Manitou used in Chilean rescue

News Story
- 4 Nov 2010 ( #486 ) - Ancenis, France
1 min read
The MT 1030S with the rescue capsule.
The MT 1030S with the rescue capsule.
French materials handling giant Manitou is taking some credit for the recent dramatic rescue of 33 trapped miners at the San José mine in Chile.

Leasing company SK Rental provided Manitou telescopic trucks to assist in the rescue of the trapped miners. Three MT1030 telehandlers were used on the surface to transport the steel tubes used to encase the first few metres of the rescue tunnel.

"Manitou machines were onsite from the beginning, handling parts of the drilling machine and helping manipulate pipes to prepare the tunnel," says Manitou spokeswoman Johanna Emonides.

Emonides adds that Manitou has 70% of the telehandler marketshare in Chile, while JCB, another provider of a rescue telehandler, has 20% of the market (Forkliftaction.com News #484).

Two MT 732 telehandlers were underground with the miners who spent 69 days trapped in San Jose copper and gold mine in Chile's Atacama desert after part of the pit collapsed on 5 August. The miners used the machines to clear a living space for themselves and also rested in the cabins.

Finally, a MT 1030S was used to handle the capsule on a tour of Chile's main economic, industrial and political sites, which included towns like Santiago, Antofagasta and Copiapo.

"[It was chosen] because the Manitou machine is the most used machine in Chilean mining, [also] the machine is red, a colour in the Chilean flag." Emonides says.
Forklift to the rescue
Forklift to the rescue 24 Jan 2019 - Huntington Beach, CA, United States - 1 min read
Forklift operator responds in emergency, receives recognition
Forklift operator responds in emergency, receives recognition 3 Oct 2013 - Mesa, AZ, United States - 1 min read
Crisis response team obtains Nissan forklift
Crisis response team obtains Nissan forklift 11 Feb 2010 - Danville, VA, United States - 2 min read
Previously about:
New product launches at Bauma News Story - 24 Apr 2025 - Munich, Germany - 2 min read
Manitou and Kiloutou unveil retrofitted electric telehandler News Story - 13 Jun 2024 - Ancenis, France - 1 min read
Manitou strikes asset deal with Dezzo Equipment News Story - 16 May 2024 - Chloorkop, South Africa - 1 min read
Do you have materials handling news? Submit your news here

PREMIUM business

BSL New Energy Technology Co., Ltd
BSLBATT - practical expertise and excellent design in the industrial lithium-ion battery market.

We’re excited to launch a major upgrade to the Forkliftaction forums, packed with new features and improvements. Here’s what’s new:

  • You can now add up to two photos to your posts
  • New search & navigation - find what you need easier
  • Smart brand/model tagging across all forums
  • Top contributors recognised for their efforts!

 Head over to the forums to check it out!

Words of support …

I know I can count on them. They give valuable suggestions on the campaign planning, and to publish content is as easy as abc, as they take care of the material layout and check links. This is a great support.

Annalisa Castellini, Marketing Manager

Are you recruiting? Find your ideal candidate among a diverse range of materials handling professionals:

Forkliftaction's JOB MARKET

We’re excited to launch a major upgrade to the Forkliftaction forums, packed with new features and improvements. Here’s what’s new:

  • You can now add up to two photos to your posts
  • New search & navigation - find what you need easier
  • Smart brand/model tagging across all forums
  • Top contributors recognised for their efforts!

 Head over to the forums to check it out!

PREMIUM business

Zhejiang UN Forklift Co., Ltd
Manufacturer of IC forklifts, electric forklifts and warehouse equipment.

Are you recruiting? Find your ideal candidate among a diverse range of materials handling professionals:

Forkliftaction's JOB MARKET

Inside The News
While innovation and new technology are evolving at what seems to be an ever-increasing pace, the need to capture the data (telemetry) from this tech, and the ability to utilise it (telematics) for efficiency and cost savings, is one area attracting more and more attention ... Continue reading

Are you recruiting? Find your ideal candidate among a diverse range of materials handling professionals:

Forkliftaction's JOB MARKET

We’re excited to launch a major upgrade to the Forkliftaction forums, packed with new features and improvements. Here’s what’s new:

  • You can now add up to two photos to your posts
  • New search & navigation - find what you need easier
  • Smart brand/model tagging across all forums
  • Top contributors recognised for their efforts!

 Head over to the forums to check it out!