Designed With Operators in Mind: How Customer Voices Shape the Next Generation of Manitowoc Cranes

Anyone who runs heavy equipment for a living will tell you the best ideas don’t start in conference rooms — they start on the jobsite. As we developed the two new cranes we’ll soon unveil at CONEXPO 2026, we followed one simple philosophy: if a feature doesn’t make the crane easier to operate, easier to move, or more productive on the jobsite, it probably doesn’t belong on the machine.

From the Jobsite to Engineering — Without the Filters

At Manitowoc, we talk with crane operators and pay close attention to their valuable, real-world insights. Then, we ensure customer feedback doesn’t pass through layers of interpretation and get watered down before it reaches the people designing our cranes. Engineering, customer support, sales, and marketing teams at Manitowoc form a tight-knit group united in one goal: integrating customer feedback into our products as quickly and accurately as possible.    
During customer events like Manitowoc Crane Days, operators climb into prototype cabs and immediately offer feedback — better sightlines needed here, more intuitive layouts there. Our engineering team listens, goes back to work, and makes changes. Those updates don’t come from a checklist; they come from people who run cranes for a living.
“We can build the biggest, strongest crane out there,” says Sid Schreiner, vice president of engineering. “But if our customers can’t effectively use it, we’re not delivering value. That’s why we need their input upfront—so we can meet their needs and not introduce a new model that just misses the mark.”

How Operator Feedback Shapes New Product Development

As we prepare to pull the curtain back on two new cranes at CONEXPO, that operator-driven process will come full circle. When operators and fleet owners see our newest cranes at the show, the customer feedback loop will be apparent in how the crane performs, how it moves between jobs, and how comfortable and intuitive it is to run. We designed these new machines to feel familiar, but with upgrades that we believe will make a positive, noticeable difference. It’s the culmination of years of real-world input transformed into practical engineering. 
“Before we add any new technology to our products, we have to ask ourselves if it truly makes sense,” Schreiner says. “Customers are used to new technology in their everyday lives. Some of those changes are positive. Some aren’t. Our goal is to keep our cranes simple and intuitive by adding only those technologies that improve efficiency and the overall operator experience.”
Productivity doesn’t necessarily start at the jobsite. First, you must be able to get a crane to that jobsite efficiently and move it to the next jobsite without issues or delays. That’s an especially important element for fleet managers who move multiple machines across multiple locations. The cranes we’re debuting at CONEXPO reflect that need, with design decisions aimed at simplifying transport and reducing friction between jobs.
Inside the cab, operators will recognize a practical layout with intuitive controls that decrease the learning curve and make it easier to run confidently, even during long shifts. 
Schreiner explains that control system decisions are guided by one priority: reducing complexity for operators and technicians. Commonality across platforms helps shorten learning curves, simplify service, and make it easier for customers to move between machines with confidence.
Manitowoc’s approach isn’t about dramatic change — it’s about refining what operators already trust and making it even better.

Come See for Yourself

These are the kinds of improvements that don’t always translate on paper but are immediately evident in person. You experience them when a crane moves down the road, sets up smoothly, or responds intuitively in the cab. That’s why we believe the best way to understand what’s new is to experience it firsthand.
At CONEXPO, customers will see how years of operator feedback and disciplined engineering come together in cranes designed for real-world work — and why those jobsite conversations still matter when it’s time to lift.
“Even after more than two decades at Manitowoc, it’s rare that I’ve worked on a project that that so clearly reflects what our customers have been asking for,” says Bob Ritter, National Crane product manager. “CONEXPO gives us the opportunity to finally show the entire industry how we’ve translated that feedback into real machines — not concepts, not ideas, but cranes built for how jobs actually get done.”
Experience the next generation of Manitowoc cranes in person at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026. Visit us at booth F39029 to see what’s possible when operator insight meets real-world engineering.