Bright prospects for mobile cranes

01 Aug 2019 CW Staff

Mobile cranes in India have come a long way since being pioneered by Escorts about 40 years ago. Ajay Mandahr, CEO, Escorts Construction Equipment, reminisces that Escorts was the first to offer the Hydra range of cranes, which are capable of both lifting and carrying a load as against cranes that just lift and do not carry, and later introduced the Hi-PNC (new generation pick-‘n’-carry) crane. On the back of the great success of pick-‘n’-carry cranes, Escorts soon evolved into a leading player of mobile cranes globally.

Today, pick-‘n’-carry cranes and truck cranes are typically considered to make up the mobile cranes segment, which has been buoyant in the past two years, according to Pradeep Sharma, President, Action Construction Equipment. In the last year alone, he notes that mobile crane sales crossed the 11,000 unit mark, the highest ever in terms of volume. Sharma expects the demand for mobile cranes to touch all-time highs in coming years.

Mandahr reckons the annual demand for mobile cranes exceeds 10,000 units and expects this class to grow at a CAGR of 15-18 per cent over the next five to six years. According to him, infrastructure development, spanning roads, railways, etc, is the major driver of the market. “Mobile cranes also find use in the defence, industrial, housing and port-handling sectors. In future, we expect the housing sector to emerge as the next big driver to further propel this segment.”

Urban infrastructure such as metro projects across Tier-I and Tier-II cities; freight corridor, airport expansion and modernisation; Swachh Bharat and smart city projects; elevated roads, advanced rail networks and the upcoming bullet train project; infrastructure development including roads (Bharatmala), flyovers and bridges; and refinery expansion are driving the demand for mobile cranes, says Sharma.

CHARU BAHRI

Infrastructure Energy

25 Sep 2025

Rs 1.5 Billion Scheme to Boost India’s Critical Mineral Recycling

The provision of both capital expenditure (Capex) and operational expenditure (Opex) subsidies under the Rs 1.5 billion incentive scheme for Critical Mineral Recycling is expected to accelerate the establishment of advanced recycling infrastructure, said the industry body India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA). The scheme, the body added, is set to transform India’s recycling landscape and strengthen the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) by supporting recovery and reuse of e-waste, lithium-ion battery (LIB) scrap, and end-of-life vehicles.“Through the provision of both Capex and Opex ..

Indian Firms Eye Mining, Infrastructure Gains in South Africa

The South African government’s efforts to ease mining regulations and privatise infrastructure present fresh opportunities for Indian businesses, said Nitin Agrawal, Group Chairman of Oza Holdings, which operates in mining and manufacturing.Agrawal was addressing 36 business leaders from the NPO Young Indians, part of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), during a delegation visit to South Africa under the G20 Young Entrepreneurs Alliance. South Africa holds the G20 Presidency this year. The group met with Indian Consul General Mahesh Kumar, local business leaders, government represent..

SCI Joins State Oil Firms to Operate Fleet for Energy Security

In a move to strengthen India’s energy security, Shipping Corporation of India Ltd (SCI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with three state-owned refiners to jointly operate a fleet of crude oil tankers.Under the MoU, SCI, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) and Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) plan to acquire, own, operate, and manage vessels collectively, according to SCI’s regulatory filing.“These vessels will be used for international trade as well as coastal transport of petroleum, petroleum products, petrochemicals, and ..