Emerging category - Mantis Cranes

Entrepreneur: Seamus McMenamin
Business Activity: Crane Manufacturing

Located in Co. Donegal, Mantis Cranes began trading in 1999 as a joint venture with an Italian company supplying self-erecting cranes to the Irish market. The company is the only self-erecting crane manufacturer in Northern Europe and over the past four years it has shown growth averaging 50% year on year. They employ 41 staff in Ireland and two market developers in their recently established sales office in Durham in England.

They manufacture a range of three cranes but offer a full range of models ranging in jib length from 23M to 45M.  The company has recently launched a new highly mobile TC25 crane, the first developed by the team in Donegal.  

Mantis is the leading supplier of self-erected cranes to the Construction Industry in Ireland for both hire and sale. The 300 customer base include Sisks, Bowens, PJ Hegarty,, Murnane & O’Shea, Carville Group in Northern Ireland, as well as many other regional builders through out the length and breadth of Ireland. They recently secured a contract to be the sole supplier of self-erectors to Robinsons TimberKit, a national supplier of timber frame housing in Great Britain.

Entrepreneurial Questions

What vision prompted you to start up in business?
The prospect of redundancy focuses the mind.  The company where I worked was closing and jobs in Donegal were scarce.  It was either look for a job or try something for myself, so I decided to do what I knew best and set up McMenamin Engineering.

Describe your progression from start up to current status
McMenamin Engineering was set up in 1986. Having brought the company to a certain level, I realised that in order to grow further we needed a product.  After reviewing three other possibilities, I identified self-erecting cranes.  This lead to setting up a joint venture with an Italian crane manufacturer in 1998.  The manufacturing of small components started in mid 2000. April 2003 saw a dissolving of the joint venture and a buy out of our Italian partners. From there the hard work began, manufacturing increased, as did our turnover and market share. 

What is the biggest risk you have taken?
Life is full of risks especially in business. There has been many, however the one that was the most significant was the buy out of our Italian partners within the Irish company. This posed a significant challenge both financially and technically.  

Who or what has contributed most to your success.
The support I get from my wife Anne. While she may not have always agreed with the decision I made, she supported me fully. Also the teams of people we have built within both companies, both in management and at the coalface. Without these people we would not be where we are today. I may be the driver but they are the powerhouse.

What is your biggest achievement?
Transferring the technology to manufacture cranes in Donegal.  Although still learning, we have managed to put in place the team and structure to successfully carry out this process, thereby making us the only crane manufacturer in Northern Europe.  More recently we have produced the first unit, which was designed in Donegal.

What is the best piece of business advice you ever received?
“It is better to have tried and failed than not to have tried at all”. 

Express the biggest challenge you see your industry facing?
As for all manufacturing industries, the challenge must be maintaining competitiveness.  While cost control will continue to be important, the focus on our competitiveness for the future will be innovation in both customer service and new product development.

Name a famous international entrepreneur you most admire and why?
Sean Quinn of the Quinn Group. He has shown true entrepreneurial ship in the diversity of businesses he has built both at home and abroad.  Never afraid of a challenge his template seems to be based on customer service and competitiveness.   

How do you recharge the batteries?
While interested in sport I am not a keen competitor.  I am involved in a number of local groups both community based and industry linked and I get a buzz out of helping them develop.  However this is nothing like a good walk in the hills of Donegal to clear the mind.