Australia-based global manufacturer of pick and carry cranes Franna, part of Terex, has announced its expansion into Southeast Asia.
Having a strong market position in Australia, Franna successfully entered the Indian market, the largest pick and carry crane market in the world, with a range of cost-effective, compact models tailored to local requirements and designed with safety in mind.
“Our success in India has provided us with a scalable model for sustainable growth,” said Jaideep Shekhar, vice president and managing director at Terex Materials Processing. “By building strong distribution relationships and aligning Franna products to local industry needs, we’ve successfully expanded the Franna brand in India, backed by excellent service and parts support across the country. This foundation has helped us earn the trust of customers and deliver safe, high-quality solutions that meet the evolving demands of the Indian market.”
Spanning over 3,500 sq m, Franna’s facility in India is equipped with the latest technology and assembly equipment to meet rising demand in the local and export markets. The new building and the team behind it reinforce the team’s commitment to producing cranes that reflect the Franna brand’s standards of reliability and performance, while elevating manufacturing excellence in India.
“As we look ahead, we’re putting these learnings into practice in the Southeast Asia market, which has similar infrastructure demands and customer profiles,” continued Mr Shekhar. The region presents clear opportunities, and with the right local strategies, we’re confident in our ability to replicate and expand on our achievements."
“The versatility of our pick and carry cranes allows us to deliver lifting solutions across a wide range of applications – including more complex environments such as mining sites with rough terrain, access limitations and height restrictions, as well as construction projects where lifting and transporting loads simultaneously is a key advantage. They are particularly useful in congested or confined sites where traditional cranes with outriggers may be impractical," explained Aidan O’Neill, regional sales manager for Southeast Asia at Franna.
"In construction, their compact design and excellent manoeuvrability make them ideal for a wide range of tasks, including lifting and placing structural components, transporting materials around the site, loading and unloading, equipment installation, and even demolition. They offer a flexible, efficient solution for diverse lifting and material handling needs on site."
SE Asia calling
Mr O’Neill was recently appointed to his role as part of Franna’s expansion efforts. With over seven years of sales experience across diverse industries, including automobiles and mineral processing solutions, he brings a proven track record of building strong customer relationships.
In addition, Mr O’Neill’s four years of analytical expertise have equipped him with the skills to identify growth opportunities in new markets and deliver actionable insights that support strategic business decisions. This blend of hands-on sales success and data-driven market analysis makes him well suited to represent Franna as regional sales manager for Southeast Asia, a region identified as having major growth opportunities in the brand’s continuing international expansion.
A key area of focus for this role will be educating the market on the unique benefits Franna pick and carry cranes have to offer. While the Franna name has become synonymous with the pick and carry concept in Australia to the extent that pick and carry cranes are generally known as ‘Frannas’ across the country, the concept is lesser understood internationally.
Franna pick and carry cranes can replace the work usually completed by smaller truck cranes, since they have no stabiliser legs or outriggers, and thus set-up time is much quicker. They are designed to lift the load and carry it to its destination within a small radius, while their articulated design means that drivers maintain the load directly in front, providing clear visibility throughout operation. The focus is on demonstrating the safety, efficiency, ease of use and the practical benefits Franna cranes deliver.
“I am very excited to join the Franna team who have an excellent reputation for safety and success,” said Mr O’Neill. “Franna is a proven product which has captured almost the entire respective market within Australia and has more recently become one of the key market leaders within the highly competitive Indian market. I look forward to expanding this success within the Southeast Asia region.
