Manitou Group, a world leader in rough-terrain handling, is launching a completely new version of its site reduce-program.com. Fully consistent with the group's CSR approach, this platform, which is dedicated to improving the quality of work life of machine users, aims to improve their productivity and safety while at the same time reducing environmental impact. To achieve this goal, the group has developed three components, which are REDUCE Fuel, REDUCE TCO, and REDUCE Risks, the latest tool of this program, dedicated to accident prevention and the safety of people and machines.
Launched in 2013, Manitou Group's "REDUCE" site has been expanded with a wide range of features. The ergonomics have been completely redesigned, with optimized readability to enhance user comprehension. A new component has been added to the REDUCE platform. Dedicated to accident prevention and the safety of people and machines, the aim of the "REDUCE Risks" section is to advise users via accident prevention posters, maintenance documents, operating instructions, and a media library of 300 videos explaining how to start and maintain a machine, mount attachments, use technologies such as the JSM® (Joystick Switch & Move) etc. This section also presents the innovations implemented by the group with the aim of optimizing user safety, while improving comfort by reducing noise pollution, working on the ergonomics, and reducing the effect of vibrations. The purpose of REDUCE Risks is to guide users in their choice of equipment, while taking their health and safety into account. Aude Brézac, Manitou Group's CSR manager, added: "A sound knowledge of the machine and the attachments is needed in order to take charge of the equipment and reduce risks. With REDUCE Risks, we provide users of the site with teaching materials to optimize their driving, paying particular attention to their safety. This new site demonstrates our group's desire to continue to put CSR at the center of our concerns".
The second key development concerns the TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) calculators for the Manitou, Gehl and Mustang brands, which are now included on this one site. The numerous criteria of use make the search accurate, enabling the machine best suited to the needs and activities of the user to be identified in a few clicks. The tool gives the cost per hour, including fuel consumption, maintenance costs, insurance and resale value of the machine, so users are well informed of the breakdown of cost items over its entire life cycle, from purchase to resale of the equipment.
To continually provide the user with better information about fuel consumption and optimization, the REDUCE Fuel calculator is also integrated into the new platform. The REDUCE Fuel program, based on a Manitou protocol for measuring fuel consumption (telehandlers and platforms) and validated by UTAC*, applies a strictly identical methodology to compare the fuel consumption of two machines in the same range (including competitor machines). Since 2016, the group has piloted a European standardization project with the purpose of defining a reference standard for measuring the fuel consumption of telehandlers. This measurement protocol, which is essentially based on the Manitou Group's cycle-type, will become the future European standard. Current chair of the ISO committee for the rough-terrain material handling truck sector, the group is also taking this project to the international level to make it the recognized method for measuring the fuel consumption of telehandlers throughout the world.
