From left to right: Felipe Barros, Sigdo Koppers, Jose Miguel García, Sigdo Koppers, Rodrigo Stefanini, Manitowoc; Jose Miguel Figueroa, Manitowoc; Sandro Tavonatti, Sigdo Koppers, Glen Tellock, Manitowoc; and Vano Merabachvili, Manitowoc
Continuing to expand support services in Latin America, Manitowoc has named Sigdo Koppers the first official EnCORE partner for Chile and the Andes region. The two companies held a ceremony during Expomin 2014, which took place in April in Santiago, Chile.
As a new EnCORE partner, Sigdo Koppers offers full repair and refurbishment services for Manitowoc crawler cranes, Grove mobile cranes, Potain tower cranes, and National Crane boom trucks from its hub in the capital of Santiago.
“This partnership allows us to have an even closer relationship with Manitowoc, and underscores our skills and capabilities in providing first-class service for Manitowoc cranes,” said Felipe Barros, operation equipment manager at Sigdo Koppers.
Cranes working at construction and mining sites in Chile often face tough conditions, such as rocky terrain and demanding lifts. A specialized support team that is near job sites and can quickly respond to any needs is essential for the success of complex projects, Barros explained.
“With EnCORE, we bring a closer and faster service to the local market, and we will guarantee that repairs and maintenance will be performed to the highest standards,” he said. “I’m confident our relationship with our customers will grow stronger, too.”
Sigdo Koppers was chosen as the new EnCORE partner in Chile due to its commitment to quality Crane Care service for Manitowoc cranes over the last several years, as well as its top-notch facility in Santiago that handles crane rebuilds and repairs, said Rodrigo Stefanini, senior manager of EnCORE in Latin America.
“After its participation on an Advanced Welding Training that was held in our training center in Passo Fundo, Brazil, two of the company’s welders were qualified and approved to perform structural repairs on Manitowoc cranes,” Stefanini said. “The combination of the company’s structure and its commitment to supporting Manitowoc customers were key in choosing Sigdo Koppers as our new EnCORE partner.”
Founded in 1960, Sigdo Koppers is one Chile’s largest engineering and construction conglomerates. The company operates 50 Grove rough-terrain and all-terrain cranes, 15 Potain tower cranes, and 5 Manitowoc lattice boom cranes, totaling 70 Manitowoc branded cranes in its fleet.
To qualify for the EnCORE program, dealers invest considerable time in training technical staff, including advanced training for welders to earn certifications to weld structural components on cranes. Each dealer must also have a trained structural engineer in its staff to directly liaison with Manitowoc on technical issues. Manitowoc Crane Care service provides full commercial, technical and financial support for all EnCORE partners.
The EnCORE program now has 19 partners operating at 33 certified locations around the globe. The success of the program has allowed Manitowoc to expand the service throughout the world. Sigdo Koppers is the first partner in the Latin America region, with more due to follow in the near future.