A M A N I T O W O C C R A N E S M A G A Z I N E

May 2012 English Volume 11 Issue 2

New Technology Trimble + Ascorel

Factory Focus Charlieu, France

Crane Care Peru rebuild

Grove lifting Grove

The most capable and versatile tower cranes available.

Get the Potain advantage

Manitowoc offers a wide range of Potain self-erecting, top-slewing and special application tower cranes to meet your lifing needs. Potain cranes provide ideal capabilities for many construction projects including residential, commercial, infrastructure and industrial.

For more information, contact your dealer or visit www.manitowoc.com/cranesdealer

Potain advantages:

• The new Ultra View cab allows the operator to see the entire jobsite and provides increased comfort during long work days

• Potain’s Optima technology maximizes hoist and swing performance

• Designed to easily fit on tight jobsites• The global Manitowoc Crane Care network

increases uptime and profitability

May 2012

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One area of Manitowoc Crane Care that continues to grow is EnCORE, the repair and refurbishment program that provides customers with everything from a reworked part to a completely rebuilt crane.

Over the past 12 months Looking Up has profiled several interesting EnCORE projects, and there is another story in this issue — a Grove RT crane rebuilt in Peru. But the projects that appear in these pages tell only part of the story. The transformation of a crane that appears beyond repair into a machine that looks like it just came out the factory gates makes for a great story – and for great photographs. But from Manitowoc’s perspective, what’s equally important is how EnCORE is

evolving to become even more meaningful to customers.Under the dedicated leadership of Gilberto Ferreira,

EnCORE is now the world’s largest, most comprehensive crane refurbishment operation. No other crane manufacturer (or independent repair company) offers anything that compares to Manitowoc’s resources. There are Manitowoc-owned EnCORE facilities in all the major regions (including Charlieu, France, which we also profile this issue). Others are opening too – the Passo Fundo factory in Brazil, for example.

There is also a growing network of partner dealers, audited and trained by EnCORE. North America now has almost complete coverage in terms of partner dealers. Appointments in EMEA and Asia-Pacific will follow. In terms of processes and operations, EnCORE has developed an extensive database chronicling repair and rebuild operations across a complete cross section of Manitowoc cranes going back decades.

It’s this kind of professional setup and quality assurance that draw customers to EnCORE. The financial benefits are also compelling. In our profile on page 22, we show how EnCORE was able to completely rebuild the Grove RT crane for just 35 percent of the cost of a replacement. Manitowoc cranes already have a reputation for delivering a great return on investment. Now, with EnCORE going global, those numbers will get even more impressive.

In this issueComment

A number of trade and brand names appear in Looking Up. For ease of design, these are displayed without their superscript or subscript symbols. The most common names are: MAnITowoC®, nATIonAl CrAne®, MAnITowoC CrAne CAre®, MAnITowoC FInAnCe®, Grove®, PoTAIn®, TwIn-loCKTM, MeGATrAK®, MeGAForMTM, ePIC®, CrAnesTAr®, vIsIon CAbTM, MAX-erTM and rInGer®.

Under the dedicated leadership of Gilberto Ferreira, EnCORE is now the world’s largest, most comprehensive crane refurbishment operation.

welcome

Ben Shaweditor-in-Chief

On the cOver:A Grove GMK7550 belonging to Texas Crane Services positions a Grove RT530E-2 on a dam maintenance project in Bastrop County, Texas, U.S. For more, see page 8.

News ..................................4Manitowoc around the world.

Job Site Report ...................8Grove GMK7550 for Texas Crane.

Job Site Report .................10Pedestal-mounting an 18000.

Job Site Report .................12Potain cranes on an Indian dam.

Dealer Profile ...................14ladybird Crane Group in the UK.

Product Focus ..................15GT8 and GT10A truck cranes.

Factory Focus ...................16Changes at Charlieu, France.

News Report .....................18A national crane in a Canadian oil field.

Management Profile .........19John wheeler is retiring.

Customer Profile ..............20Metcalf Crane services in Australia.

Technical Update ..............21Testing the luffing jib on the 31000.

Crane Care .......................22enCore rebuild of a Grove rT in Peru.

Technology Update ...........23Manitowoc ties up with Trimble and Ascorel.

Copies are available free of charge to crane customers, deal-ers, end users and enthusiasts. Material published in Looking Up remains the intellectual property of The Manitowoc Company, Inc.and may not be reproduced with-out prior written approval. Looking Up is written and designed by:

Americas2401 s. 30th street Po box 70, Manitowoc, wI 54221-0070, UsA Tel: +1 920 684 6621 Fax: +1 920 683 6617

EMEA18, rue de Charbonnières – bP 173 69132 eCUllY Cedex – France Tél: +33 (0)4 72 18 20 20 Fax: +33 (0)4 72 18 20 00

China16F Xu Hui Yuan building 1089 Zhongshan no.2 road (s) shanghai 200030 China Tel: +86 21 6457 0066 Fax: +86 21 6457 4955

Greater Asia-Pacific4 Kwong Min road singapore 628707 singapore Tel:+65 6264 1188 Fax: +65 6862 4040

www.manitowoc.com

Publisher: Ingo schiller

Editor-in-Chief: ben shaw

Managing Editor:Katie Propati

Contributing Editors: Amanda barbarossaCarole bolomier John bittner Chris bratthauar Punitha Govindasamy Cristelle lacourtleslie shalabistephen To Jean-Pierre Zaffiro

E-mail: lookingup@manitowoc.com

Subscriptions:www.manitowoclookingup.com

Over 80 Manitowoc dealers gathered in Xiamen for the 2012 China Dealers Conference. The dealers represent the company’s Potain, Grove and Manitowoc Crane Care brands and the China-only Dongyue brand of truck cranes. The conference included presentations on latest products from Manitowoc and quality improvements at the company’s manufacturing plants.

The event was also the first opportunity for Jean-Noel Daguin, Manitowoc’s new executive vice president in China, to speak about his role.

Daguin is new to the role, but not new to China. He was Manitowoc’s financial controller for Asia-Pacific for 10 years.

Daguin said the conference presented an ideal platform to talk to dealers.

“For me, the conference was about catching up with old friends and colleagues,” he said. “Together we are doing a great job in China, and we continue to work at serving this country’s growing crane market. It was good to discuss the market, new projects and future prospects.”

Two MDT 128 topless cranes from Potain are constructing the Hardanger Bridge in Norway, set to be one of the longest suspension bridges in the world. The 6 t (6.6 USt) cranes are placing suspension cables, and making other lifts, at the top of one of the bridge’s pylons, where working heights exceed 200 m (656 ft).

The cranes are owned by Ajos, a leading crane rental company and the Potain dealer for Denmark. Ajos supplied the cranes to MT Hojgaard, one of the largest contractors in Scandinavia.

The exposed site means the Potain cranes have no protection from the harsh Scandinavian weather, where temperatures fall as low as –40 degrees C (-40 degrees F) and wind speeds can reach 217 km/h (135 mph). Such extreme conditions mean the cranes enter out of service conditions, but even when temperatures rise and wind speeds fall to acceptable levels, maintaining lift schedules remains a challenge.

For the job, the MDT 128 cranes have been fitted with Potain’s powerful 50 LVF GH Optima winch, and both are working with four falls of wire rope. This configuration allows them to lift their maximum capacity, and allows high-speed hook operation and precise movement.

news

Dealers and new EVP meet in China

Landmark bridge uses Potain

The Potain cranes on the Hardanger Bridge in Norway will hit working heights of over 200 m (656 ft).

Representatives from across China met in Xiamen for Manitowoc’s 2012 China Dealer Conference.

Two German rental companies each added a Grove GSK55 crane to their fleet. Both companies, Klema Kranverleih GmbH from Munich and Kranprofis Allgäu GmbH from Pforzen, near Kaufbeuren, are located in Bavaria.

Peter Völker, managing director of Kranprofis Allgäu, said the crane’s versatility made it an easy choice.

“The improvements that Manitowoc made won me over,” he said. “Our company also works in Austria, and the ease of traveling between Germany and Austria without needing additional permits was a major

factor in our decision to invest.”The unique trailer-

mounted, 55 t (60 USt) GSK55 is the only crane of its type. It combines the upperworks of a Grove GMK3055 all-terrain crane with a specially-designed truck chassis.

Wolfgang Klenner, managing director of Klema, said the concept of a semi-trailer rig makes the crane easier to transport.

“The crane offers the strength of a three-axle machine but the transport configuration of a standard truck. This gives it greater freedom on the roads.”

GSK55 cranes join German rental fleets

Left to right: Martin Ehrlich, technical manager Klema GmbH; Peter Völker, general manager Kranprofis Allgäu GmbH; Wolfgang Klenner, general manager, Klema GmbH.

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A remote mine facility 12 hours from Kolkata, India in Jharkhand has purchased a new 120 t (130 USt) capacity Grove RT9130E. The crane was supplied to Eastern Coalfields and is doing a variety of operations and handling mechanical equipment such as dumper buckets, hydraulic shovel components and engines.

The crane replaced an older 90 t capacity RT crane and was supplied by TIL, the Grove dealer for India. It is the second RT9130E in India.

Siddhartha Bose, regional manager of TIL East Division, said the extreme environment of the mine site would not pose any problems.

“The working conditions on the job site are harsh, ranging from 3 degrees C (37 degrees F) in winter to 50 degrees C (122 degrees F) in summer,” he said. “But this crane is rugged enough to cope with both extremes. The customer is very happy with its performance, and it continues to help Eastern Coalfields keep the mine running efficiently.”

A Manitowoc Crane Care team from Victoria, Australia, worked tirelessly for five days to prepare a GTK1100 for shipping from Australia to South Africa. Owner Vanguard based the GTK1100 out of its Australian office for the past 12 months, but needed to ship it back quickly to its native South Africa for a series of lifts on the Medupi power station in Limpopo.

Under the management of Garry Barker, operations supervisor for Manitowoc Crane Care in Victoria, the team devised a logistics plan for moving the crane the 25 km (15 miles) from its storage base to the port. The team, which also included Gerald Mueller from EMEA and Juergen Haeussler from the Manitowoc Crane Care team in Australia, then worked with the Manitowoc

office in Wilhelmshaven, Germany to plan the removal of the inner sections of the crane’s mast, to ensure it met local transport regulations.

Despite the huge challenges involved in the job, the crane sailed on schedule and is back in South Africa working on the power station.

Two self-erecting cranes from Potain helped turn a three week delay for bad weather into an early completion on a project at Cedarville University in Ohio, U.S. The 6 t (6.6 USt) HDT 80 cranes played a central role in constructing the $16.5 million Health Science Center, and made up time that was lost during weather shut downs.

Capital City Group rented the cranes for the project to main contractor Danis Builders LLC. The project originally called for a standard fixed tower crane but Danis chose two self-erecting cranes instead.

Keith Jenkins, sales and marketing manager at CC Group, said the HDT 80 cranes were the simplest, fastest and most cost-effective choice.

“The self-erectors didn’t need foundations or much land preparation,” he said. “They can travel on one truck and be ready to work in no time. Benefits like this, on a project with a tight budget and an even tighter schedule,

made them an easy choice.”The HDT 80s were

supplied with height-adjustable cabs and this option proved a real hit with the operators as the mast-mounted cabs gave the drivers a choice of vantage points.

news

Indian mine takes large Grove RT

Crane Care helps GTK hurry home

Potain cranes successful on University job

The Grove RT9130E at the Eastern Coalfields facility in West Bengal, India.

Manitowoc Crane Care prepares Vanguard’s GTK1100 for shipping from Australia back to South Africa.

Potain self-erecting cranes on a U.S. university project where their speed and simplicity helped the contractor hit deadline.

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Satish Bhatnagar, left, with Eric Etchart of Manitowoc, celebrating TIL’s delivery of its 5,000th crane in 2007.

news

Satish Bhatnagar, head of TIL’s material handling division and a recognizable face in the Indian mobile crane industry, recently passed away. TIL is both Manitowoc’s full line dealer in the country and a manufacturer of Grove RT cranes, built under license.

He joined TIL in 1990 in a management position, but swiftly rose through the ranks to head up the material handling division. During his time he oversaw the expansion of the company’s sales and manufacturing operations for Manitowoc cranes. He was well-known at

TIL and throughout the Indian mobile crane industry.

Sumit Mazumder, CEO and vice chairman of TIL, said Bhatnagar’s legacy would live on.

“Satish was an inspiration to everyone who worked with him, and we’ll miss his passion for excellence and his vision,” he said. “He was a great friend to me and all the team at TIL, and his influence can still be seen in our operations and our attitude to customer service. We are committed to continuing his legacy by providing the highest quality products and the best customer service.”

A Manitowoc 7000 is taking center stage on the construction of a cable-stayed bridge in St. Louis, Mo., U.S., that will span the Mississippi River. The 350 USt (317 t) capacity crane is being used to construct two towers that will support the bridge.

The Manitowoc 7000 is pedestal-mounted on a barge and is lifting preassembled rebar cages into place. These cages will form the base for

the two 406 ft (124 m) towers that will support the bridge. The crane will perform over 70 rebar cage lifts.

Massman Construction of Kansas City owns and operates the Manitowoc 7000. Massman is the lead contractor in a joint venture, which includes Traylor Brothers of Evansville, Ind., and Alberici Constructors of St. Louis.

After the towers are complete, the Manitowoc 7000

will be used with other Manitowoc crawler cranes to lift sections into place for the bridge span. Other Manitowoc cranes on the project include two Manitowoc 2250s, a Manitowoc 4100W and a Manitowoc 4000W.

The $229 million Mississippi River Bridge project is a four-lane bridge crossing the river and connecting downtown St. Louis to southwestern Illinois. It will open to traffic in 2014.

Long-term Grove customer Auto-Klug, based in Germany, added a second GMK3055 all-terrain crane to its fleet. The company enjoyed huge success with its first GMK3055 and needs the second crane to meet growing demand.

Christina Glück, executive board member of Auto-Klug, said that three key features provide optimum versatility.

“The Grove GMK3055 has the ideal combination of boom length, compact design and lifting capacity,” she said. “It has a real competitive advantage in terms of lift height and capability.”

Auto-Klug now offers 12 Krupp and Grove cranes for rent across much of central and southeast Germany. The crane was presented to Auto-Klug at a special event at the Grove plant in Niella Tanaro, in northern Italy, where the crane is built.

With a 55 t (60 USt) capacity and a carrier just 2.55 m (8.5 ft) wide and less than 9 m (30 ft) long, the three-axle GMK3055 is a compact but powerful all-terrain crane.

Auto-Klug, based in Hof, is a long-running family business. Its 200 employees are based in offices in Bavaria, Thuringia, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt.

India mourns loss of industry veteran

Auto-Klug adds second GMK3055

Big river needs big crawler

A barge-mounted Manitowoc 7000 helping with bridge building work on the U.S.’s largest river system, the Mississippi River.

At the delivery of a GMK3055 to Auto-Klug. Left to right are: Stefan Kock, Auto-Klug; Dieter Popp, Manitowoc; Christina Glück, Auto-Klug; Siegfried Kohl, Auto-Klug.

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news

A team of nine Grove mobile cranes and three Potain tower cranes is playing a central role in the construction of one of the largest power projects in the Indian Ocean. The 220 MW Port East diesel-fired power station on Reunion Island is two years into development, and the cranes are placing a range of high-cost, high-tech materials.

All the cranes are owned and operated by local rental company Grues Levages et Investissements. Energy giant EDF is the main contractor while international engineering firm MAN is managing the project.

One of the most challenging parts of the job so far was erecting two 54 m

(177 ft) chimneys, each consisting of six exhaust ducts inside a lattice structure.

Another major task was installing six urea tanks, each weighing 20 t (22 USt).

The crowded site tests the cranes’ maneuverability and their operators’ skill. All-terrain cranes on the project range from the 35 t capacity GMK2035 (35 USt GMK2035 in the U.S.) to the 220 t capacity GMK5220 (275 USt GMK5275 in the U.S.). The three Potain cranes are the MD 238 A, MD 365 B and MDT 218 A.

The cranes will remain on the project until early 2014. Reunion Island is located off the east coast of Africa, near Madagascar.

Northern Australian company Complete Crane Hire added a Grove GMK4100L to its fleet in late 2011. With the arrival of this 60 m (197 ft) boom machine, the Darwin based company is able to offer its customers one of the longest telescopic booms in the region.

Complete Crane Hire chose the 100 t (115 USt) crane to meet the growing needs in the Northern Territory, and the crane’s impressive capabilities mean demand is high. One of its first jobs was several weeks on site, assisting with repair work of a flood

damaged rail bridge 300 km (186 miles) south of Darwin. Following that the crane has worked on numerous local projects and has upcoming work at Darwin’s LNG plant and a remote gold mine. Moving the GMK4100L within the Northern Territory is faster and more cost-effective than other cranes of this capacity.

Whereas two trailers are usually required to carry counterweights, the GMK4100L needs only one trailer to carry its full counterweight – lowering costs and expediting operations for customers.

Long boom lifts in Darwin

Grove and Potain team up for power station

Manitowoc announced two appointments that strengthen its sales network in the North American region. Mike Heacock is appointed vice president of sales for Potain cranes in North America, and Bruce Peterson is promoted to senior regional business manager for the North America Midwest region.

Heacock has more than 20 years of experience in the crane industry. Prior to his position with Manitowoc, he worked for 10 years at Coast Crane, most recently as the general manager of the west coast dealer’s tower crane group. He will report directly to David Hull, senior vice president of sales and marketing for North America.

Peterson’s new role will see him work with Manitowoc distributors Kirby Smith, Hayden Murphy and Walter Payton Power to develop and strengthen market presence and share. Peterson has worked in the equipment industry for more than 27 years, the vast majority of those with Manitowoc Cranes.

His previous roles have included regional business manager as well as product specialist positions with Potain and Grove product lines. Peterson reports directly to Joe Maslizek, vice president of sales for lattice and hydraulic cranes in North America.

North American sales force expands

Mike Heacock

Bart Sutherland (left) of Complete Cranes and Ben Masters of Manitowoc in front of the new GMK4100L.

Bruce Peterson

Grove mobile cranes working on the new Port East power station in Reunion Island.

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exas Crane Services recently expanded its rental fleet with a new Grove GMK7550 (GMK7450 outside the U.S.) — Manitowoc’s largest

capacity all-terrain crane.The new crane helped to significantly

enhance the San Antonio-based crane rental company’s scope of work it is able to do for customers.

Tony Turner, president of Texas Crane Services, said the capacity and reach of the crane have opened up new markets for the rental company.

“For years we’ve seen a growing need for a crane that can handle heavier and heavier loads. Now that we’ve added the GMK7550 to the fleet, we have the ability to offer these services to our existing customers, as well as a whole new set of potential customers,” he said.

Two of the first projects for Texas Crane Services’ GMK7550 made the most of the crane’s capacity and reach.

Dam maintenanceThe first job for the new GMK7550 all-terrain crane was a dam maintenance project in Bastrop County, Texas. The 550 USt (450 t) crane lifted a Grove RT530E-2 rough-terrain crane onto a barge. The RT-equipped barge was then used to replace stop logs on the dam of the Lake Bastrop reservoir.

The 4,000 ft (1,220 m) long, 85 ft (26 m) high, earth-filled dam was inaccessible to cranes from land, which led the rental company to plan the barge approach employing both the all-terrain and rough-terrain cranes.

Sterling Frymire, senior vice president for Texas Crane Services, said the uneven

terrain and size of the dam required an innovative solution.

“We had a few meetings at the lake to determine how we could get a crane close enough to the dam to move the logs,” said Frymire. “Once we saw it was impossible to reach the dam from land, we decided to use the rough-terrain crane on the barge.”

For the pick, the GMK7550 worked at a 105 ft (32 m) radius. It was configured with 148 ft (45 m) of main boom and used 120 USt (109 t) of counterweight to lift the 30 USt (27 t) capacity rough-terrain crane.

Capacity was an obvious priority when selecting this crane to perform the lift, and the GMK7550 is the strongest all-terrain crane in the Grove product line with a maximum capacity of 550 USt (450 t). However, because of the nature of this job, counterweight was also critical while working at a 105 ft (32 m) radius to place a heavy load. The GMK7550 is available with 264,500 lbs (120 t) of counterweight – all of which was used for this lift. The crane features a hydraulic counterweight installation and removal system which greatly improves rigging and set up time.

Once the Grove RT530E-2 was placed on the barge, it was floated across the lake to the section of the dam that needed repair. Positioned next to the dam, the RT530E-2 was able to replace the logs safely and efficiently.

Deconstruction downtownAnother project that highlighted the GMK7550’s impressive reach was the dismantling of a dome in the roof of a historic auditorium in downtown San Antonio, Texas. Dismantling the roof of The Tobin Center, a 1920s-era theater, is just one part of a $130 million renovation project.

The four roof sections, which ranged in weight from 5 USt to 10 USt (4.5 t to 9 t), were dismantled in place and then lifted out of the main structure. A smaller crane was then used to remove the individual beams from each section.

Texas Crane Services crane operator John Dalton said they chose the GMK7550 primarily for its reach.

“The challenge of the job was to take the roof apart without damaging the rest of the historic structure,” said Dalton. “We could not position the crane very close to the building, so the crane had to be able to reach across the building.”

The GMK7550 features a 197 ft (60 m) main boom, but with a luffing jib and inserts, it has a maximum tip height of 430 ft (131 m). For the Tobin Center job, Texas Crane’s GMK7550 operated at radii that ranged from 90 ft to 180 ft (27 m to 55 m). The GMK7550 was configured with 115 ft (35 m) of main boom and 161 ft (49 m) of luffing jib.

The crane was also configured with Grove’s patented Mega Wing Lift attachment. The Mega Wing Lift is a special wing-like attachment that fixes to the boom and provides rigidity when working with very long boom/jib combinations and increased counterweight.

The attachment is particularly useful for job sites, similar to the Tobin Center job, that require the crane to pick from distance.

The GMK7550 features a 197 ft (60 m) five-section boom and an 82 ft to 259 ft (25 m to 79 m) optional luffing jib. It is also equipped with Grove’s unique Megatrak suspension system. Its independent suspension and all-wheel steer system allows the wheels to remain on the ground at all times so stress and weight are not continually transferred between axles.

Job site report

Load starTexas Crane Services is putting its new Grove GMK7550 to good use on jobs throughout the U.S. state. Leslie Shalabi reports.

TTexas Crane Services debuted its new GMK7550 on a dam project in Bastrop County.

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Job site report

The GMK7550 dismantling the roof of The Tobin Center in San Antonio, Texas.

Job site report

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Job site report

our Manitowoc Crane Care technicians worked on a challenging project that required barge-mounting a Manitowoc 18000 — while the barge

was still under construction. The vessel is being built at a shipyard in Dubai, UAE and will eventually work on a Liquefied Natural Gas project in India. To complete the job, Manitowoc Crane Care dispatched their team from Manitowoc’s Abu Dhabi facility.

The Manitowoc 18000 and barge both belong to Afcons, one of India’s leading infrastructure companies. The crane has a 750 t (827 USt) capacity and will be working with a 97 m (318 ft) main boom on the LNG field Afcons is developing for the Gujarat State Petroleum Company.

Before the pedestal-mounting could begin, all workers from Manitowoc Crane Care and Afcons were trained in the dock’s safety regulations and procedures. This involved preparing the equipment and materials in line with the facility’s requirements, plus ensuring all workers received additional safety training. Communication between Manitowoc Crane Care, Afcons and the port authorities was crucial in ensuring work remained on schedule.

With safety clearance granted, work on the installation began. Engineers from Manitowoc drafted specific installation plans to take into account the construction was taking place in dry dock. The engineers also had to take into account the fact the barge was higher up — a full 6 m (20 ft) above ground level. This is much higher than when installing a pedestal-mounted crane on water.

First stage for the work was installing the custom-built pedestal on the deck of the barge. With this in place, the Manitowoc Crane Care team installed the slew ring and upper works of the crane. This was followed by the mast and counterweight before installing the full main boom. The entire process took 20 days for the team of 10 workers.

K Radesh, project manager at Afcons, said the smooth installation of the 18000 helped the barge build stay on schedule.

“On major jobs such as this there are often additional challenges, such as conforming with local regulations or fitting around other work schedules,” he said. “That’s what the guys at Manitowoc Crane Care really understand and that’s

why we continue to turn to them for our lifting equipment.”

The 18000 is the largest Manitowoc crane in the Afcons fleet. Other models in the fleet include the 4100, 4000, 3900W, 8500, 10000, 14000 and 999 cranes with capacities ranging from 80 t (85 USt) to the 750 t (827 USt) Manitowoc 18000.

After work on the barge finishes it will be towed 1,600 km (1,000 miles) to India where it will spend 16 months at the Mundra LNG terminal in north-western India. It will be used to build offloading facilities and a jetty, and most of its duties will involve placing steel piles and lifting precast structures of up to 100 t (110 USt).

Developed by Gujarat State Petroleum Company, one of India’s leading oil and gas companies, the LNG terminal will cover more than 28 hectares of reclaimed land. The site will be operational in 2014.

Established more than 50 years ago, Afcons works in almost every area of infrastructure, from transport and civil works to marine and oil and gas projects. The company’s 6,500 employees work throughout India, the Middle East and Africa.

Barge building for Indian energy projectInstalling a Manitowoc 18000 on a barge was the latest challenge for Manitowoc Crane Care in the Middle East. Carole Bolomier reports.

F

The pedestal-mounted Manitowoc 18000 for Afcons takes shape at a dry dock in Dubai, UAE.

Assembling the crane on the barge was made more difficult because the barge was still under construction at the time of installation.

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One of two Potain MC 475 special application cranes on the construction of the Alknanda Dam in India.

Job site reportJob site report

wo Potain MC 475 special application cranes are at the center of a major hydroelectric power project in India. Access to the job

was a huge challenge, with steep valley walls and mountains surrounding the site, which meant moving the tower cranes onto the site required careful planning. The new dam will sit across a remote

section of the Alknanda River in Uttarakhand, northern India.

Apurba Kumar Mandal, territory service manager for Manitowoc Crane Care in India, was part of the team that moved and assembled the cranes. He said checking the roads and planning the route was the most difficult part.

“The roads leading to the job site are

not used for transporting heavy equipment so our engineers checked if the roads were fit for purpose before shipping the cranes,” he said. “Monitoring ground conditions and planning the transport schedule was a large part of this job. But once on site, the cranes were easy to assemble. The connections are smooth and the modular design makes it logical and straightforward

Special Potain cranes for tough taskFinding reliable cranes was essential for a major contractor building a dam in the northern-most part of India. Punitha Govindasamy reports.

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Job site report

to put the pieces together, even for such large cranes.”

The remote location in northern India also brings weather challenges with severe cold in winter followed by soaring heat in summer. In addition, heavy rains fall all year round, causing landslides and blocked roads.

Ashish Kumar Goel is equipment manager at Larsen & Toubro, the main contractor on the project and the company that owns the cranes. He said that the weather conditions and tough environment required reliable, durable and proven equipment.

“Getting to the job site was a challenge, so we wanted to be certain the cranes were capable and reliable. Getting heavy vehicles back to site with replacement sections or mechanisms is not easy so we wanted to be sure there was minimal chance of that,” he said. “We know Potain cranes well, having used them for 25 years, so we understand their capabilities. Of course the cranes have needed servicing during their time on site, but any problems with them are small and we get great support from Manitowoc Crane Care.”

The 25 t (27.5 USt) capacity cranes are lifting general construction materials to build the $730 million dam. The four year project will create a 330 MW hydroelectric power station. Managing all construction work is GVK Group, one of India’s largest project management companies, which in turn hired Larsen & Toubro as the main contractor.

The two Potain cranes were erected in October 2009 by technicians from L&T and Manitowoc Crane Care. Each has been ideally positioned for maximum reach, with one running on a 30 m (98 ft) track for additional coverage.

The cranes are lifting a variety of materials and equipment for the dam,

which will measure 285 m (935 ft) across and 92 m (302 ft) tall. They are helping place the 335,000 m3 (440,000 yd3) of concrete and also lifting concrete formwork, welding machines and generators. The demanding work program keeps the cranes lifting right up to their maximum capacity, with loads up to 25 t (27.5 USt).

Both Potain cranes are configured with 60 m (197 ft) jibs and one has a working height of 25 m (82 ft) while the other stands 60 m (197 ft) tall. The taller crane is situated near the foot of the dam while the shorter one is higher up the valley, mounted on the 30 m (98 ft) track. The cranes will stay on site until the end of 2012, when the project will complete.

Potain’s MC 475 M25 offers a maximum possible jib length of 80 m (262 ft) and a maximum tip load of 3 t (3.3 USt).

This MC 475 crane is working at a height of 60 m (197 ft) and works at the foot of the dam.

Apurba Kumar Mandal, territory service man-ager for Manitowoc Crane Care in India.

“Once on site, the cranes were easy to assemble. The connections are smooth and the modular design makes it logical and straightforward to

put the pieces together, even for such large cranes.”

Apurba Kumar Mandal, territory service manager

for Manitowoc Crane Care in India.

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anitowoc has appointed Ladybird Crane Sales, part of the Ladybird Crane Group, as its new UK dealer for Potain self-erecting

cranes. The company’s sister firm, Ladybird Crane Hire, already operates the largest rental fleet of Potain cranes in the UK. This new dealership agreement will see further units join the rental fleet while sales to contractors, builders and other end users will run through the group’s nationwide sales network.

Kim Dandridge, Manitowoc’s sales director for the UK and Ireland, said Ladybird’s knowledge of Potain self-erecting cranes makes it a natural choice as a dealer.

“We are delighted to sign this agreement with Ladybird — the company is perfectly placed to represent Potain self-erecting

cranes in the UK,” he said. “We have worked with the guys there for years and have always been impressed with their professionalism, knowledge and commitment to customer service.”

Ladybird will serve the UK from its headquarters in Bromsgrove where it has a demonstration area, yard, workshop and training facility. The group supports its rental fleet with a team of full-time engineers and a network of sub-contractors who will also service cranes sold to third parties. In addition, Ladybird has a full-time training manager to help contractors get the most from their cranes.

As an added benefit to customers purchasing or renting cranes from the company, Ladybird offers the innovative GAPO positioning vehicle. GAPO is a remote-controlled dolly that can maneuver

cranes into very tight job sites. Robert Bird, managing director of

Ladybird Crane Group, said demand for self-erecting cranes has remained relatively strong in a difficult market.

“The UK market for self-erecting cranes has proved resilient in recent years, despite lower levels of construction activity,” he said. “Contractors are focusing on costs and operations and as self-erecting cranes are a cost-effective, single source for material handling, we’re seeing levels of interest remain steady.”

One of the most popular job sites for self-erecting cranes in the UK are care homes and large residential houses, both of which have been relatively unaffected by the construction downturn.

Robert Bird said the potential for self-erecting cranes in the UK remains huge.

“We’ve seen good, steady growth in the self-erecting crane market as contractors get more accustomed to the benefits they bring,” he said. “But compared with other European markets the UK is still relatively small. The more customers use self-erecting cranes, the more they come back, which is positive news for the industry.”

Ladybird Crane Sales is the UK’s new dealer for Potain self-erecting cranes, but the company is no stranger to Manitowoc. Ben Shaw reports.

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Dealer Profile

Celebrating the appointment of Ladybird Crane Sales as the UK dealer for Potain self-erecting cranes. Left to right are: Robert Bird, managing director of Ladybird Crane Group; Kim Dandridge, sales director for Manitowoc in the UK and Ireland; Steve Barnett, commercial director for Manitowoc in the UK, Ireland and Scandinavia.

Single source sales and rental

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anitowoc welcomed over 75 guests to an open day at its factory in TaiAn, Shangdong Province, China for the launch of

two new truck cranes, the GT8 and GT10A. The cranes are the first to benefit from updated design and production processes at the factory.

The GT8 will compete in the 8 t (8.8 USt) capacity class, and the GT10A in the 10 t (11 USt) capacity class, both hugely popular classes in China’s truck crane market. In addition to industry-leading performance, both cranes have cost effective and simple designs, as favored by Chinese customers.

Robin Zhang, production manager at Manitowoc Dongyue Heavy Machinery Co. Ltd., said new processes at TaiAn allowed Manitowoc to design more efficient cranes without adding cost or complexity.

“These new cranes offer significant improvements over our previous models in the 8 t (8.8 USt) and 10 t (11 USt) capacity classes,” he said. “They can lift more and reach further, yet they have the simplicity of design and operation that Chinese customers like.”

GT8 and GT10A unveiledManitowoc engineers have refined the design of the GT8, creating a crane with a 17.4 m (57 ft) main boom and a 6 m (20 ft) jib. Together this combination can offer an overall lifting height of 23.9 m (78 ft), while still being able to lift 1.3 t (1.4 USt) out to 5 m (16 ft) radius. Both lifting and driving power come from a single FAW engine. For the GT10A, the main boom is 19.9 m (65 ft) and with the jib attachment that can increase to 25.8 m (85 ft). The crane can reach hoisting speeds of 105 m/min (344 ft/min) and the top road speed is

74 km/h (46 mph). Both lifting and driving power come from a single FAW engine rated at 101 kW (135 hp) at 2,500 rpm.

Common featuresThe boom for both cranes is a simple four-plate design with plenty of capacity. For

the GT8 the boom can fully extend in just 35 seconds, and for the GT10A it’s 40 seconds. On both cranes, simplicity is key and the manual hydraulic controls are reliable and easy to use. Manitowoc has included ferrule fittings on the hydraulic hoses to reduce leakages and maintain reliability, and a control panel relays key data to the operator.

As with all cranes from Manitowoc, attention is given to creating an ergonomic environment for the operator. A streamlined cab gives the driver an uncluttered view of the load on the hook and the instrument panel. Both cranes have full decking around the superstructure, and anti-slip handholds and steps provide easy access. Controls are color-coded for faster identification and operation.

The GT8 and GT10A are the smallest capacity truck cranes from Manitowoc Dongyue Heavy Machinery Co. Ltd., and will act as a template for future launches.

Product Focus

Visitors to the Manitowoc Dongyue factory in TaiAn, China for the launch of two new cranes.

The new GT8 truck crane from Manitowoc Dongyue.

Simple improvementsTwo new truck cranes from Manitowoc’s China factory have the trademark simplicity customers expect, but also offer improved performance. Stephen To reports.

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16

Two workers paint a lattice section for a Potain Igo T self-erecting crane.

Factory FocusFactory Focus

n September last year, 400 guests toured the Manitowoc factory in Charlieu to see the expansions and upgrades implemented over the past

couple of years. The factory previously built all Potain

Igo self-erecting cranes; however, Manitowoc moved production to the Niella Tanaro factory in Italy and now

focuses on four main activities at Charlieu. They are:

• Manufacturinghoistwinchesandtrolley winches for Potain tower cranes and hoist drums for Grove mobile cranes

• Manufacturinglargeself-erecting Igo T telescoping cranes

• ManufacturinglargeweldmentsforGrove mobile cranes

• RefurbishingcranesunderManitowocCrane Care’s EnCORE program and manufacturing spare parts.

Charlieu is a Center of Excellence for each of its activities, representing the peak of engineering excellence in EMEA in

Focus on excellenceManitowoc has reorganized operations at its Charlieu factory in France to focus on four key activities. Carole Bolomier reports.

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Hoist production for Grove and Potain cranes built in EMEA now takes place at the Manitowoc factory in Charlieu, France.

each discipline. One of its major areas of operation, hoist production, has significantly expanded since Manitowoc consolidated all activities in 2010.

Bruno Durand, director of operations for Manitowoc at Charlieu, said the facility was a natural choice for hoist production.

“At Charlieu, we have always maintained good machining capabilities so when consolidating hoist production it made sense to move here,” he said. “Hoist production involves high precision rolling of thick steel, which is a specialist metalworking job. At Charlieu, we’ve invested time and money in getting this right. And it’s very important because a high quality hoist is crucial to the productivity of a Manitowoc crane.”

Global expertiseProduction of hoists, as well as Igo T cranes and Grove mobile crane weldments, is based around lean manufacturing. To design the production lines at Charlieu, Manitowoc used its global expertise in implementing

lean manufacturing processes at its other factories and also worked with the Ecole Catholique d’Arts et Métiers, one of France’s leading engineering schools.

Multi-purpose layoutThe result is a production line that, viewed from above, resembles a U-shape stretching round three sides of the building. There are two lines that follow the U-shape, one for hoists and one for Igo T cranes. Sitting inside the U-shape are two more production lines, one for machining Grove mobile crane components and one for refurbishments under the EnCORE program. Changes at Charlieu began in 2008 but the majority of the upgrade took place during 2010.

With the new operations and the move to lean manufacturing, changes were needed outside the factory too, notably with suppliers. Lean manufacturing requires components are delivered directly to the production line, in smaller batches, and on a more regular basis. Manitowoc

partnered with its suppliers over the course of 2010 to ensure the new production lines were up and running with no delays.

Update continuesToday lean manufacturing works well at the plant, and the process is continually updated as crane designs change and standardization of parts continues across the Manitowoc range. Following the consolidation of activities and the move to lean manufacturing, production now moves faster and more efficiently through the factory. Lead times for cranes and components are reduced, while quality has improved.

Bruno Durand said the improvements are significant.

“The distance components travel for the production of hoists is dramatically reduced, parts are delivered faster and there is more standardization,” he said. “We are reducing lead times for cranes and we’re seeing quality improve but most importantly our customers are happier.”

Factory Focus

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news report

arden Oil Field Hauling supports oil field activities near Alberta, Canada. In business since 2006, Barden recently added a National

Crane boom truck to its fleet of haul trucks. The NBT45 is mounted on a tri-drive, dual-steer Kenworth C500 semi-tractor. So as the crane travels to the oil field site, it is able to haul materials and equipment as well.

Barry Andersen, owner of Barden Oil Field Hauling, says having the ability to use the truck to haul as well as lift and place tanks, matting and other oil field equipment is a valuable benefit.

“Having a crane that can also haul is a huge cost saving for our customers,” he said. “Without this feature, we would need a separate truck to haul equipment, which would add to the cost of the job significantly.”

The typical job for Barden is hauling and placing 400 barrel oil tanks. For this type of job, they must also haul and install matting

before placing the tanks. The rig mats measure 8 ft x 40 ft, (2.4 m x

12 m) and weigh 9,000 lbs (4,082 kg). They will typically need to place around a hundred of these for a job – two mats per tank. The oil tanks themselves are 20 ft (6 m) tall and weigh between 12,000 lbs and 14,000 lbs (5,443 kg to 6,350 kg).

Regulations in the oil fields are requiring crane operators to lift and place these items

from a longer radius. The latest environmental regulations

require that tanks containing oil must be surrounded by a containment berm. The berm is covered with matting then a liner which cannot be driven on. This means that to set tanks, the crane must be set up outside the berm and operate at a longer radius than it once had to.

With the NBT45-TM, Andersen says they can now work 30 ft (9 m) further away than with their previous boom truck.

“Before we added this boom truck to our fleet we could only place tanks before we had to reposition the crane. Now, we can handle anywhere from seven to nine tanks.”

Barden worked closely with its National Crane dealer, Strongco, to have the NBT45-TM mounted on the semi-tractor. The crane has worked so well for them in the field that they have recently purchased a second tractor-mounted NBT45. This one will be mounted on a lighter semi-tractor to allow more payload to be hauled.

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The reach and capacity of Manitowoc’s NBT45-TM boom truck coupled with a tractor-mount configuration has increased efficiency for an oil field hauling company in western Canada. Leslie Shalabi reports.

Oil field efficiency

An NBT45-TM mounted on a tri-drive/dual-steer semi-tractor means that Barden Oil Field Hauling can haul materials as the crane is transported to the site.

“Having a crane that can also haul is a huge cost saving for our customers. Without this feature, we would need

a separate truck to haul equipment, which would add to the cost of the job significantly.”Barry Andersen, owner of Barden Oil Field Hauling

t was 1974 when John Wheeler began a long and distinguished career with Manitowoc Cranes. He is one of the company’s longest-serving managers

who over the years witnessed many changes, including the purchase of Potain and Grove by Manitowoc, the worldwide rollout of Manitowoc Crane Care and the opening of numerous new crane factories worldwide.

John retired on April 2, 2012 after nearly four decades of service to the company and the crane industry.

“I’ve been very fortunate to spend my days working in an industry I love,” he said. “I can’t think of a better company to have spent my career at than Manitowoc. Although I’m moving on, I know the company will continue making the best cranes in the world.”

During his time at Manitowoc, Wheeler held numerous senior positions, most recently serving as executive vice president of Manitowoc Cranes in China.

His work there was instrumental in driving operational improvements at the factories in Zhangjiagang and TaiAn, and building even stronger relationships with Manitowoc’s customers.

Eric Etchart, president and general manager of Manitowoc Cranes, said Wheeler’s contributions, especially in recent years, have been invaluable.

“John’s experience in the lifting industry and deep-rooted knowledge of Manitowoc has made him a valuable member of our management team,” he said. “We extend our gratitude for his decades of service to our company.”

Wheeler helped direct the company through industry highs and lows. His leadership during good times contributed

to sales booms in the late 1970s and early 2000s. Similarly, when the massive economic downturn hit in 2008, Wheeler’s management contribution helped ensure Manitowoc maintained its position as a global crane leader, staying ahead of the competition.

Wheeler’s career path reflects his dedication to the crane industry. He started as director of materials for Grove Manufacturing Company, rising steadily over the years and eventually becoming senior vice president of manufacturing in 1995. When Manitowoc acquired Grove Worldwide in 2002, he was the company’s chief operating officer.

In 2003 Wheeler was named vice president and general manager of Manitowoc in the Americas. In 2007 he stepped down as executive vice president for the Americas to become executive vice president for global manufacturing and lead Manitowoc’s operation excellence initiative. He took on his final role as executive vice president for Manitowoc China in 2010.

All the while, Wheeler never forgot the company’s most important resource: people.

“It’s a competitive market, but the important thing is getting the right people,” he said.

“Although we’re sorry to see John leave, we remain thankful he chose to spend his career at Manitowoc,” said Etchart. “We wish him all the best in retirement.”

John Wheeler

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Profile

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John Wheeler (fourth from left) with Chinese customers and Manitowoc staff, standing next to Eric Etchart at CONEXPO 2011 in Las Vegas, Nev., U.S.

John Wheeler retiresAfter almost four decades at Manitowoc, John Wheeler is finally taking a well-earned retirement. Damian Joseph reports.

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Customer Profile

Celebrating the latest Grove delivery to Metcalf Crane Services are: Kelvin Kent, Manitowoc general manager for Australia and New Zealand (left), and Tim Metcalf, owner of Metcalf Crane Services.

he most recent addition to the rental fleet of Metcalf Crane Services is the Grove GMK3055 all-terrain. It joins other, larger Grove cranes in the

company’s growing rental fleet. Tim Metcalf, owner of Metcalf Crane

Services, said the GMK3055 offers more options for the company when serving smaller capacity projects.

“We bought this crane at the end of 2011 to help us meet growing demand from customers for cranes around this capacity class,” he said. “We studied the market and compared load charts, pricing and availability. After discussing our needs with Manitowoc, the GMK3055 became an ideal choice.”

The three-axle GMK3055 has a 55 t (60 USt) capacity and an overall vehicle length

of just 10.895 m (35.7 ft), making it perfect for maneuvering on smaller job sites. Other Grove cranes in the Metcalf fleet include the GMK5130-1 and the GMK5130-2 (known as the GMK5165-1 and GMK5165-2 in the U.S.), both with a 130 t (165 USt) capacity. The GMK5130-1 was the company’s first purchase from Manitowoc back in 2005, and the crane is still working productively today.

In addition, Metcalf operates a 100 t capacity GMK4100 (the 115 USt GMK4115 in the U.S.) plus a 220 t capacity GMK5220 (275 USt GMK5275 in the U.S.). Tim Metcalf said the strength of the cranes in the Grove range is a standout feature.

“The Megatrak system gives Grove cranes the strongest suspensions in the industry,” he said. “We like the fact we can carry more counterweight on-site with our Grove cranes

than we can with other models.”Projects over the past 12 months for

Metcalf have involved roads, bridges, high rises and other general construction work. Its cranes have also been used on a variety of energy, tunneling, building services, steelwork and other projects.

Tim Metcalf said the company is determined to continue its push for growth in the Victorian crane market and capitalize on its success, which is based around their simple yet committed “getting the job done” motto.

“Our early success was all based around just getting the job done for customers,” he said. “And that attitude resulted in more work, allowed us to grow our business, purchase new cranes and add to our workforce. Our experience in general rigging, steel erection and pre-cast concrete placement has helped us develop a reputation for unparalleled service.”

Metcalf Crane Services was founded in 1996 by Tim Metcalf. In addition to crane hire, the company also offers rigging and transport services Australia-wide.

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Metcalf Crane Services based in Victoria, Australia is one of the modern success stories of the country’s crane rental industry. Punitha Govindasamy reports.

Job done for Metcalf

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Technical Update

he first 2,300 t (2,535 USt) capacity Model 31000, Manitowoc’s massive new crawler crane, is nearing the end of its testing phase and is

scheduled to be delivered later this year. In addition to its considerable capacity

and unique Variable Position Counterweight, the boom and jib combinations of this highly innovative crane are the longest ever designed for Manitowoc crawler cranes.

Mike Wood, senior product manager with Manitowoc Cranes, says that with a crane the size of the 31000, maximizing flexibility and versatility were major design priorities.

“We have designed the 31000 to be as adaptable as possible,” he said. “The crane is available with multiple boom and jib configurations, as well as five counterweight configurations.”

The 31000 comes standard with a 55 m (180 ft) heavy-lift main boom, but using optional 5 m (16 ft) and 10 m (33 ft) inserts, the main boom can be extended to a total length of 110 m (361 ft). Optional boom configurations can also dramatically increase the crane’s reach and lift height.

The first attachment is a fixed jib with a basic rating of 1,400 t (1,543 USt) and a basic configuration of 24 m (79 ft). Using optional inserts, users can extend the fixed jib to 42 m (138 ft).

A luffing jib is also available for the 31000. The standard luffing jib is 36 m (118 ft), but by using optional inserts, the luffing jib can be extended to 114 m (374 ft). Maximum capacity of the luffing jib is 1,100 t (1,212 USt).

The 31000 also has a combination boom, which combines parts of the main boom and the luffing jib. With various inserts, the combination boom has a total

maximum length of 138 m (453 ft).Wood says that there is always an

emphasis on asset management when designing the various boom and jib combinations.

“We are utilizing much of the luffing jib for the fixed jib, and many of the boom sections and boom top of the luffing jib are used in the combination boom, thereby ensuring maximum utilization.”

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Flexibility and asset manage-ment were top of mind when designing the boom and attachments for Manitowoc’s largest crawler crane. Chris Bratthauar reports.

31000 boom configurations

The Manitowoc 31000 on the right is tested with its full 114 m (472 ft) luffing jib.

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Crane Care

anitowoc Crane Care EnCORE and Matrixsa, its service center for Peru, completely refurbished a Grove RT630

rough-terrain crane used as support equipment in a Peruvian copper mine.

The crane was purchased new in 1992 and since then has worked in the mine for Compania Minera Southern Peru Copper Corp. While there was no major structural damage to the crane, it had over 11,500 hours of use in an extreme environment and was in need of either being replaced or refurbished.

After looking at replacement costs and delivery times, Southern Peru Copper decided rebuilding the crane was the most cost-effective choice rather than replacing it.

For this rebuild, Matrixsa rented workshop space near the Toquepala Copper Mine in Port of Ilo, Peru. Matrixsa’s technicians, under the leadership of Adan Montecinos, lead the work with strong support from Manitowoc’s EnCORE team.

The first step in the refurbishment was to completely disassemble the crane, replace the damaged parts and send some parts for repair to local fabrication shops. All of the systems on the crane were inspected for damage and repaired or replaced where necessary. This included the telescopic boom, winches and balances, swing system, hydraulics, mechanical and pneumatic systems as well as the electrical components. Following the repairs, the crane was reassembled and repainted, and the proper decals were applied.

Jose Manuel Figueroa, general manager of Matrixsa, said that turnaround

time was a major selling point on the refurbishment of this crane.

“When we were in talks with Southern Peru Copper, they made it very clear that we needed to complete this refurbishment within 90 days,” he said. “With the direction and support of Manitowoc Crane Care, we were able to complete the project on time. We were so successful with this crane, we’re now in discussions about the refurbishment of an additional seven cranes for this customer.”

Figueroa also said that because there

were no major structural repairs needed on the superstructure, this rebuild was extremely cost-effective for the customer.

“Typically, when we look at rebuilding cranes the customer can expect to have a completely refurbished crane for 60 percent of the cost of a new crane,” he said. “In this case, the refurbishment was completed for about 35 percent of the cost of a new one.”

Manitowoc Crane Care offers crane remanufacturing through its EnCORE Partner program. Matrixsa is still undergoing audits to be named an official EnCORE Partner, which will allow the dealer to make structural repairs on cranes.

Gilberto Ferreira, global general manager for Manitowoc’s EnCORE program, said the EnCORE Partner program offers Manitowoc and Grove crane owners extremely competitive remanufacture and repair options from a network of qualified Manitowoc dealers.

“Work is managed by highly-qualified, factory-trained technicians using repair procedures developed in collaboration with factory engineers,” he said. “When using one of our EnCORE Partners, the customer can rest assured that all work is performed to exact factory specifications, and the original load chart remains valid.”

Fast turnaround

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Manitowoc’s EnCORE re-furbishment program mini-mized downtime for hard-working crane in a Peruvian copper mine. Leslie Shalabi reports.

Technicians from Matrixsa, Manitowoc’s EnCORE service partner in Peru, put the finishing touches on the rebuilt Grove RT.

This Grove RT had over 11,500 hours working in an extreme mining application. The customer chose to rebuild the crane to maximize the return on investment.

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Technology Update

he two new agreements signed by Manitowoc are with Trimble, for positioning technology, and Ascorel, for anti-collision

technology for tower cranes. Under the agreement with Trimble the

two companies will develop solutions to harness precise positioning technology, wireless communications and comprehensive software capabilities to enhance the productivity of Manitowoc cranes. The result will be a technology solution that transforms the way crane operations and information are managed.

Both companies will develop a solution tailored for the crane industry that provides real time, centimeter-level positioning data for multiple cranes on a construction site. The solution will be able to measure crane position in absolute coordinates using rugged, easy to install, non-contact sensors that fit on both fixed and mobile cranes.

The in-cab displays of cranes fitted with the solution will permit operators to view the site, multiple working crane zones, forbidden zones, target locations and other site information. Extending the technology, both companies also expect to develop an “Intelligent Environment” database to receive updates from Building Information Modeling tools and other site sensors working in tandem. One highly useful anticipated addition would be a setting allowing users to program an alarm or even halt operations upon detecting unplanned work activity.

To enhance jobsite awareness and management, a wireless local area network will share crane position information across the job site, providing operators, lift schedulers and back office personnel instant status on operations against the BIM plan. By connecting the field and office, the new solution should allow contractors to gain significant efficiencies.

Agreement with Ascorel The other new agreement is with Ascorel in which Manitowoc has renewed and enhanced its partnership with the supplier of anti-collision technology. Ascorel and Manitowoc jointly developed the Top Tracing II anti-collision system that features on some 3,500 Potain tower cranes in use throughout France and the rest of the world.

Under the new long-term agreement, Ascorel will develop an updated and enhanced Top Tracing system for Potain cranes. Manitowoc will offer this new system through its Manitowoc Crane Care sales network. Additionally, the agreement allows Manitowoc Crane Care to act as a distributor for Ascorel’s MC 602 anti-collision system, giving customers two options.

The MC 602 and Top Tracing II both offer the same functionality and performance; however, the MC 602 is more tailored to the retrofit and rental market, whereas Top Tracing II is designed to stay with the same crane for a longer period of operation.

Ascorel is widely-recognized as a world-leading supplier of anti-collision systems for tower cranes. It also supplies a range of other control technology for all types of cranes and construction equipment.

21st century cranes

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Two new agreements between Manitowoc and leading-edge technology companies will allow the company to continue offering the industry’s most technically advanced cranes. Ben Shaw reports.

Job sites featuring multiple cranes will soon benefit from improved productivity following two new technology initiatives started by Manitowoc.

range in capacity from 8t to 450t

Grove cranes

Built to performGrove mobile telescopic cranes

Grove all-terrain, rough-terrain and truck cranes are long-lasting and hard-working. High performance features help execute even the most challenging lifting jobs with strength, precision and control.

Our cranes offer the versatility to tackle any project, with capacities ranging from 8t to 450t.

Contact your dealer or visit www.manitowoc.com/cranesdealer