building machines; we are building the infrastructure of a safer, more sustainable India, ensuring that our growth is deeply connected to the country’s own progress.
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