Demand grows for pick-and-carry cranes  

Franna global conference in Malaysia highlights growing international demand for pick and carry cranes.

Franna, a leading manufacturer of pick-and-carry cranes, welcomed distributors, customers and industry leaders from across Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia to its second Global Conference, which took place in Malaysia from 22-24 September 2026.

Building on the success of its inaugural Global Conference in Dubai in 2025, the event enabled participants to explore market opportunities, exchange insights and strengthen relationships across the Franna network. Held under the theme ‘The Road Forward,’ the conference featured presentations from Terex and Franna leadership, distributor and customer perspectives, product innovation updates and discussions on market development.

A panel discussion featuring distributors from Kazakhstan, Indonesia, and Egypt also provided valuable insight into how the Franna pick and carry crane concept is gaining traction in both established and emerging markets.

“What makes Franna special is that it solves real challenges for customers,” said Kieran Hegarty, president of Terex Materials Processing. “It delivers a combination of mobility, versatility and productivity that is difficult to replicate with other lifting solutions. We’ve seen the success this concept has achieved in Australia and the momentum it continues to build in India, and we believe there is a significant opportunity to bring those benefits to customers in more markets around the world.”

A key highlight of the event was a visit to the Terex Malaysia facility, where guests attended live demonstrations of the Franna FR23 C and AT40. The demonstrations showcased the versatility, manoeuvrability and productivity advantages that have made Franna a market leader in pick and carry crane technology. A live telecast, featuring drone footage, in-cab camera feeds and expert commentary, gave attendees an up-close view of the machines in operation, including their articulation and operator visibility. The demonstrations also highlighted advanced features including the Franna Safety Radar system and Lift Planner application.

Jaideep Shekhar, vice president and managing director Asia & EMEA, said, “As awareness of the Franna value proposition continues to grow, we are seeing increasing interest from customers looking for safer, more productive lifting solutions. This event provided an excellent platform to demonstrate what makes Franna different and reinforce our commitment to supporting customers in every market we serve.”

Danny Black, general manager at Franna, added, “For more than 40 years, Franna has helped customers lift safer, move faster and achieve more with a single machine. What is particularly exciting today is seeing that story resonate well beyond Australia. The conversations and feedback throughout the conference reinforced the significant opportunity that exists for Franna in international markets, and it was encouraging to hear how distributors and customers are identifying new applications for Franna cranes in industries and regions where the pick and carry concept is still relatively new.”

Today, Franna cranes operates in over 30 countries worldwide. Supported by manufacturing facilities in Brisbane, Australia, and Hosur, India, together with an expanding international distribution network, the brand continues to extend its reach into new markets around the world.

“With the support of the Terex global manufacturing, distribution and service network, Franna is well positioned to continue expanding its international footprint,” concluded Kieran Hegarty. “As customers look for safer and more efficient ways to carry out lifting operations, we believe Franna is uniquely positioned to support those needs across a wide range of industries and applications.”