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 Urban

09 Jan 2026

Mount Invests Rs 250 Cr, Adds PUF & PEB Plants, 400+ Jobs

TUMKUR, Karnataka, January 8, 2025 - Mount Roofing & Structures Private Limited, one of India's fastest-growing manufacturers in PUF and a leading solutions provider across Pre-Engineered Building (PEB) and Polycarbonate sheets, simultaneously inaugurated its second fully automated continuous Sandwich Panel manufacturing line and a new PEB manufacturing plant at its integrated campus in Tumkur." The milestone expansion, part of a total investment of INR 250 crores, marks a significant advancement in the company's commitment to engineered performance, manu..

Titan Intech Strengthens UltraLED Push With Global LED Veteran

Titan Intech has announced the induction of global LED industry veteran Su Piow Ko to its Board of Directors, marking a strategic step in strengthening its UltraLED Displays roadmap and building globally competitive LED display solutions from India.The appointment aligns with Titan Intech’s ambition to position India as a hub for advanced, high-quality LED display manufacturing. With an increased focus on UltraLED Displays, the company aims to enhance technical governance, raise manufacturing standards and expand its presence across global markets.Su Piow Ko brings over three decades of inte..

Dun & Bradstreet Flags New Growth Engines in India 2026 Outlook

Dun & Bradstreet has released its India 2026: D&B’s Perspective report, projecting a stable macroeconomic environment underpinned by fresh opportunities for productivity-led and inclusive growth. The report outlines how India’s next growth phase will be driven by digitised logistics, trusted data ecosystems, clean energy and rising city vitality.According to the outlook, India’s GDP growth is expected to reach around 6.6 per cent by FY2027, supported by resilient consumer demand and sustained public investment. Manufacturing is seen entering a new phase, moving beyond scale towar..