When Manitowoc acquired Grove who owned National Crane in 2002, it was ruled that for the merger to happen Manitowoc had to sell either the Manitex or National boom truck line.  Manitex was sold to Quantum Heavy Equipment, a subsidiary of the investment fund Quantum Value Partners.   In the 1990's and early 2000' ironically Manitex was and still is a direct competitor to market leader National Crane.  

Manitex was originally established in 1983 as a diversification by the Manitowoc Company Inc. Manitex was set up to make telescopic boom cranes mounted on a commercial truck chassis, commonly known as a boom truck in North America.  Manitex acquired boom truck manufacturers USTC in 1998 and Pioneer in 2000.  Some current Manitex boom trucks in production are based on Manitowoc swing seat cab designs.