In the grinding world of heavy machinery, where steel giants hoist the bones of our cities and infrastructure, there’s a company that’s been peddling promises of reliability while leaving a trail of taint and catastrophe. Manitowoc Cranes – the Wisconsin workhorse that sells itself as the backbone of progress – hides a history twisted tighter than a bent boom arm after a bad lift. We’re talking environmental violations that choke the air, lawsuits over worker deaths and injuries that scream negligence, dodgy trade pleas wrapped in national security bullshit, and whispers of insider trading that reek of cronyism at the highest levels. And it’s all tied into the broader Cummins machine. Yes, that Cummins, TCAP’s friendly adversary, who wheeled out their own plastic version of Kathleen Zellner, peppered with a little dishonesty and bad faith tactics, to beat me in an employment tribunal. Let’s not go off on a tangent, though. This is about cranes. And if you’re in the market for cranes, you might want to think twice before hitching your wagon to this lot.

This isn’t some “Life at the Company” cuddle from a PR doctor; this is my unfiltered exposé on how a company that’s supposed to lift us up has instead dragged lives and reputations through the muck. I’ve dug through the records, the court filings, the regulatory slaps, and it’s enough to make you furious. These aren’t isolated fuck-ups; they’re a pattern of decay that eats away at trust in an industry already teetering on the edge. And yeah, allegedly in some cases, because we’re not here to sling unsubstantiated mud – but the facts speak loud enough to drown out any denials.

The Cummins Connection: Engines of Contamination

First off, let’s nail down the ties that bind Manitowoc to Cummins, because this isn’t just a casual fling – it’s a deep-rooted customer-supplier relationship that’s powered countless cranes into the field. Manitowoc routinely integrates Cummins diesel engines into their heavy-duty models, from the QSC8.3L beasts in their rough-terrain cranes to the Dongfeng 340 HP units in their Potain towers. These engines are the throbbing hearts of Manitowoc’s machines, mated to transmissions and hydraulics to handle the brutal demands of construction sites worldwide. Public product guides and factory tours boast about this integration, highlighting how Cummins power maximises function and simplifies servicing.

Still, this partnership slots Manitowoc squarely into the Cummins conveyor, a network already tainted by endless controversies – emissions cheating, regulatory fines, you name it, all hashed out by TCAP without needing to cover old ground. Manitowoc’s own messes? They’re just another smear on that chain, proving that when you bed down with giants plagued by their own demons, the stain of corrosion rubs off. It’s like they’re all in on the same grim game, pumping out products that promise progress but deliver pollution and peril.

Environmental Violations: Choking the Air We Breathe

Picture this: massive cranes rumbling across job sites, spewing fumes from uncertified diesel engines, all while Manitowoc pockets the profits. In a settlement that dropped like a hammer in late 2024, the company agreed to cough up a staggering $42.6 million – the largest civil penalty ever for nonroad engine violations under the Clean Air Act. The U.S. Department of Justice and EPA nailed them for allegedly importing and selling heavy nonroad cranes with engines that flouted emission standards between 2014 and 2018. These weren’t minor oversights; we’re talking deliberate skirting of regulations that led to excess pollutants fouling the atmosphere, potentially harming public health and the environment.

The feds didn’t mince words: Manitowoc knowingly brought in equipment that violated mobile source emission rules, forcing a mitigation project to replace older locomotive engines in Maryland as penance. Outrageous, isn’t it? A company built to lift heavy loads couldn’t be arsed to lift a finger for clean air. This isn’t just bureaucratic red tape; it’s a blatant contamination of the trust we place in industrial players to not screw over the planet. And in the Cummins ecosystem – sorry, supply web – it’s yet another layer of grime, amplifying the stench of a sector that prioritises bottom lines over breathable air. You’d almost laugh if it weren’t so choking – like trusting a fox to guard the henhouse, only the hens are our lungs.

Deadly Oversights: Lawsuits That Expose Negligence

And while the fumes linger, we turn to the human cost, the real gut-wrenching shit where workers pay with their lives or limbs. Manitowoc’s product liability record reads like a horror show of crane accidents, with multiple lawsuits alleging defective designs, inadequate warnings, and outright negligence. Take the 2017 case of John Robert Williams Jr., a crane operator who suffered catastrophic brain injuries when unsecured counterweights on a Manitowoc Model 16000 tipped forward and crushed his cab. His wife, Wanda, sued, claiming the company failed to warn about known risks – and evidence showed prior similar incidents with other models. A jury slapped Manitowoc with a $3.4 million verdict, affirmed on appeal, including millions for economic damages, non-economic suffering, and loss of consortium.

Then there’s the tragic death of Rickie Lee Grimsley in 2013, pinned between two Manitowoc cranes at a Pennsylvania facility. His widow, Crystal, filed negligence and wrongful death claims against the company and subsidiaries, pointing fingers at executives like Kyle Mellott. While her suit against the parent company was dismissed on workers’ compensation grounds in 2019, the case highlighted a chilling pattern: equipment that allegedly prioritises speed over safety, leaving operators vulnerable. Even back in 1989, Daniel Singleton lost four fingers in a crane pinch-point accident, suing for strict liability and negligence over missing safety features like mirrors.

These aren’t one-offs; discovery disputes in ongoing litigation reveal demands for records on similar tipping incidents across Manitowoc’s 18000 Series and beyond. Motions to compel have been granted, uncovering an alleged web of recurring defects. It’s fucking infuriating – grafting lads building the skyline, crushed by the very machines that bankroll the suits. And in Manitowoc County? These corporate scandals make the local justice system look downright honest by comparison. Almost comical, if the blood wasn’t real.

Trade Disputes: Cloaking Greed in National Security

And while the cranes rust in the yard, upstairs it’s boardroom bullshit on full throttle. Manitowoc’s 2020 plea for protectionism under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act reeks of desperation wrapped in patriotism. They petitioned the U.S. Department of Commerce to investigate mobile crane imports – particularly from Germany, Austria, and Japan – claiming cheap foreign competition threatened national security by causing plant closures, layoffs, and a dangerous reliance on overseas suppliers. The probe, initiated in May 2020, examined whether these imports impaired domestic capabilities critical for defense.

But Manitowoc withdrew their request in September 2020, leading to termination in November. Critics alleged it was less about security and more about shielding profits from fair market pressure, with intellectual property theft thrown in for good measure. No tariffs ensued, but the episode exposed a company crying wolf to stave off competition, all while their own practices invited scrutiny. In the broader Cummins chain, it’s another example of how these heavy hitters game the system, tainting the entire network with self-serving maneuvers that screw over global trade fairness. Funny how “national security” becomes the shield when the wallet’s at risk – as if cranes were nukes.

Insider Sleaze: The Icahn Stock Dump Saga

And then there’s the sleazy shadow of Carl Icahn, the billionaire investor and former Trump advisor whose 2018 stock maneuvers around Manitowoc scream conflict of interest. Just days before President Trump announced 25% tariffs on steel imports in March 2018 – a move that hammered steel-dependent companies like Manitowoc – Icahn dumped nearly $31.3 million in shares, offloading about a third of his stake at $32 to $34 apiece. The stock plummeted 6-10% post-announcement, sparing Icahn hefty losses.

Allegations of insider trading flew thick and fast, given Icahn’s White House access as a special advisor on regulatory reform. He denied any foreknowledge, calling suggestions “categorically untrue,” and no charges were filed despite ethics probes and a 2019 subpoena from prosecutors. But the timing? Suspicious as hell, raising questions about crony capitalism at its grimiest. This patina of corruption clings to Manitowoc, amplifying the decay in their operations and tying back to that Cummins conveyor where scandals seem to multiply like unchecked emissions.

Wrapping Up the Mess: A Call for Accountability

So there you have it – Manitowoc Cranes, a pillar of the lifting industry, exposed as a house of cards built on environmental disregard, worker endangerment, trade chicanery, and alleged insider dodginess. Tied inextricably to Cummins as a key engine customer, they’re just another taint in a supply web already drowning in its own controversies. It’s enough to make you wretch – an industry that could elevate us, instead grinding people and principles into the dirt. Demand better. Hold them accountable. Because if no one does, the stench spreads, and the cranes won’t be the only things collapsing under their own weight.

Lee Thompson – Founder, The Cummins Accountability Project

Customer Corner : The Bloody Guts of Manitowoc Cranes – A Dark Brown Stain on Heavy Industry