Cranes & Lifting March 2024

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IN THIS ISSUE

10

6 Upfront with Tutt Bryant

Big Rhino is very happy with the performance of its Sany all-terrain.

8 CICA President’s Report

Strong initiatives from CICA kick start the year.

10 CICA Project of the Year

John Holland wins CICA Project of the Year.

12 I A M P

Advanced Cranes BDM David Popovski discusses the history of the business.

14 Workshopping with Tadano Tadano Oceania continued investment in workshop capabilities.

19 Manitowoc’s renewed focus on Customer Service Industry stalwart joins the Manitowoc team.

23 New Maeda for Seymours

Seymours takes delivery of its fourth Maeda.

CANZ features

27 CANZ CEO report

28 Franna and Titan Cameron McCahill discusses the long-standing relationship between Franna and Titan Cranes.

31 TRT and Grove

The second Grove 8100-1 has arrived in the southern hemisphere.

33 U

An overview of the company’s extensive work on the uckland Bridge.

35 XCMG

Scott McLeod reveals his thoughts on the Chinese manufacturer after a recent factory visit.

38 Sany NZ

R&O elaborates on the performance of its Sany SAC1200E.

41 Potain

he world’s first Potain installed in ondon.

43 UAA

How the right insurance adds value.

44 Matusch

Premier Cranes discusses how the E.P.O.S. management program streamlines its business.

46 DRA

51 Baden Davis Crane Connection

Baden Davis Crane Connection and .

55 Advanced Cranes

The Victoria-based company completes dual lifts on the LXRP.

57 LEEA

New training courses released for .

58 Franna Design Engineer Mitchell Orupold, re ects on the updates to ranna’s cranes in 2023.

60 Nowra Cranes

irector Cli Wilson discusses the new outrigger pads procured through .

62 Women in Industry

Sarens’ Isabella Burke re ects on her career to date.

65 TRT and Tidd

McLeod Crane hire takes new Tidd.

66 Lift of the Month

Premier Cranes gets busy on W P.

Boss Construction orders second umma.

49 Liebherr

Boom Logistics has a Liebherr crawler available on the East Coast.

FROM THE EDITORIAL TEAM

Published by:

POSITIVE OUTLOOK FOR THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR

WELCOME TO THE MARCH 2024 ISSUE of Magazine.

A recently released report om the Aus alian Ins tute of Quan Surveyors (AIQS) paints a posi ve outlook for the cons uc on sector.

Although the Aus alian economy s ll faces challenges, a downward end in in a on is expected to con nue due to eased supply cons aints and reduced domes c ac vi pressures.

e economy is expected to grow at a moderate pace, which will provide support for the cons uc on indus y and the Federal Government has commi ed to con nued in as ucture spending in the coming years, par cularly in areas like ansporta on, renewable energy, and social in as ucture.

e Federal Government is also implemen ng policies to address the housing a ordabili crisis, which will lead to increased demand for new housing  cons uc on.

State Governments are reviewing their planning and approvals processes to s eamline the development process and generally reduce delays, with the residen al cons uc on sectors bene ng om Aus alia’s expected popula on growth as this will create

demand for new housing, in as ucture, and commercial space.

e cons uc on indus y is increasingly adop ng technology to improve e ciency and produc vi , leading to the use of prefabrica on, modular cons uc on, and digital twins.

In line with global commitments, the Aus alian government is dedicated to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to a 43 per cent reduc on below 2005 levels by 2030 and net-zero emissions by  2050.

In 2020 the ansport sector con ibuted around 18 per cent of Aus alia’s emissions, predominantly related to road-based ansport, and a staggering 70 per cent of Aus alia’s greenhouse gas emissions are ed to  in as ucture.

e key to Aus alia’s success in achieving its net-zero targets lies in collabora on between government and indus y, and the integra on of sustainable prac ces across all in as ucture projects. With such a signi cant por on of our na on’s emissions linked to in as ucture, par cularly in the ansport sector, our approach needs to be innova ve and allencompassing.

e crane indus y has a cri cal role in both the in as ucture and renewables sectors, and that is a key reason why we are seeing con nued investment in new cranes across the coun y. In this issue, the team at Cranes and Li ng explores some of these purchases and how they are performing. As always, we hope you enjoy the read.

Simon Gould Editor, Cranes and Li ng

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SANY’S BIG RHINO PERFORMANCE

Brisbane based Big Rhino Crane Hire has been operating its Sany SAC600E, 60t capacity all terrain for 16 months and both the owners of the business and the operators of the crane have been really impressed with its performance. The Sany features 50 metres of main boom and was one of the first to be delivered in the countr .

BIG RHINO CRANE HIRE IS A PRIVATELY owned family business which has been opera ng for 14 years. Marg Gravener, Big Rhino’s Owner/Director, provides some background to the business and how impressed the company is with its Sany SAC600E.

Big Rhino Crane Hire is a great name for a crane hire business and Marg provides an insight into the company name.

“My husband Paul’s nickname is ‘Biggen’ and our eldest son Ryan, who started the business with us, has the

nickname Rhino hence Big Rhino. e tag line for the business ‘Get hooked on our horn’ is a bit of fun and one we couldn’t resist,” she said.

“We have named the new Sany ‘White Rhino’ and it has proved to be a great asset to our eet. Customers love the various op ons we now o er them as we can send ‘White Rhino’ to 35t jobs that don’t require counterweight, or we can send the crane as the full deal with counterweight for the heavier work.

‘White Rhino’ has lled a void in our eet and has certainly exceeded our expecta ons. Peter Lawgall and the team at Tu Bryant Equipment have always been very suppor ve with the Sany and have been quick to respond to a teething problem, or to address an issue our crew have not been able to quite work out, or to help ain a new operator.

The Sany SAC600E 60t capacity all terrain crane, is a high-quality crane with a 50m boom.

Images: Big Rhino

“‘White Rhino’ has its own maintenance crew at Tu Bryant Equipment and they are always available to come and check over the crane and to assist with aining our crew. We are very grateful and thankful for this support, and it certainly makes life a lot easier for our crew and ul mately our customers,” said Marg.

e Sany SAC600E 60t capaci all terrain crane is a high-quali crane with a 50m boom. Whilst remaining lightweight in concept, it has remotely adjustable boom work lights, a wind speed anemometer, boom p camera, fall arrest cables on both sides of the boom, access ladders to each side of the cranes’ deck, with stairs and safe rail allowing en ance to the rear of the crane.

e crane comes with a 16m folding y jib with o sets of 0°, 20° and 40°. Around the deck, the Sany SAC600E features a 9kg re ex nguisher, Hi Vis side s ipes, a ba ery isolator and starter isolator. At the rear of the deck there is a ring feeder moun ng with air brake supply and amber ashing beacons on the cranes’ s ucture.

e Sany SAC600E is powered by a Mercedes Benz inline six-cylinder diesel engine which generates 280 kw at 1600 rpm and which complies to Euro 3 emission standards. e Sany also features an Allison auto ansmission with 12 forward and 2 reverse gears split between high and low range ra os.

Danfoss hydraulic valves ensure reliable and constant hydraulic pressure and adding to the cranes’ con ol and smooth opera on. It also features six steering modes on the three axles with di locks to promote great manoeuvrabili . e weight of the crane is less than 36t which enables it to be road ready with an Aux winch, headache ball, single sheave main hook, mber box, 3.3t of counterweight and s ll be under the 12t per axle limit in Western Aus alia. Site works li s the crane’s axle capabili es to 16t per axle which

means mobilisa on can take place with more counterweight.

e Sany SAC600E has a comprehensive remote-con ol, which means the operator can set up the crane, extend the ou iggers, levelling the crane, slewing and posi oning the boom in place ready for loading of counterweight. e operator can then enter the cabin to commence their li ing du es.

Sany is in a con nual process of upgrading models and this crane now includes an operator’s cab which can lt to up to 20°, allowing the operator a be er and more relaxed opera ng and viewing posi on and relieving aching neck and back muscles to observe the rope, om the top of the boom down.

e newly designed cab maximises safe , comfort and ease of opera on. All opera ons in the cab are joys ck con olled, the crane features a large viewing touch screen which is ergonomically ed for ease of opera on and shu ing through the various programs of the crane.

Cameras for downward vision and at the winch drum provide the operator with a view of the site they are opera ng, le ng them keep an eye on

the winches to ensure correct laying of the wire rope.

e operator’s cabin is air condi oned, with premium comfort sea ng and ed with AM/FM Radio, phone hands ee and a USB point.

Jamie Nutley, who operates ‘White Rhino’ alongside Aaron Healey, had this to say.

“ e 60t Sany is a very nice crane to drive and to operate, it is comfortable and smooth on the roads and just the same o road no ma er how rough the terrain. e interior of the operator’s cab is well designed which makes it very easy to manoeuvre on and o road. e ergonomics of the design make the crane comfortable to operate, the joys ck con ols are very responsive and when you are spending hours si ng in the cab, being comfortable is very important.

“ e Sany is an excellent li er and very smooth to operate. e computer con ol system is extensive and once you get your head around the basics, it is easy to understand and makes calcula ng and opera ng a breeze. I have over 35 years experience in the indus y and I would highly recommend this crane,” he said.

The Sany SAC600E is powered by a Mercedes Benz inline six-cylinder diesel engine which complies to Euro 3 emission standards.

STRONG CICA INITIATIVES START THE YEAR

Welcome to the March 2024 edition of Cranes and Lifting Magazine

WELCOME TO THE MARCH 2024 ISSUE of Cranes and Li ng sincere hope that 2024 has started well for you.

As you are aware, CICA branch mee ngs and member events are well underway. Keep an eye on what’s going on by visi ng the ‘Events’ tab on the CICA website (www.cica.com.au). CICA has also held two excellent learning events in February, the inaugural Cranes in Wind forum (to be covered in more detail in the April issue) and the CICA Li Supervisor Course.

Another emendous ini a ve that I wanted to update you on was the recent ip to Europe undertaken by Aus alian road managers to explore crane manufacturing facili es. Road managers om all states were invited to a end, and Brandon Hitch, Damien Hense and I had the privilege of accompanying a delega on of road managers om Main Roads WA, the Department of State Growth (Tasmania), Transport for NSW, Department of Transport and Main Roads (Queensland) and Ausroads in December 2023.

e objec ve of the tour was to gain insights into the latest technologies, best prac ces and innova ons in crane manufacturing, with a focus on how these advancements can be applied to the Aus alian road maintenance and management sector.

e tour covered key crane manufacturing facili es in Germany, namely Liebherr, Tadano and Manitowoc Grove, which are renowned for their exper se and excellence in crane produc on. e European crane manufacturing indus y showcased cu ng-edge technologies, including automa on and advanced con ol systems during the produc on process. Remote monitoring and diagnos cs capabili es

without compromising on safe . Telescopic boom designs and modular components demons ated greater exibili in adap ng cranes to diverse road and cons uc on environments.

Aus alian road managers, in turn, were able to speak to crane manufacturers about the integra on of HVAMS (Heavy Vehicle Access Management System) within their road management systems. Discussions revolved around

e opportuni to foster collabora on between Aus alian road management decision-makers and European crane manufacturers to leverage exper se and foster innova on provided valuable insights for all par es.

CICA would like to express our gra tude to the European crane manufacturers who generously hosted the delega on and shared their knowledge and exper se during the tour.

Ben Pieyre. Image: CICA.

STARTSAFE

Another CICA ini a ve I want to bring to your a en on is StartSafe. e CICA StartSafe app s eamlines the process of collec ng pre-start informa on, with instant data reten on to a cen al loca on for crane owners to access. When a faul item is recorded by the operator, the maintenance team is no ed of the issue by email, which includes photo evidence of the fault. is also assists with gathering major inspec on data.

TRAINEESHIP

In 2024, I encourage you to consider the CICA Crane Traineeship. Opera ng cranes requires a unique skill set that goes beyond technical exper se—it demands precision, safe consciousness and a full understanding of the machinery. Crane aineeships have emerged as a crucial avenue for individuals aspiring to work in our indus y, o ering a comprehensive learning experience beyond the classroom.

Safe is paramount in the cons uc on indus y and crane aineeships place a signi cant emphasis on safe protocols, risk management and emergency procedures. is ensures that crane operators not only possess the technical skills to handle the machinery but also the knowledge to navigate complex and poten ally hazardous work environments safely.

Trainees get hands-on experience with various pes of cranes, learning the nuances of each machine. is prac cal exposure is invaluable, allowing ainees to build con dence in their abili es and gain a real-world understanding of the challenges they may face on cons uc on sites.

We all have had to start somewhere, and unless the indus y gets behind this ini a ve and is willing to ain the next genera on, we will nd ourselves desperately short of suitable crane operators as our older workforce re res.

In 2024, CICA’s ongoing goal is to con nue to support our members, so if you need any assistance – please get in touch.

Ben Pieyre

CICA Board President

CICA BOARD

Ben Pieyre – President

Marcus Ferrari – Vice President

Danny Adair – Director

Danny Black – Director

Andrew Esquilant – Director

David Solomon – Director

Karli Sutherland– Director

CICA OFFICE

Brandon Hitch

Chief E ecuti e O cer

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Road Technical Engineer 03 8320 0440 alice@cica.com.au

Patrick Cran

CraneSafe and CrewSafe

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Damien Hense

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For information, please visit our website or call the CICA office.

JOHN HOLLAND WINS CICA PROJECT OF THE YEAR 2023

John Holland Group Pty Ltd won the CICA project of the year 2023 award for the Batemans Bay Bridge replacement project.

MAJOR CONSTRUCTION WORK ON THE Batemans Bay Bridge replacement project began in late 2018 when Transport for NSW engaged John Holland to design and build a new bridge over the Clyde River, within the Batemans Bay Marine Park on the South Coast of NSW.

e new bridge opened to two lanes of a c in March 2021, with the shared pedes ian and cycle path opening the same month. e project reached comple on in October 2022.

KEY PROJECT FEATURES INCLUDE:

• New four-lane bridge, including a

three-me e-wide pedes ian and cyclist shared pathway;

• Upgraded roundabout intersec on at the Princes and Kings highways;

• Improved local road and pathway connec ons on both the northern and southern foreshores in Batemans Bay;

• Tall vessel access to the Clyde River at 12 me es at mean high water spring (MHWS); and

• Upgraded foreshore areas to support communi and tourism iendly ac vi es.

e project also included the demoli on of the exis ng bridge, an iconic ver cal li uss bridge which was

built over the Clyde River in 1949.

e new Batemans Bay Bridge is a precast segmental can lever bridge which included 30,000 tonnes of concrete and 2,700 tonnes of Aus alianmade reinforcing steel for a total of 166 bridge segments.

A precast manufacturing facili was established at a local yard south of Mogo. A bespoke li ing beam was designed for handling of the modular cages, the formworks and the casted segments. Storage and logis cs in the precast yard were managed by gan y cranes both on rail and rubber res.

e bridge segments were then

The two main cranes on the project were Manitowoc M16000 crawlers.

Image: John Holland

ansported by road with low loaders and moved to the bridge loca on, where they were o oaded and installed by crawler cranes. e two main cranes were two Manitowoc M16000 crawler cranes – one land-based and one on a 180 pre-ballasted barge with derrick and MaxER. e cranes were dry hired and operated by John Holland.

e land-based M16000 crane was con gured with 54 me es of main boom, while the one on the barge had 66 me es of main boom, derrick boom and MaxER counterweight up to its full capaci (232t at 15m). A propping design for the MaxER on the barge enabled it to be connected and disconnected easily om the crane. e li ing opera ons u lised up to 96 per cent of the cranes’ capaci .

e same two main cranes were also ini ally used for the installa on of the subs ucture of the bridge (with on-site casted shells), and then both cranes were used in parallel to build the bridge can lever spans.

A bespoke li ing beam ed with a hydraulic system was designed and manufactured for li ing the bridge segments. is allowed the required adjustments to suit the bridge form changes and segments lt.

at the top of the tower. e s and jacks were li ed in place by a 130 tonne allterrain crane (Liebherr LTM1130-5.1) with a bespoke grillage design to drive the crane loads to the bridge s ong points.

S engthening of the bridge uss spans was also designed and installed prior to the modular demoli on.

Once the new bridge was completed and opened to a c, the demoli on works started for the exis ng bridge.

e supers ucture of the old bridge weighed approximately 2,022 tonnes (60 per cent concrete and 40 per cent steel) with the concrete subs ucture weighing approximately 4,012 tonnes. e demoli on was designed in a modular manner to minimise impact on the sensi ve environmental marine park.

A temporary je was designed and installed for loading/unloading plant, equipment and anspor ng bridge components to and om a barge.

e rst step of the demoli on required the removal of the tower counterweight. Due to the mass, the eleva on and the capaci of the exis ng bridge deck (which was only able to accommodate small cranes) this was performed with s and jacks mounted

e modular demoli on started with the uss spans.

Each span was jacked om the bearings to remove bond and con rm mass and CoG, and subsequen ally removed by two 10 axle lines of Self Propelled Modular Trailers (SPMTs) posi oned on a 180 foot barge. e SPMTs were con gured in a global three-point hydraulic suspension con gura on and were u lised at 65 per cent of their hydraulic capaci .

e barge was then moved to the je where Ro-Ro opera ons (using 12 me e ramps) were performed to bring the spans to the demoli on area onshore.

e spans were o oaded and lowered with four 125 tonne climbing jacks and then demolished/processed by the M16000 crane.

e concrete back spans of the old bridge were removed by li ing them in one piece with the Manitowoc M16000

crane on the pre-ballasted 180 foot barge with derrick and MaxER.

e same equipment was then used to remove the bridge subs ucture in modules. A few bespoke li ing devices were designed and fabricated for the removal of the headstocks and the piles, and a large lt ame was installed on the barge for the rota on of the piles.

e bridge subs ucture was cut with the largest diamond wire saw cons ucted in Aus alia, which was custom made for the project. e subs ucture components were lowered on a skate system on the je and were dragged to the shore for demoli on and processing.

roughout the project several other crawler and all-terrain cranes were u lised.

anks to me culous planning, the project was delivered safely, on me and on budget, and with e ec ve risk mi ga on within the environmentallysensi ve Batemans Marine Park.

A s ong focus on early planning, engineering and cons uctabili ensured a higher level of engineering con ol, with li ing opera ons delivered to naval architect requirements with details of all stages, including cranes and SPMTs.

The John Holland team celebrate winning the CICA Project of the Year. Image: CICA

ADVANCED CRANES & RIGGING

Advanced Cranes & Rigging BDM, David Popovski, discusses the history of Advanced Cranes, its expanding operations, and its developing relationship with CICA.

ADVANCED BY NAME, PRISTINE BY NATURE. In summa on, those are the two most apt adjec ves to describe Victorianbased crane hire company, Advanced Cranes & Rigging.

Si ng in Business Development Manager David Popovski’s o ce, the laser-like focus Advanced Cranes & Rigging places on its opera ons is evident. Whether it be the spotless, pris ne machines wai ng to be deployed in the company’s Derrimutbased warehouse, or the a en on to detail each and every worker is priding themselves on, om li planning through to adminis a on, it’s clear that presenta on and delivery of quali take precedence at this major crane hire company. For David, the scru ny on e ciency date all the way back to Advanced Cranes & Rigging’s incep on.

“It’s our coun y work ethic,” he says with a laugh. “We get in e ciently,  safely, and get the job done within schedule”.

Advanced Cranes & Rigging was founded in Ballarat out in Victoria’s inner-west by now-Director, Adam Tuddenham, in 2009, to match Victoria’s growing in as ucture needs. Since those days, however, opera ons have expanded dras cally for the crane hire company, now running fully opera onal depots in Derrimut, Bell Park and Colac as well as its Ballarat home, to be er assist with the demand for specialised cranes and heavy haulage across Victoria.

To aid in those endeavours, Advanced Cranes & Rigging possesses a eet of over 50 cranes ranging om its three-tonne Maeda through to

the mons ous 800-tonne capaci Liebherr. For David, the purchase of the 800-tonne machine is indica ve of the growth mindset that has driven Advanced’s progress over the last 15 years of opera ng. Having been at the company in his posi on as BDM for nearly two years, the growth he has seen at the company – on both a machinery and skilled personnel level –is “immense”, he says.

“We acquired our 800-tonne Liebherr 18 months ago, because we wanted to open up as many opportuni es as possible,” he says. “We’re always looking to expand our opera onal capaci , and we ensure we meet the demand that our clients expect for our craneage services.”

e acquisi on of the LTM 17509.1 re ects that, as well as Advanced Cranes & Rigging’s commitment to providing a pathway for internal promo on and growth. As men oned, Advanced Cranes & Rigging began as a company seeking to serve Victoria’s in as ucture needs – something it con nues to do and do well according to client feedback, with David poin ng to the large number of repeat jobs requested by clients worked with before, who equently praise the company’s s eamlined processes, e cient li ing opera ons, and high level of produc vi , especially on projects across Victoria’s Big Build. However, with the pressing need to create more renewable sources of energy to reach net zero emissions by 2050 – Aus alia’s legislated target –wind farms are popping up across the coun y, and with the cons uc on of wind farms comes the need for associated li ing equipment capable of erec ng wind turbines. And, in an even bigger shi by the Ballarat-born company, it is now taking its opera ons all across Aus alia to aid in the push toward a greener future.

“Our LTM 1750-9.1 is currently on a wind farm project in Queensland,” says David. “We’ve sent – and con nue to send – our cranes to wind farm projects around Victoria, New South Wales,

Advanced Cranes & Rigging BDM, David Popovski. Image: Prime Creative Media

“Further underscoring the company’s commitment to innovation and rowth is the push toward operatin a more sustainable eet.

South Aus alia also. We will journey to any loca on where there is a demand for our  machines.”

Further underscoring the company’s commitment to innova on and growth is the push toward opera ng a more sustainable eet. As David outlines, a carbon footprint can be a decisive factor in determining who wins a con act, and Advanced Cranes & Rigging is always looking to innovate in new ways to reduce its emissions output, whether that be through the procurement of elec ic, ba ery-powered equipment, or logis cal measures such as naviga ng road access rules to reduce the need for support vehicles to avel alongside its  cranes.

“We are keenly interested in accessing the sustainabili aspect of our business,” he says, “because decarbonising modern day cons uc on sites is a big focus for  everyone.”

Another cen al aspect to crane hire is the safe of an opera on –and, akin to its a tude in pursuing ways to innovate and grow as a business, Advanced Cranes & Rigging holds safe as a top priori when conduc ng its work. rough computer aided designs, detailed li planning, complete maintenance of its equipment, and ensuring the correct, quali ed personnel are in the right place at the right me,

Advanced Cranes & Rigging leaves no stone unturned to ensure everyone who goes to work goes home safely at the end of the day. Also included in this is employing dedicated resources to the genera on of a SWMS, JSA and li studies prior to each li . is commitment is re ected in its growing rela onship with CICA, the Crane Indus y Council of Aus alia. Having been a member of the associa on for a while now, David says Advanced Cranes & Rigging is a ending more of the associa on’s events that, in turn, is helping the company stay up to date on all the hot topics in the indus y, such as the recent ‘Cranes in Wind Farms’ forum.

“It’s important to us to be members of CICA,” he says. “We support what the associa on does for Aus alia’s crane indus y, and look forward to con nuously growing our a ni with Brandon and the team.”

Advanced Cranes & Rigging’s 700-tonne and 450-tonne Liebherr cranes completing a dual lift for Victoria’s Regional Rail Revival.

Image: Advanced Cranes & Rigging

WORKSHOPPING WITH TADANO

Tadano continues to improve its customer service and support capabilities. Key elements of this strategy include continued investment in workshop capabilities and key personnel across the country.

ADRIAN LUPPINO IS THE NEW SOUTH Wales Work Shop Manager and he has been working with Tadano for 18 months

“Prior to joining Tadano I spent 15 years with Toyota Material Handling where I started as a mechanic, progressed to supervisor and then Workshop Manager and then moved to Field Service Manager.

“Our team at Penrith includes four mechanics, all very experienced: our leading hand who has been here for over two years, and originally came om Volvo OEM in ucks. We have Nathan, who completed his appren ceship with another crane OEM and moved across about two years ago. We recently hired someone om the material handling indus y who I worked with previously and he’s been here for about four months,” said Adrian.

He goes on to discuss the capabili es of

the Penrith workshop.

“We operate ve bays in our workshop where we work on everything om PreDelivery Inspec ons (PDIs) and general servicing through to larger jobs which include removing and xing booms and engines.

“In New South Wales we work well and closely as a team. Nothing comes into the workshop un l we have all the required parts, and everything is booked in and ready to go. As a team, we are focused on moving the customer’s crane through the workshop so they can have the crane back on the road and earning money as quickly as possible,” he said.

Major inspec ons will be a par cular focus for the NSW opera on this year.

“Due to the limita ons of our previous facili , we haven’t been able to manage

Planning the work is key to ensuring the workshop works at optimum e ciency. Images: Tadano

he adano team is focused on mo ing the customer’s crane through the workshop as uickly as possible.

major inspec ons, but this changed with the move to our much larger workshop. Our focus for this year and beyond will be larger and more complicated repairs and major inspec ons along with general servicing.

“Major repairs and major inspec ons require a signi cant investment om our customers. We y to cover everything in the ini al quote and cover the majori of the works. But once we get into the project unforeseen issues may arise, and in this instance, open lines of communica on with the customer are vital.

“If more parts are required or there is more damage than rst envisaged, we’re not going to hide it. We work with every customer in an up ont, honest and ansparent manner, that’s our mo o here,” said Adrian.

Darren Larkin is the Queensland Workshop Manager, and he has been with Tadano for 18 months. Prior to this he had been working in the crane indus y for 15 years. Darren manages a young and enthusias c team in the Brisbane facili .

“We have a fairly young team here with our eldest team member just turning 50, he’s been in the indus y for 20 plus years. We range down om there to an 18 year old. Other team members have 10-15 years experience, and others three to six.

“We run an appren ceship program with four on the go at the moment. One appren ce in his nal year, one in his third year, and one just star ng his rst year and we have a mature age appren ce in there as well,” said Darren.

Tadano’s Brisbane facili is impressive.

“We operate seven bays in the workshop, and we have an acre of yard. e work is varied so we need to be organised as a team. At the end of last year, we created work teams which are allocated to the various jobs. Each team is headed up by a Lead Technician or one of my Field Service Technicians.

“Currently, we have four Major Inspec ons going through the workshop, so we assign each team to a Major Inspec on with a Lead on the job. If I

need to take the Field Service Technician out for a job for example, we reorganise the teams, moving someone in to cover his absence - enabling us to con nually work on the Major Inspec ons and manage the day to day servicing and maintenance around these,” said Darren.

Planning the work is key to ensuring the workshop works at op mum e ciency says Darren.

“We have a lot of regular customers that request the same pe of work in terms of service and maintenance, which means we know what to expect to an extent. Working closely with our parts department is cri cal, by doing so we hope to create e ciencies within our con ol despite the indus y-wide issue of parts availabili .

“Planning with our Parts Department is cri cal and helps to expediate the servicing and maintenance processes, minimising the down me of the crane for the customer,” he said.

Mauro Ranieri is the Western Aus alian Workshop and Field Services

Manager, he’s been working with Tadano for 12 years.

“When I started work for the previous Tadano dis ibutor, I didn’t have a great deal of experience in cranes, but I came on board as a mechanic, learnt the business and the technology and gradually upskilled myself. When Tadano took over the dis ibutorship I progressed to a Leading Hand and then developed into the role of Workshop Manager.

“In this role, I manage all the eld service and the workshop work, including the warran work which we schedule with our service or adminis a on team. We have 14 technicians which are looking a er all jobs in the workshop, which includes everything om warran , modi ca ons, the daily works that are booked including general breakdowns through to Major Inspec ons,” said Mauro.

Mauro explains how his team plans the movement of jobs through the workshop.

“We scope the work for the machines based on the factory and OEM speci ca on to make sure that everything

gets replaced in due me. When it comes to Major Inspec ons, we obviously follow the Aus alian Standards combined with the OEM speci ca on to ensure we cover everything, that the crane is thoroughly inspected to these standards and conduct the necessary repairs and replace parts where required,” said Mauro.

e WA workshop operates an appren ceship program.

“We currently have two appren ces and we started them at two yearly intervals, this is going to increase to a yearly intake. e team also includes ve Senior Service Technicians who are high level, experienced crane mechanics with a lot of indus y experience. Tadano is always recrui ng and is commi ed to internal and factory aining to ensure the team gets to be where they need to be.

“Across our indus y, there is a shortage of skilled and experienced labour and the management team at Tadano has made the upskilling of our mechanics and technicians a priori to ensure we have the depth of skill to manage the growing

the popula on of cranes,” said Mauro.

“Our technicians are based in the workshop and our Field Service Team is here to assist customer with the setup of machines on site. All the breakdown work is covered through our Field Service Team. Our service is statewide with guys ready at any moment’s no ce to jump on a plane if required and y them for a breakdown or to assist the customer with whatever support they may need on site,” he said.

Mauro goes on to highlight the capabili es of the Perth workshop.

“We have six bays and three of these are dedicated to long-term works. Another two bays are dedicated to short works and PDIs of new machines. We have two overhead 10t capaci cranes which assist with boom assembly and the s ipping down of cranes for Major Inspec on.

“It’s a busy workshop and we will be increasing our head count to ensure we have the required number of Service Technicians to manage the amount of service work we currently have, as well as the number of Major Inspec ons we know

Planning with the Tadano Parts Department is critical and helps to expediate the servicing and maintenance processes.

we’ll be managing in the future,” he said.

Colin Gray is the Victorian Workshop Manager and has been with Tadano for 16 months.

“We have three technicians and they double as both Workshop and Field technicians, we also have three fully equipped service vehicles. Our facili includes three bays plus a bay for new cranes. We conduct services and maintenance in the facili , repairs, new builds, warran modi ca ons, you name it and we do it.

“Facili -wise, we are very similar to Sydney and we’ve been growing the business. We specialise in o site work, xing issues that can’t be xed on the phone and this work includes technical breakdowns. We y and be available to the customers 24 hours, seven days a week and we pride ourselves in ge ng our expert service to our customers as soon as we can,” said Colin.

“We have an excellent spare parts set up and our parts interpreter has been here for 12 months. We stock a good range of parts to suit the cranes opera ng in our state. Customers are now aware that we have a Parts Manager and this is helping to build rela onships.

“We all work closely and support one another. If the workshop takes a phone call om a customer for a part inquiry, we’ll pass it on and make sure it gets ac oned which helps provide the best service to the customer. If we need to deliver parts to customers around me o Melbourne we will, and om this facili we service all of Victoria, Tasmania and South Aus alia,” said Colin.

Over the last 16 months the Victorian opera on has signi cantly grown its reputa on with customers, says Colin.

“Over the last year and a half, we have focused on servicing, repairs and solving technical breakdowns with our main forte being solving technical issues. Customers recognise us as the ‘go-to people’ for more complex repairs. Major Inspec ons are planned for the future and we are in the planning phase of how we manage our facili and the in as ucture we will need.

“Cranes are unique machines. My technicians are technically based, and they are taught om the ground up. We work closely as a team to ensure we all share our knowledge and con nually grow our skillset in the workshop,” said Colin.

Last note from Tadano:

With Tadano’s dedicated focus on delivering top- er a er-sales service and support, we’ve made s ategic investments in recrui ng skilled professionals and establishing a robust team founda on. is posi ons us well to provide comprehensive support to our valued customers and e ec vely address the expanding demands of our indus ies. “Our products are undeniably great, but it is the excep onal caliber of our people that dis nguishes us om others.”

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MANITOWOC’S RENEWED FOCUS ON CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SUPPORT

Manitowoc recently confirmed a renewed focus on service and support with the appointment of industr stalwart aul hurchill.

aul has come out of an earl retirement to oin the anitowoc team as ustomer ervice irector.

“I STARTED THE ROLE AT THE END OF last year and my main focus will be to oversee the service, support and parts availabili for the business, basically I will be working on everything involved in a er sales support. I will be working with the service department with a special focus on technical support.

“I’ve come out of re rement for this posi on. I had a couple of interes ng o ers during the re rement, and I did some consul ng, but the way this role was presented to me made it a hard one to pass up. Garry Barker, who held the role for a number of years, has moved to a new business development posi on with a focus on used cranes.

“I now nd myself working with a good bunch of people in a very familyorientated business. e team features a number of di erent na onali es, so culturally it’s an interes ng but great place to work. From what I have seen during my me in the indus y, Manitowoc’s focus on customer service and support is way up there but like any business these days, there is s ll plen to work on and improve,” said Paul.

Ryan Galea is the Na onal Parts Manager for Manitowoc Cranes Aus alia, and he started with the business in March 2023. Previously he had been managing parts for

Paul Churchill, Andrew Buchanan and Ryan Galea. Images: Prime Creative Media.

cons uc on equipment suppliers for over a decade. Ryan explains his objec ves in terms of parts availabili , service and support.

“Since joining Manitowoc, the Parts Department has grown signi cantly, and we’ve recon gured our warehouse adding new racking - enabling us to hold considerably more stock. is year we are focused on holding more parts so when our customers call, we can be con dent that we have the part on the shelf,” said Ryan.

“We are working with recommended parts lists for the popula on of cranes that are working today. We have been researching the models and where the cranes are opera ng and we are using this informa on to ensure we have the right parts on the shelf in the right areas,” he said. “Prior to COVID-19 and the logis cs issues, we consistently had 90 per cent plus “o the shelf” availabili . It is our goal to improve on that number in 2024.”

Ryan goes on to discuss how Manitowoc’s Parts Teamwork with agents and dis ibutors like TRT Aus alia in Queensland and New Zealand, WATM Cranes Sales in Western Aus alia, and service agent JDM in Victoria.

“Our dealer network is excellent. I’ve been working closely with TRT ensuring they have enough parts on their shelves, and they are expanding their holding. e teams at TRT and WATM are very exible and also want the best outcome for the customer,” he said.

“We hold signi cant amounts of stock here in Blacktown and this holding includes tele-cylinders for all the major cranes and also ansmission systems. Customers don’t want to be wai ng 8 to 12 weeks for these signi cant parts, so we y to have them in stock,” said Ryan

Paul explains how the team intends to take Manitowoc’s customer service and support to the next level.

“I probably have a signi cant advantage in that during my roles over the years, I have experienced the

customer service om Manitowoc and the other crane OEMs as a customer. ere are di erent ways to improve on customer service, but for me, the improvements come om the people in the organisa on. If the people are happy, well-resourced and supported every step of the way with logical processes, this will show at the customer service level.

“As Ryan has said, it is important to have good rela onships. I’ve known many of the key stakeholders within our dis ibutor network for many years and I want to take advantage of these rela onships. Our agents are important to us, especially when it comes to customer service, because they are closer to the customer, in many respects, than we are. e improvements will come as we develop these rela onships and further enhance the “network”.

“We understand that everybody

Western Aus alia, we also operate nine technicians across the Manitowoc Product lines, covering New South Wales and supplemen ng Aus alia wide when required. We have a technician based in Tasmania, one based in Victoria and another in Queensland covering our key accounts and suppor ng our network.

“In terms of product support, we diagnose issues quickly and iden fy which parts might be needed and we’re able to take those parts with us. With our telema cs system, Grove Connect, we can look at the crane online if it’s one of our newer CCS models cranes, and we can see what it’s been doing, understand the history of the machine and what it is displaying in real me. We’re not just relying on conversa ons with customers and their operators, we can see the data live, which narrows the issues down for us,” he said.

Andrew explains how Manitowoc

“We are working with recommended parts lists for the population of cranes that are working today. We have been researching the models and where the cranes are operating and we are using this information to ensure we have the right parts on the shelf in the right areas.”

has got to up their game because this market is ge ng increasingly compe ve and there is a de nite commitment om Manitowoc Cranes Aus alia to improve product support and customer service. e fact is, you can’t keep every part on the shelf, but you can certainly s ive to keep the most common parts, and s ucture your network in a way that you can get what you need quickly” said Paul.

Andrew Buchanan is Manitowoc’s Service Manager and has been with the organisa on for six years. He explains how he approaches the cri cal discipline of service.

“We support our dealer network na onally where we have TRTA in Queensland, TRT in New Zealand, JDM in Victoria and WATM in

manages major inspec ons and how Grove Connect’s telema cs is s eamlining this process.

“In terms of major inspec ons, we work with cer ed partners with a system in place that manages the process om start to nish. We have designed the process to provide customers with a more s eamlined and informed approach to major inspec ons. e program provides us with an op on to enable the customer to keep using their crane for longer and not having to do the full s ip down if it’s not required,” said Andrew.

“Morale is high in the parts team”, says Ryan.

“Our parts team has been ge ng excellent feedback om our customers. We recently bought Geraldine on board

who is an experienced operator in customer service. She looks a er a lot of our key accounts as well as our dealers and she ensures they are ge ng the responses they need.

“Shree’s been with us for a li le while and customers have a good rela onship with him, and his customer service skills are excellent. Sandeep’s also been with us for a while now and he looks a er our ordering om overseas. Alex is our most recent team member, and his customer service levels are rst-rate. He also looks a er our onsite safe ,” said Ryan. “Our team is reasonably new, but ex emely dedicated and focused on con nual improvement and we are already seeing posi ve signs om the comments that are coming in om our internal network, and most

importantly, our customers.”

Paul is excited with the new role and the opportuni es it presents despite the ongoing challenges.

“Obviously, we are no di erent to any other crane supplier, as we too are s ll experiencing disrup ons and challenges in terms of eight and parts availabili . A er the pandemic, things were pre awful, but we started to see some improvement mid last year, but with shipping again being disrupted in the Red Sea, we have to plan our requirements well in advance, which is not always easy nancially, and logis cally, as the shipping companies choose longer and safer routes for their eight.

“As a team we aim to be very responsive to our customers’ needs

and we have the exibili with our eight networks to u lise air eight if necessary to get parts on a plane to almost anywhere in Aus alia, o en within 24hrs or be er of receiving the order, depending on the urgency of the customer call-out,” he said.

“Manitowoc products, including the Grove and Potain brands, have always been highly regarded by our indus y. We are really excited about the release of new products and the research and development being conducted into alternate fuels. With a renewed focus on customer service, I can see the business is shaping up for a dynamic period and I’m really happy to be part of a great team and network, and to play my role in ensuring we con nue to sa sfy our customer’s requirements,” he said.

Ola Taiwo – Warehouse Co-Ordinator and other members of Manitowoc’s parts team have been recieving excellent feedback from customers.

“Our products are undeniably great, but it is the exceptional calibre of our people that distinguishes us from others”

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MAE-DA FOURTH BE WITH YOU

Australian specialised cranes and rigging company, Seymours Cranes, Rigging, and Labour, has purchased its fourth Maeda in the past year. Owner and founder, Ashley Seymour, discusses his relationship with Pace Cranes, and why he’ll consistently choose the Maeda brand.

AMID THE BUSTLING ATMOSPHERE

OF an urban cons uc on site - a soon-to-be high-rise with workers coming to and o like no tomorrow - and with the noise of heavy-du cons uc on equipment being powered lling the ears of passersby enjoying a 29-degree day in Burleigh Heads, Queensland, a revela on is unfolding in ont of Ashley Seymour.

Perched on a slab in ont of him while his team helps to assemble a tower crane – one of the many services Seymours o ers – is the thing he needs to make his life easier.

Con ary to the tle, it’s not a telekine c, inter-galac cal life-force, but it is something that provides just as much balance and power when needed: it’s his Maeda MC305C.

“Maeda cranes are just such reliable machines,” he says. “ ey’re excep onally lightweight and are perfect for jobs where space is cons icted, which is really handy for our line of work.”

For Ashley Seymour, the hustle and bustle of the modern-day cons uc on site is what he’s accustomed to. With a career in the indus y spanning 30 years, Ashley’s words on the Maeda brand possess an added element of veraci .

Entering into the ades in 1992 as a carpenter, he began his career in rigging and crane assembly with Lindores Cranes, working on a range of tower crane assembly and rigging projects. roughout his me, Ashley has worked across an array of projects, such as the Sydney Olympics, moving to the Middle-East to erect and operate Mammoet’s heavy li cranes before returning to Aus alia to assemble Mammoet’s 2000-tonne PT50 ring crane in WA.

He eventually se led down on the East Coast of Aus alia, taking ma ers

into his own hands in 2016 when he set up his own business.

Conceived in 2016, Seymours Cranes, Rigging and Labour ini ally began its venture as Seymours Building and Cons uc on, a tes mony to Ashley’s days as a carpenter.

Today employing a team of 15 people consis ng of seven riggers and eight crane crew, Seymours provides quali rigging, dogman and crane opera on services across Aus alia.

Now entering its eighth year of existence, the company’s exper se has seen it work across a range of projects, om teeing up tower cranes on highrise residen al and commercial projects through to assembling and con guring crawler cranes.

“We operate anywhere people want our services, but we’re being kept busy

here in South East Queensland,” he says. “We’ve worked all up and down the East Coast, however, such as assembling a large crawler crane for John Holland on the Sydney Gateway, among a range of other projects.”

rough his me in the indus y, Ashley has gained a netuned sense of what machinery is required for what purpose and, above all, what brands he usts the most ahead of others, For Ashley, this is re ected in his ini al experience with the Maeda brand when working with Steel Erectors in the 90s that has led him to purchasing four Maeda crawler cranes through New South Wales-based na onal dis ibutor, Pace Cranes. Receiving two MC305Cs and one MC405C back in March last year, the previous 12 months of opera ng his three new crawlers has le Ashley

Three of the four Maedas Seymours Cranes, Rigging, and Labour has purchased. Image: Seymours Cranes, Rigging and Labour

“We can use the single-fall hook, the searcher hook, and the optional ib too, which ives us e tra e ibilit whenever we re confronted with low-headroom scenarios.

nothing short of convinced he made the right decision.

“When I was beginning my career, I would always work with or around Maedas on cons uc on sites,” he says. “Consistently, the machines performed so admirably and reliably on sites such as shopping cen es and high-rise buildings due to their long reach and light weight.”

e speci ca ons support his statements, too: on one hand, the MC305C possesses a li ing capaci of three tonnes at a radius of 2.5m, a maximum li ing height of 12.52m, and a maximum below-ground reach of -64.36m. In conjunc on with its total weight of 3.9 tonnes, the MC305C presents a more-than-viable op on for jobs requiring compact, highperformance, machinery.

e MC405C, on the other hand, holds a maximum capaci of 3.83 tonnes at a radius of 2.7m, a maximum working radius of 16m, a maximum hook height of 16.8m, and a total weight of 5.6 tonnes

– again, all features poin ng towards a machine that thrives on compact, ghtly clustered cons uc on sites, as well as underground, cons icted civil engineering worksites. For Ashley and the team at Seymours, the minicrawlers’ exibili with cons uc on projects ts right in with their pro le of working on any assembly job that comes their way.

“We purchased all the available extensions with our Maedas,” says Ashley. “We can use the single-fall hook, the searcher hook, and the op onal y jib too, which gives us ex a exibili whenever we’re con onted with lowheadroom scenarios.”

It’s based on the performance of his three Maedas to date that Ashley announces a fourth Maeda, the MC285C, is on its way to the na onal dry-hire crew. With business booming for Seymours Group along the East Coast in assembling crawlers and tower cranes, Ashley saw t to expand the company’s

eet of suppor ng machinery to increase the amount of jobs it could take on board. And, when it came to acquiring the machine, there was only one company he would turn to again: Pace Cranes.

“It’s impossible to fault the service we’ve received om Pace Cranes,” he says. “ e en re team has been excellent for us every me we’ve worked  together.”

Based out in Sydney, New South Wales, the cons uc on equipment supplier has held a rela onship with the Maeda brand for over 30 years, with founder Paul Heeks shaking up the crane indus y and in oducing mini crawler cranes to the land Down Under. Now run by Anthony Heeks, the family business has consistently s ived to supply comprehensive, detailed customer service, which is precisely what Ashley felt he received om the dealer and Na onal Sales Manager, Michael Cawston, labelling their service as “highly responsive, detailed, and  holis c”.

“ roughout the en re process, Pace Cranes were so easy to deal with,” he says. “As a customer, you want to feel valued, and Pace Cranes were always more than willing to give me their me for any queries that I had.”

An integral aspect of Seymours’ work is its building and construction work, which its Maeda will help with.

Image: Seymours Cranes, Rigging and Labour

The MC305C features a maximum lifting capacity of 2.98 tonnes. Image: Seymours Cranes, Rigging and Labour

NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT LISTENS TO INDUSTRY

THE NEW COALITION GOVERNMENT formed in New Zealand late last year and showed a s ong hand s aight out of the gate – a hand that’s since been bi en and somewhat withdrawn as public sen ment signalled unhappiness with key parts of their 100 day plan. Poli cs has been all consuming for many in the lead up to the elec on and the lengthy talks to form a coali on didn’t help with the certain our coun y was so eager for. Much of the ac on so far has been to unwind what the previous majori Labour government had put into place, with less focus on what is replacing the systems, organisa ons or policies being replaced.

However now that the coali on government is star ng to se le in, signs are posi ve that indus y voice will be heard. e response to the crane indus y’s BIM (Brie ng to Incoming Minister) has been posi ve, with Ministers reaching out for more informa on and to set up mee ngs. Our key message is the desire for clear, up to date legisla on for our indus y, following the hideously delayed Plant & S ucture Regula ons stalled by Labour.

CANZ is also focussed on the educa on system which is undergoing a further systemic change, and on certain on the meline and projects for the Cyclone Gabrielle rebuild. As we meet with various Ministers over the next month, we will use our voice to put these items at the top of the government’s list of priori es.

Looking ahead to the year in ont of us, we are coming o the back of a slower few quarters than we have been used to. Uncertain om the elec on being the main con ibutor to this slow down as well as economic pressure. Certain around the Gabrielle rebuild and the government’s plan for in as ucture and housing will help

e ect on our indus y – both in the near term by providing quali aining and in the longer term by ensuring the competence of the new genera on of

for the next genera ons. It’s work the associa on has been doing in the background for some years and it’s great to see it coming to ui on.

CANZ CEO Sarah Toase with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. Image: CANZ

From owning the 45th Franna ever built to possessing a range of Franna cranes that today make up per cent of its crane hire eet, Titan ranes am c ahill oes in depth on the reasons why the New Zealand company will always go with Franna.

TRAVEL BACK TO 1987, AND A RANGE of  new sensa ons were descending upon the  world.

en-leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, and US President, Ronald Reagan, were mee ng to discuss the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces ea , the beginning of the end of the Cold War. Topping the charts was U2’s ‘With or Without You’, Bon Jovi had just released ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’, and Pa ick Swayze had just done that move in Dir  Dancing .

It also marked the year that, nearly a decade a er Dave Francis designed the rst pick and carry crane, Franna’s machines entered the New Zealand crane market through two companies: Collins Li ing and Titan Cranes.

According to Titan Equipment’s Na onal Crane Sales Manager, Cam McCahill, and the late founder of Collins Li ing, there was only one thing be er than a Franna: two Frannas.

“ ey’re just such reliable machines,” he says. “ e s le’s pick and carry abili , its ease of ansport, and its roadabili always made Franna the standout pick and carry crane for us.”

In his own words, Cam has been in the indus y “too many years to put in print”, but he es mates it to be over 45 years. Entering the indus y at around the same me that Titan came into being circa 1965, Cam bore witness as Max Whiley and ve other business partners purchased the heavy haul and crane hire division of Wilkins and Davies.

Over the next decadethe crane hire aspect of the business consistently thrived, to the point where Titan Cranes became its own en within the company to operate the crane hire eet.

Star ng om humble beginnings with six la ce boom crawler cranes and one seven-and-a-half Aus nWestern hydraulic crane, the wet-hire company now operates a eet of 55

cranes that feature all-terrain, ci , uck and crawler cranes om Kato as well as a range of products om Terex across four depots in Taranaki, Canterbury,  Dunedin, and its head o ce in Wellington.

roughout his me in the crane hire indus y, Cam has seen a range of equipment come through the doors during his tenure, with the Franna brand being one of the key staples for Titan Cranes. Because of this, he holds a unique posi on to comment authorita vely on the quali he sees om the Franna brand, due to the symbio c stories of Franna and Titan Cranes in New Zealand.

“We purchased our rst Franna in 1987; back then, it was the Franna 12T 4WD-1, and it had the serial number 1045 – the 45th Franna sold,” he said. “We purchased our second Franna in May 1988, and haven’t looked back  since.”

Three Franna cranes aid in a quad-crane lift for Titan Cranes.

Image: Titan Cranes.

e appeal for Franna cranes is evident: as a highly compact, manoeuvrable, and very roadable machine, the cranes provide an e cient li ing machine that simultaneously handles the li ing and ansporta on of a load in one go. e lack of ou iggers results in quicker set up mes, reducing both labour and opera onal costs, while an easily adjustable boom and hook con gura on further helps reduce their adaptabili . All this amounts to Franna

cranes thriving in jobs requiring equent reloca ons, a crane that can move loads in con ned environments, and highly manoeuvrable machines that can easily slot into nooks and crannies – whether that be in an urban se ng or a mine.

Titan Cranes now possesses eight Franna cranes in its eet, covering all models om the AT15 through to the AT40, the latest model om the Aus alian pick and carry manufacturer. According to Cam, he’s seen them go

to work in almost any indus y possible and, whether it be unloading ucks, installing or assembling machinery, working in the steel erec on indus y, or picking and carrying road barriers, the operators “love them”.

Ci ng the hilly terrains as a complex factor in safe crane opera ons, Franna’s advanced safe features – such as the Dynamic LMI and newer technological advancements such as the safe radar and 360-degree camera discussed in the February edi on of Cranes and Li ng – come in clutch for the New Zealand crane hire company. e Dynamic LMI, Franna’s patented system, shows a realme chart that calculates the crane’s load capaci depending on safe , removing human error om the equa on as much as possible. According to Cam, Franna’s latest technological advancements are emblema c of how the company consistently does its utmost to listen to user feedback and develop its machines to make them as safe as possible.

“Franna is always looking to increase the safe in its cranes, and that’s something we really value, especially as we need to navigate complex terrains,” he says. “ e machines, essen ally, are as safe as they can be onsite.”

Since its incep on in 1965 at the hands of Max Whiley, Titan Equipment has operated on the core values of loyal , good service and employing people of principle. For Cam and the team at Titan, these are values they also see at Franna, which they feel is embodied by their recent tour of Franna’s Eagle Farm factory, where he and the team witnessed rsthand the engineering and manufacturing processes that unfold in Queensland. Cam cites a recent mee ng with some of the Franna sta at the recent CICA conference as a further tes mony to the calibre of people at Franna, labelling the team as passionate, energe c, helpful, and commi ed to the long-term aspira ons Franna.

“With Franna,” he says, “we know we’re working with a company that prides itself on ansparency, quali , and really listening to customer feedback to improve where it can,”he said.

Titan’s slewers got to have an early night in thanks to the capabilities of the AT40 and AT20. Image: Titan Cranes.

Franna number 1045 – the 45th Franna ever built, and the first to enter itan Cranes’ eet. Image: Titan Cranes.

The New GMK5150XL is the latest sibling of the GMK5150L-1, with longest boom (69m) and most versatile road weights in class

• Reach further with 69m boom and 30m hydraulic luffing fly

• 50t GVM with outriggers in situ for reduced cost legal travel in all Australian states and territories

• 10.2t counterweight in situ at 12t per axle

• Increased safety and flexibility with MAXbase variable outrigger positioning

• Faster, intuitive set-up with CCS (Crane Control System)

• Grove Connect Telematics

New GMK5150XL

• Capacity: 150t

• Main boom: 68.7m pinned*

• Maximum Jib: 30.2m (40O hyd luff)

• Maximum tip height: 99m

SECOND GRT8100-1 ARRIVES IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE

Spartan Construction has purchased the second Grove rough terrain

li ing capaci es, and be er access to congested job sites.

Before being received by Spartan’s General Manager, Joe Fluhler, TRT put the crane through a thorough PreDelivery Inspec on (PDI), according to the Aus alasian dealer.

Led by TRT’s Crane Service Manager, the PDI is re ec ve of TRT’s

commitment to comprehensive, end-toend solu ons for throughout a crane’s lifecycle. Also included in TRT’s service is organising the purchase of the model, the importa on process, PDI, handover, operator induc on to the machine and ongoing service throughout the crane’s  lifespan.

TRT supplies all of Grove’s products in Aus alia and New Zealand, with machines ranging om 30 tonnes through to 450 tonnes.

To learn more about Grove’s cranes and TRT’s associated comprehensive, life-cycle support, reach out to the team on their website.

Spartan’s new roughterrain. Image: TRT.

Customer Training Courses 2024

Australia and New Zealand

Please

CONTACT US

to our Mobile Cranes

Training programme for course descriptions and general

For more information and bookings, please

A UNIVERSAL SUPERPOWER

niversal ranes was recentl spotted e in the stren th of its diverse eet on the million orthern orridor mprovements pro ect.

UNIVERSAL CRANES WAS RECENTLY con acted to complete the installa on of a range of over 200 Super T Beams on the $700 million Northern Corridor Improvements project.

Working for the Fulton Hogan, New Zealand Transport Agency, HEB Cons uc on, Opus and Jacobs joint venture to deliver the project, the company was tasked with supplying the cranage to the project - also known as the Auckland Northern Corridor project. e in as ucture project aims to improve ansporta on links in the North Shore and provide an alterna ve to avelling on State Highway One through the cen al ci by cons uc ng a new motorway link between the Northern Motorway and the Upper Harbour Highway, new lanes on the

Northern Motorway and an extension of the exis ng Northern Busway om Constella on Bus Sta on through to Albany Bus Sta on.

Universal Cranes mobilised its en re eet based in Auckland to complete the work ahead of it, u lising its 450-tonne capaci Grove GMK7450 right through to its 12-tonne capaci Tadano GR 120. To meet the requirements outlined by the Fulton Hogan-led alliance, Universal Cranes li ed the 200 Super T Beams that ranged in capaci om 50 tonnes through to 90 tonnes in weight.

A par cular highlight of Universal Cranes’ work on the Highgate Bridge involved the li ing of four 44-tonne steel girders. Measuring in at 40m-long, the steel girders were li ed into place and bolted together to form part of the

new 97m long, three span bridge over Auckland’s Northern Motorway.

e night- me installa on of the main girders made full use of Universal Cranes’ 450-tonne mobile GMK7450, ul mately requiring a full road closure of State Highway 1.

e steel supers ucture of the two-lane motorway overpass was also installed as a s ck build – meaning it was assembled in the air – and connected together with 5300 bolts. e new bridge that was installed by the Aus alaisian crane hire company and built by HEB Cons uc on will link John Fair Drive in Milldale to Highgate Business Park and  Silverdale.

Both projects re ect Universal Cranes’ capaci complete any li , anywhere, any me.

The seven-axle Grove in the middle of a lift. Image: Universal Cranes

A NEW FUTURE FOR THE CRANE INDUSTRY?

CANZ past president and life member, Scott McLeod, discusses his overseas trip where he witnessed s crane factor up close and personal for the first time, revealin some ke takeawa s from the qualit of the manufacturin process.

ASK

SCOTT MCLEOD HOW HIS TRIP TO China was, and the answer provided is very illus a ve.

Receiving the chance to visit Shanghai for the rst me in his life, he described entering the ci as “stepping into the future”, thanks to the omnipresence of technology and vivaci surrounding him.

However, ying over on January 21 this year with a mixed entourage om Aus alia and New Zealand, the owner of McLeod Cranes was not just there for tourism reasons. A er hearing the stories of an a ordable, quali manufacturer on the East of the map, the brunt of his four days was spent touring the Xuzhoubased factory of XCMG’s crane division – and what he saw completely altered his perspec ve on the status quo in the crane  market.

“Prior to this ip, XCMG’s reputa on had preceded them, for me,” he said. “A er this ip, XCMG has established itself as a brand to watch closely in the  future.”

Currently, Sco runs a eet of 32 cranes, featuring brands such as Grove, Liebherr, and Demag, with the maximum capaci es of his machines ranging om three tonnes through to 350 tonnes. Before 2005, the year he joined the crane hire company his father started back in 1996, Sco worked as a computer programmer, working in the Royal New Zealand Navy and overseas as a radio- er. Since joining the crane hire indus y 18 years ago, Sco has enjoyed a decorated career in an indus y he says he’s go en “right involved in”, including joining the Crane Associa on

of New Zealand, becoming the president of CANZ, serving on the execu ve commi ee for a total of nine years, and eventually becoming a life member in 2021.

At the top of his career achievements are his recogni ons and awards, such as receiving two ‘outstanding con ibu ons’ ophies for his con ibu ons toward the crane indus y, and winning two awards om New Zealand Health and Safe for li planning, fall protec on, three points of contact and a manual on anspor ng casing. For Sco , these awards are, simply put, “quite humbling”.

“It’s really humbling to be given these awards,” he says. “What’s more, they’ve all come om people you work alongside all the me and bodies who are inves ng so much in safe .”

According to Scott McLeod, the number of cranes witnessed overseas was “unfathomable”. Image: Scott McLeod/McLeod Cranes

What Sco ’s expansive résumé in the crane indus y amounts to is that, when he says something is quali , he is going to be very accurate with what he’s saying. And, for him, the machinery being produced om XCMG’s crane division is rapidly catching up – in his view, maybe only two to three genera ons behind  opposi on.

“ roughout the tour, we visited the tower crane factory, the mobile crane factory, and the crawler crane factory,” he said. “I’ve got three points of reference to compare them to in my life: factory tours with Kato, Liebherr and Demag. Everything that I saw om XCMG’s factory was on par with what I’ve seen  overseas.”

A key aspect of the manufacturing process of XCMG’s cranes is its highly automated, e cient produc on line. Helping to manufacture the cranes are hundreds of robots delivering precision welding as well as assembly throughout the en re of the process. What this results in is cheaper labour costs and the capaci to produce more machines than ever, providing a key point of di erence in a crane market plagued by rising costs due to in a on, and lengthy wait mes for machines to be delivered. For Sco and the entourage, witnessing the mobile crane assembly line in ac on and the resul ng number of machines is stock in the yard was something they’d “never seen before”, labelling the produc on line as “modern, and fast”.

“When we were there, we were literally watching a new crane go om a chassis through a produc on line that was

producing a new mobile crane every 25 minutes,” he said. “Outside in the yard, there were hundreds upon hundreds of stock cranes wai ng to be dis ibuted – it was an unfathomable number of cranes.”

Witnessing the assembly line was just one aspect of the tour for Sco , however. Receiving the chance to inspect the cranes up close and personal, the welding of the booms on the crawler cranes was something that really stood out for the entourage in tandem with the prac cali and user- iendly interface featured on the 60-tonne all-terrain crane. In the brief glimpse he received, Sco believes the technology in the cranes is  improving.

new crawler crane. As Stephen says, anyone who’s willing to come overseas and have a look at the manufacturing process is “more than welcome to”, saying that XCMG is open to being as ansparent as possible, such is the company-held-view that its cranes can match it with anyone.

“We are commi ed to growing and developing the XCMG product line in the Aus alasian market with detailed, comprehensive post-sale service and support,” he said. “We’re delivering European standard cranes that meet upcoming ADR requirements to Aus alia

“We are producing cranes that meet European standards and comply with the upcomin re ulations for ustralia and ew ealand. e also o er our products at a competitive price to ensure that the investment of the crane is swiftl recouped.

“You can see XCMG is working hard to make everything simple to use and intui ve,” he said. “In conjuc on with more a ordable cranes and shorter lead mes, XCMG’s cranes are an op on I’m going to need to have a close look at.” e ip overseas to witness the manufacturing processes at XCMG is something that the company is openly o ering to any poten al customers or keen onlookers. Just last year, ANZ Crane Manager, Stephen Broom eld, took dis ibutors Ronco and D&D Diesel on a ip, followed by another one to oversee the manufacturing of Boom Logis cs’

and New Zealand at commercial prices that have never been seen before.”

And so, for Sco McLeod, one of New Zealand’s most respected gures in the crane indus y, who previously bought into the reputa on preceding the XCMG product and has previously sworn by the established, European manufacturers, there was one, overwhelming takeaway om his venture into the futuris c se ng in China.

“It’s evident to anyone who sees the cranes up close,” he said, “that the XCMG product is catching up with the other brands, and it’s a product that we need to watch closely over the next few  years.”

McLeod Cranes services the Bay of Plenty and Waikato regions. Image: Scott McLeod/McLeod Cranes

GETTING SAVVY WITH SANY

ustralasian compan recentl acquired the first 120-tonne Sany mobile crane in New Zealand. Director, Bevan Ellis, discusses the reasons behind the purchase and the crane’s performance over the last year.

A COMPANY’S JOURNEY THAT TAKES

it om the dus plains of the Pilbara to the colder climes of New Zealand’s North Island seems improbable, but that is exactly what now Aus alasian company R&O has achieved.

Born in the hot, red dust in the northwest of Aus alia, R&O’s rich history saw it begin in 2016 based on a prac cal business model: highly

skilled and experienced riggers, crane operators, and sca olding workers would be employed to then be hired out by the mining, oil and gas, and mari me companies that needed them. Indeed, the company’s rst ever client was the company synonymous with crane hire in the Pilbara: Joyce Krane. As Director Bevan Ellis re ects, the condi ons were di cult

when R&O rst started, enduring a tough climate and tough condi ons.

“ e shi s were long and hard, regularly up to 14 hours long spent in heat of 50 degrees plus,” he says. “Looking back, there were some great memories forged with Joyce Krane.”

Today, R&O owns many subsidiaries, which it has used to diversify its por olio and expand across the ditch into New Zealand. One of those subsidiaries is DC Cranes, which owns a vast range of mobile cranes, including some om the Grove, Liebherr, Kato and Demag brands – all staples within the crane indus y. e need for newer cranes has grown as its por olio has expanded, but, as with much of the crane world, issues such as delays in shipping and in a on costs

“The lift charts o ered reat capabilities in ali nment with benchmark crane manufacturers world-wide, and the crane also met all roadin requirements here in New Zealand.”

reared their heads when R&O went to its usual suppliers.

Broadening their horizons, Bevan and the team went looking elsewhere to expand its eet and found the answer in East Asia with the Sany SAC1200E it purchased last year – the rst of its kind in New Zealand, and a crane that Bevan labels as “a great addi on to our growing eet”.

“We’ve been running the machine for close to a year now,” he says, “and the machine has been great so far. It’s done everything that we’ve needed to  date.”

Sany’s SAC1200E has a maximum li ing capaci of 120 tonnes, a maximum boom length of 66m, a maximum boom and y jib combina on of 91m and a minimum turning radius of 7.85m. In tandem with its ght turning radius, the crane also

Australasia’s Riggers & Operators says the SAC1200E has been a powerhouse for them since purchasing last year. Image: R&O

possesses a compact chassis of 14.2m in length and 2.75m in width with allwheel steering, making the machine adaptable to various condi ons on various di erent cons uc on sites – a handy feature for Bevan and the team at R&O, considering the company’s expansion into in as ucture works.

“We conducted signi cant due diligence into the crane and decided to move forward with the European speci ca on model, which o ered components that were familiar to us,” he said. “ e li charts o ered great capabili es in alignment with benchmark crane manufacturers world-wide, and the crane also met all roading requirements here in New  Zealand.”

“Ul mately, the SAC1200E has been a great addi on to our eet,” he said, “and we have plans to purchase more Sany units in the coming year.”

The SAC1200E features a maximum main boom length of 66m. Image: R&O

CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF UNIVERSAL CRANES

2009 Gateway bridge build using M12000-1

2009 Cullerin Wind Farm,

turning with GMK5130

2023 32 point, 54 tonne lift of Tank Dome Roof with LR1600

POTAIN’S WORLD FIRST ON THE GREENWICH PENINSULA

UK company Radius Group has achieved a world first with otain on the reenwich ro ect.

UK CRANE RENTAL COMPANY RADIUS GROUP has deployed the world’s rst Potain MR 229 lu ng jib tower crane in London, UK.

e crane hire company was con acted by housing associa on L&Q Group to cons uct a signi cant housing project on the Greenwich Peninsula that will see the development of 476 new homes.

Having already selected four MR 225 A cranes for the project, Radius Group opted to subs tute in the world’s rst MR 229 tower crane as soon as it became available to handle increasing e ciency pressures.

The new Potain MR 229 was selected by Radius Group as soon as it became available to enhance the construction site’s e ciency. Image: Potain.

Opera ons Director Teddy Holt said “innova on has always been cri cal” to the UK company, and the Potain MR 229 t the bill perfectly.

Being the rst li ing provider in the world to erect an MR 229 on a live cons uc on site, he said, “is another great example of having a s ong focus on con nuous improvement, making Radius a li ing indus y leader.”

e Potain MR 229 lu ng jib tower crane possesses a maximum li ing capaci of 14 tonnes, jib lengths of 30m-to-55m, and holds the abili to li 2.7 tonnes at its maximum li ing radius.

Addi onally, the crane thrives on congested jobsites, providing a short out of service radius of 10m-12m, depending on jib length, while also giving the op on for two brand new, high-performance hoist winches: the 75HPL35 and the 110HPL35.

e key point of di erence with the MR 229, however, is that it is the rst Potain lu ng jib crane to feature Manitowoc’s Crane Con ol System (CCS).

According to Manitowoc, it takes “just 15 minutes” to con gure the machine, calibrate the sensors for crane movement and set the jib length.

e MR 229 is also the rst to include the new Potain ‘Connect’ telema cs system that “s eamlines daily tasks, facilitates e cient eet management and op mises service and maintenance,” according to the manufacturer.

For the Greenwich project, Radius Group has con gured its rst MR 229 with a 50m jib and 37.5m height under the hook, u lising a 75HLP35 winch. Addi onally, the UK-based crane rental company is responsible for managing the cranes throughout the en re project lifecycle, including logis cs, erec on, opera on, and dismantling.

A key advantage of the cranes is that they will be able to erect and dismantle each other, saving money on mobile cranes. e machines are set to remain in opera on un l Q4 2025, with the project set for comple on in 2027.

he new lu ng jib tower crane was assembled with a m ib.

Image: Potain.

THE INCREASING ROLE OF INSURANCE

Marc Crossman, UAA’s Group Strategy and Distribution Manager explores the role of crane insurance in project bidding, what contractors need to know about insurance and how crane businesses can add value through insurance.

THE IMPORTANCE OF INSURANCE IN PROJECT BIDDING

In the compe ve landscape of crane and li ing opera ons, the importance of insurance coverage cannot be overstated. It’s not just about mee ng legal requirements, having comprehensive insurance coverage is a key di eren ator in con actor selec on. When lead con actors evaluate poten al sub-con actors, they look for signs of professionalism and reliabili , and a wells uctured insurance plan speaks volumes. It assures them that the con actor is not only aware of the inherent risks in crane opera ons but is also proac ve in managing them.

IN URAN E OVERA E WHAT CONTRACTORS NEED TO KNOW

When it comes to crane opera ons, one size does not t all in terms of insurance coverage. ere are several pes of insurance that con actors need to consider, including machinery damage, general liabili , proper damage and workers’ compensa on. Each of these plays a vital role in providing a safe net against various risks associated with crane opera ons. Tailoring these policies to align with speci c project risks is crucial. For example, a project involving crane opera ons in densely populated urban areas may require higher liabili coverage due to the increased risk of proper damage or injury. Similarly, a project with unique environmental challenges may necessitate addi onal coverage. It’s important to conduct a thorough cost versus bene t analysis when choosing insurance coverage. While it may

be temp ng to opt for lower premiums, inadequate coverage can lead to substan al nancial losses in the event of an accident or lawsuit. Inves ng in comprehensive insurance can be cost-e ec ve in the long run, safeguarding the business’s nancial health and reputa on.

E OND THE A I ADDING VALUE THROUGH INSURANCE

For crane opera ons, insurance is not just a necessary line item—it’s a s ategic asset that adds tangible value to a business. One of the most signi cant ways it does this is by enhancing client ust. When a con actor presents a comprehensive insurance por olio, it demons ates a commitment to safe and responsibili . is level of professionalism goes a long way in building and maintaining ust with clients, which is invaluable in fostering long-term business rela onships. Consider insurance as a unique selling proposi on in a compe ve market. In an indus y where con actors o en have similar technical capabili es and pricing s uctures, a robust insurance package can

be the di eren ator that sets a company apart. It shows prospec ve clients that the con actor is forward-thinking and diligent about risk management, making them a more a ac ve choice.

Insurance can also play a vital role in con act nego a ons. Con actors with thorough insurance coverage o en nd themselves in a s onger posi on during con act discussions. It can provide leverage when s pula ng terms, as it reassures all par es that risks are well-managed and liabili es are covered. is not only s eamlines the nego a on process but also enhances the con actor’s reputa on as a reliable and conscien ous partner. Finally, it’s important to recognise the role of insurance in workforce morale and reten on. Employees who know that their employer has comprehensive insurance feel more secure and valued. is can lead to higher job sa sfac on, lower turnover rates, and a more commi ed workforce. In turn, this con ibutes to higher produc vi and a s onger company culture, which are cri cal factors in the success of any business.

Marc Crossman, UAA’s Group Strategy and Distribution Manager. Images: UAA

AN E.P.O.S.-SIBLE LOGISTICAL SOLUTION

Premier Cranes’ co-founder, Steve Warton, discusses his experience with Matusch’s E.P.O.S. software, and how it has helped streamline his company’s resource allocation processes.

BEING AN OWNER OF A BUSINESS CAN BE a tough, gruelling, mul -faceted challenge, with a plethora of things that could go wrong occurring every single day.

For crane hire companies, throwing the challenge of alloca ng resources adequately for each job into the mix with appropriate eet management, correct stocktake and appropriate invoicing becomes one big hot pot of poten al miscommunica ons. Without the correct systems in place, that hot pot can quickly become an adminis a ve nightmare.

For Steve Warton, co-founder of Victorian crane hire company Premier Cranes, the reliance on mul ple spreadsheets detailing what machine was where, which crew member was at what site, and what rigging was being used on which project became overwhelming.

In need of a solu on to his company’s logis cal needs, he turned his a en on overseas to German company Matusch and its product ‘E.P.O.S.’: Equipment Planning and Organisa on System.

“We’ve worked with Matusch and employed its E.P.O.S. system for a lot of years – since 2015 to be exact,” he said. “Working across mul ple spreadsheets made scheduling and invoicing really di cult for us, but everything has become so much more s eamlined ever since we started using E.P.O.S.”

“Everything is now entirely streamlined and centralised, and it’s all been derived from working with Matusch.”

E.P.O.S. is a modular so ware system that has been developed and op mised speci cally for the crane rental, access equipment and oversize ansport indus ies. rough Matusch’s E.P.O.S., users are able to easily ack what resources have been where, where resources are currently located, and what they will be doing in the future. In essence, Matusch’s E.P.O.S. enables the cen alisa on of all resource alloca on, allowing companies to determine what needs to be where at what me, minimising the amount of paper ow brought about by adminis a ve processes.

One glance across Melbourne’s inner northwest explicitly lays out the importance of appropriate logis cal management for Steve. Amid the crawler cranes and half-complete bridge works are the dis nguishable white booms of Premier Cranes’ mobile and crawler cranes working across projects in Victoria’s Big Build ini a ve that are also conduc ng li ing opera ons at various commercial cons uc on jobs across the ci . In all, Premier Cranes owns 33 cranes, om its 25-tonne Frannas through to its two, 450-tonne Liebherr mobile cranes, while also employing over 100-plus eld crew.

With the deployment of these machines comes the need for associated rigging equipment, li ing equipment

like counterweights, quali ed personnel, and e cient shi management. rough Matusch’s E.P.O.S. system, the team at Premier Cranes acquires the compe ve advantage of being able to ack its available resources at any given point, as well as plan for future jobs and easily view past jobs. is is done by simply crea ng a job and inpu ng the allocated resources, while ensuring there’s no crossover of equipment u lisa on and fa gue management can be dealt with adequately. For Steve, the bene t of this is two-fold on jobs such as the West Gate Tunnel Project, where resources require 24-hour management.

“Firstly, E.P.O.S. helps us meet our client’s expecta ons by ensuring we show up for jobs on me and with the right

Matusch’s Support and Installation Manager, Maik Biehl, and co-founder of Premier Cranes, Steve Warton. Image: Matusch

With a significant number of resources deployed all across Victoria’s Big Build, keeping track of what machine is where has been made easy for Premier Cranes through Matusch’s E.P.O.S. Image: Premier Cranes

personnel and equipment” he said. “On top of that, however, is the safe factor: by being able to manage people’s shi s, we ensure no one person is working too long; that’s especially important for us considering the heightened need for safe in high-risk work ac vi es.”

Opera ng for nearly 16 years now across Victoria’s in as ucture landscape, logis cal management of its resources has never been so cen alised for Premier Cranes. Working with Matusch, Premier Cranes has been able to integrate all of its own internal so ware with di erent pla orms where it owns the intellectual proper , with Matusch ensuring every bit of so ware is completely integrated at the rst available point for the Victorian crane hire company.

“E.P.O.S. provides a source of uth for us,” said Steve. “Everything is now en rely s eamlined and cen alised, and it all comes om working with  Matusch.”

Abettersystem

StartSafe ismorethanjustapre-start checklistapp;it'sacomprehensive tooldesignedtostreamlineyourcrane operationsandenhancesafety.

MachinespecificchecklistsareinlinewiththeCraneSafe program.StartSafe streamlinestheprocessforcollecting pre-startinformation,withinstantdataretentiontoacentral locationforthecraneownertoaccess.

Photostellthestory.Whenafaultyitemisrecordedbythe operator,themaintenanceteamisnotifiedoftheissueby email,whichincludesphotoevidenceofthefault. Thisalsoassistswithgatheringmajorinspectiondata.

Anadditionalapp.(StartSafe Maintenance)isavailable,for yourcompany’smaintenanceteamtoclosethefaultloop oncetherepairiscomplete.

www.startsafe.cica.com

“TRY THE REST, THEN BUY THE BEST”

Broken Hill’s steel fabrication and erecting specialist, Boss Constructions has been in the crane hire industry for 25 years. After operating a Humma UV 35-25 for a decade, the business recently ordered a second Humma with a capacity of 55 Tonne. Nick Bobos explains more.

“I HAD BEEN OPERATING THE HUMMA for probably 10 years and before that we were using the MAC 25s. When the new 35t capaci Humma we were keen to see how it would perform and so we spoke to DRA Engineering, visited the factory in Western Aus alia and we were impressed with what we saw. e Humma has been an excellent performer for the 10 years that we’ve had it and that’s why we ordered the second. We don’t use MAC 25s anymore,” said Nick.

Boss Cons uc on works across a broad range of indus ies including

rail, mining, wind farm cons uc on, commercial cons uc on including schools and shopping cen es - anywhere where cons uc on steel work is required.

“We hire out our crane eet for rail refurbishment, for example. We pick up wagons, take them to our workshop and unload them, or replacing bogies when break downs occur on the rail. With this work, me is a big factor - we are in and out within in 30 minutes and we’re li ing 35t. e Humma is the one bit of plant that gets used every day, we’d be buggered without it,” said Nick.

Nick goes into detail about his research into the Humma and why he was convinced it was the right purchase for his business.

“We were looking to buy a new crane, and we had actually purchased a new Franna MAC25 and I dry hired a Humma om Peter Dalla Riva so we could compare the two. 10 years ago the Humma UV35-25 was just in produc on so we waited. As soon as we got the 35 and got the bugs out of it, I sold the 25t Franna and bought the Humma.

“ e best thing with the Humma is the

the toughness of a mine quali machine. e removable counterweight makes the crane at home either on an in as ucture project, opera ng at high capaci , or on the road avelling between jobs. Airbag suspension provides the operator with an ex emely stable, safe and smooth ride while, at the same me, reducing maintenance costs as there is no ar cula on and boom pivot wear. e automo ve spec Cummins 8.3L engine is highly fuel e cient with up to 25 per cent fuel savings over comparable machines – a big drawcard for the Boss Cons uc on team. As standard, the engine is ed with a Jacobs exhaust brake, which supplies greater stopping power and greatly reduces wear in the standard braking system. All these features combine to produce a very low maintenance machine.

Humma UV35-25 has an advanced Load Moment Indicator comprising of Dynamic Load Charts. is system calculates the SWL for the operator for the exact boom angle and ar cula on angle, which gives the operator their maximum capaci for each posi on. Sta onary load charts are also standard. is provides the operator with a boost in SWL when the crane is sta onary.

air suspension. It’s a be er con gura on, so it can slew past 42.5°. It has be er load charts so when you are fully slewed you can ar culate, and when you compare the load charts with a 25t Franna there is no comparison - and if you compare Franna’s largest crane the AT40 with 40t capaci with Humma 55-25 with 55t, there’s a big di erence,” said Nick.

e Humma UV35-25 35t crane is a highly versa le, high-capaci pick and carry crane. e design emphasis has been placed on the operator, with safe and comfort key features, while retaining

A fully automa c side slope dera on system is included into the so ware when required. e system includes digital rope compensa on. e winch rope is compensated for boom extension digitally, which allows the operator to turn it on or o . is also allows the winch rope to be reeved easily over the top of the booms rather than internally, which greatly improves ease of rope replacement and maintenance.

Nick is very pleased with the performance of the Humma.

“In our opinion, the Humma is probably an over engineered and over designed crane because they haven’t s etched a model to every per cent they can to make a larger capaci crane.

Peter Dalla Riva senior and his son Peter Dalla Riva junior are passionate about the Hummas and absolutely stand by the design, engineering and manufacturing processes.

“Whenever there’s an issue with the cranes, they are there with the required support. If I rang Peter junior on the weekend, he might not answer the phone call the rst me but he will if I ring a second me because he will know something is wrong.

“100 per cent the support is there, because DRA Engineering is a 50-yearold family company with proven engineering innova on and customer service. It is not a corpora on like Franna, you speak to the engineer that knows the crane and immediately get answers.

“I always say each crane suits di erent applica ons. If you’re a er a smaller crane with 15t or 20t capaci , you’d probably go with a Franna. ey are a narrow crane they are easy to drive and everyone knows how to use them. If you wanted something bigger and heavier to do a varie of jobs, you’d go with the Humma. Try the rest then buy the best,” said Nick.

“ e Humma 35 and 55 tonners are the ul mate pick and carry heavy li machine, designed and manufactured in Aus alia. e new Hummas feature new designs and they are a machine that the Aus alian crane indus y can be proud of,” said Nick.

The Humma UV35-25 35t crane is a highly versatile, highcapacity pick and carry crane. Images: Boss Construction.

Humma UV3525 has an advanced Load Moment Indicator comprising of Dynamic Load Charts.

LIEBHERR’S EAST COAST BOOM

The LR1750 currently residing on Australia’s East Coast. Image: Boom Logistics

A BOOM LOGISTICS CRAWLER CRANE HAS been made available to the hire market, with the East Coast division of the company announcing the arrival of its Liebherr LR1750.

Publishing the news via its social media channels on January 17, the company stated that the crane was now available for hire in the cons uc on, renewables, and in as ucture indus ies. e Boom Logis cs crawler also comes with SLDB and HS op ons available, allowing the crane to be tailored to speci c needs on various tasks, factoring in jobs that require ex a li ing power and higher wind speeds.

e 750-tonne capaci Liebherr crawler crane possesses a maximum hook height of 105m with its main boom and is capable of li ing at heights of just over

“Publishing the news via its social media channels on January 17, the company stated that the crane was now available for hire in the construction, renewables, and infrastructure industries.”

190m with its jib extension and guying system added, at which it operates at a maximum radius of 156m. In 2015, Liebherr announced the addi on of the second version of the LR1750 to its inventory, a crane that possesses li ing capaci es enhanced by up to 30 per cent in some areas, thanks to a redesigned boom and derrick system.

News of the Boom Logis cs crawler crane’s availabili comes a er the company recently added 2022’s

Trucking Woman of the Year, Melira Lister, to its company as Business Development  Manager.

Boom Logis cs possesses a crane eet ranging om ve tonnes all the way through to 750 tonnes. With o ces and depots all across Aus alia, the publicly listed company services the mining and resources, in as ucture, renewables, telecommunica ons, wind farm and indus ial maintenance sectors across  Aus alia.

BETTER BUSINESS WITH BADEN DAVIS CRANE CONNECTION

The Baden Davis Crane Connection was established in 2010 out of the collaborative vision of Anthony Davis and Ben Baden. In 2013 they became an authorised TRT dealer for the TIDD Pick and Carry Cranes in New South Wales.

SINCE THE LAUNCH OF THE TIDD CRANE, TRT has been commi ed to con nuously innova ng and developing new solu ons to address customer needs. is shared vision with Crane Connec on made them a perfect match for a mutually bene cial

e decision for Crane Connec on to become a TRT TIDD Crane dealer stemmed om the need for a credible alterna ve in the pick and carry crane market, especially when Franna held a monopoly on ar cula ng cranes. Anthony Davis explains that TRT emerged as a reliable op on with its TIDD Pick and

TRT’s dedica on to high-quali manufacturing and con nuous

innova on, paired with Crane Connec on’s extensive customer base and longstanding history in the crane indus y, formed the perfect synergy to support the TIDD Crane.

While ini ally focusing on TIDD sales, their o erings has expanded over me to include Kobelco sales and services, as well as Crane Ou igger Pads under the TRT brand. Anthony Davis elaborates, “What uly impresses me about the TIDD is its automo ve nish and TRT’s proac ve approach to enhancing the crane based on customer feedback.”

is became apparent when customer feedback highlighted concerns about the crane’s s ength during ar cula on and on side slopes. TRT commi ed extensive

e orts to address these concerns, guaranteeing s onger performance and reliabili in those speci c scenarios.

is was nine months in the making through engineering and tes ng, with the release of the PC28-2 in CICA October 2022, the TIDD was now s onger, with a li ing performance upgrade that has seen the success of the product grow.

With an average of 17 per cent increased li ing performance on a side slope and up to a 40 per cent li ing capaci increase in some areas, and the ex a interpola on of the ar cula on, the PC28 now packed a serious li ing performance while keeping its heritage of superior engineering and safe .

“ e feedback now om customers

The decision for Crane Connection to become a TRT TIDD Crane dealer stemmed from the need for a credible alternative in the pick and carry crane market.

Images: Crane Connection

“ n outstandin feature, the lew afe s stem, solidifies the TIDD Crane as Australia’s Safest Pick and Carry Crane. The cranes are delivered in impeccable condition, and fully equipped with all available options.”

who have purchased new, or upgraded their PC28 to the new performance load charts, has been impeccable. It’s a ue game changer,” Anthony said.

An outstanding feature, the Slew Safe system solidi es the TIDD Crane as Aus alia’s Safest Pick and Carry Crane. e cranes are delivered in impeccable

condi on, and fully equipped with all available op ons.

Crane Connec on takes pride in o ering dedicated personnel and unwavering phone support for their customers. ey also maintain a wellstocked inventory of spare parts and employ skilled technicians who excel at

swi ly diagnosing and addressing issues. To ensure a seamless experience, every customer receives a comprehensive operator familiarisa on, complemented by using the TRT ins uc onal videos.

Brendan Cook, TRT Aus alia Crane Sales expert, states, “ e collabora on between e Baden Davis Crane Connec on and TRT exempli es a successful partnership built on shared values and a commitment to excellence.”

Andrew Whyte, recently appointed in a Sales role for Crane Connec on, comes with more than 20 years of experience in the crane indus y. He started his journey as a dogman/rigger and moved his way up to an operator’s role. In 2014 he opened his own business with a 20-tonne crane and expanded over the years to have mul ple cranes up to 80 tonnes.

“His experience as a crane operator and business owner is a huge advantage for Crane Connec on and Andrew’s abili to connect with our customers

om an operator’s perspec ve will be quite unique for our business,” Anthony Davis says.

Crane Connec on has also made a s ategic investment in a Demo Crane, the TIDD PC28, providing customers with a chance for a hands-on experience. During a two-week window, this demo crane will be available for hire at a discounted rate. e hire costs of the demo crane will be deducted if the customer proceeds to purchase of a new TIDD Crane.

TRT’s TIDD Crane dealer support and service network includes RMB Service Group in South Aus alia, JDM Diesel Services in Victoria, Ronco Cons uc on Equipment and Engineering in Western Aus alia, and now Complete Crane Solu ons, also in Western Aus alia.

e TIDD Pick and Carry Crane is available throughout Aus alia and New Zealand, to download our TIDD product guide or request a quote, visit the website: h ps://bit.ly/40XQKRb.

For more informa on about our authorised TIDD Crane dealers, visit: h ps://bit.ly/3RlybTC

To learn more about Crane Connec on, please visit the website: h ps://bit.ly/3sd3PZB.

The TIDD PC28 packs a serious lifting performance whilst maintaining its heritage of superior engineering and safety.

DO YOU KNOW A DRIVER OF CHANGE?

WOMEN IN INDUSTRY NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN. Now is your chance to nominate an industry leader who you believe is advocating for positive change and deserves to be recognised.

PROUDLY PRESENTED BY

Thurs 20 June, 2024

The Women in Industry Awards recognise outstanding women leaders from across Australia’s industrials sector.

diameter

length

Ropes

ropes from Casar understand the Warnings convenience, the size

hoist ropes from Casar

distributors. Please read and

Crane Hoist Ropes

read and understand the Warnings for Terex cranes. For convenience, the size

Terex’s swaged buttons used on hoist Spelter Button for a Terex crane’s the overall length dimension with to approved hoist ropes from Casar read and understand the Warnings cranes. For convenience, the size

used on hoist Terex crane’s dimension with from Casar Warnings convenience, the size

swaged buttons used on hoist Button for a Terex crane’s overall length dimension with approved hoist ropes from Casar understand the Warnings

a replacement for Terex’s swaged buttons used on hoist choose the proper Resin Spelter Button for a Terex crane’s the button diameter and the overall length dimension with are to be attached only to approved hoist ropes from Casar authorized distributors. Please read and understand the Warnings currently available for Terex cranes. For convenience, the size indicated.

Buttons currently available for Terex cranes. For convenience, the size button is indicated.

Crane Hoist Ropes

Ropes

replacement for Terex’s swaged buttons used on hoist the proper Resin Spelter Button for a Terex crane’s button diameter and the overall length dimension with attached only to approved hoist ropes from Casar distributors. Please read and understand the Warnings available for Terex cranes. For convenience, the size indicated.

ADVANCED CRANES DEPLOYS LIEBHERRS FOR LXRP LIFTS

replacement for Terex’s swaged buttons used on hoist proper Resin Spelter Button for a Terex crane’s diameter and the overall length dimension with attached only to approved hoist ropes from Casar distributors. Please read and understand the Warnings

ADVANCED CRANES HAS COMPLETED

a series of dual li s on the Dublin Road level crossing removal project in Victoria’s Southeast.

for Terex cranes. For convenience, the size

Crane Hoist Ropes

Terex Crane Hoist Ropes

Hoist Ropes

ropes from Casar read and understand the Warnings

e Victorian crane hire company rst deployed its eight-axle, 650-tonne MRC Liebherr all-terrain crane to help li six 43-tonne, 23m long ‘super T-beams’ that will form the sta on concourse, residing over the rail ench and pla orms. Following that, Advanced Cranes deployed both its 40-tonne Liebherr all-terrain and 120-tonne Liebherr to complete a range of tandem li s on four 12.5 tonne li sha s that measured in at 13.7m tall and 3m wide.

e LTM 1120-4.1, on top of its 120-tonne capaci , possesses a bestin-show main telescopic boom of 66m, a maximum hoist height of 91m, and a maximum opera ng radius of 64m. First unveiled to the world at 2020’s ConExpo, the most powerful four-axle crane on the market thrives in jobs that normally require a ve-axle crane due to its high li ing capaci es and manoeuvrable design, according to Liebherr.

e works will eventually con ibute to the new Ringwood East Sta on that, according to the Level Crossing Removal Project’s o cial website, is set to be completed a full year ahead of schedule and

open to the public in 2024.

Victoria’s Lilydale Line will be the rst level crossing ee ain line, with boom gates at Coolstore Road, Croydon, and Cave Hill Road, Lilydale, set to be permanently removed.

Advanced Cranes is a Victorian crane hire company conduc ng its opera ons all up Aus alia’s East Coast, with its machinery spo ed conduc ng li s on wind farms, indus ial shutdown se ngs, and civil in as ucture jobs.

e company possesses a crane hire eet ranging om its three-tonne Maeda spider crane through to the 800-tonne LTM 1750-9.1.

“nearly the same” buttons.

“nearly the same” buttons.

inquire. Do not substitute “nearly the same” buttons.

not substitute “nearly the same” buttons.

For convenience, the size same” buttons.

Two of the three Liebherr cranes deployed by Advanced Cranes.

Image: Level Crossing Removal Project.

ROCK SOLID STABILITY

WHEN THE JOB DEPENDS ON STABILITY, TRT CRANE PADS DELIVER TIME AFTER TIME.

Manufactured from high-tensile steel for maximum strength and in a honeycomb design to minimise tare weight and deflection. They can bridge trenches and manhole covers without compromising ground stability while also safeguarding onsite underground services from potential damage. TRT offers Crane Outrigger Pads in a diverse range of sizes, provided in sets of four with comprehensive engineering data included.

For more information or a quote, you can email us at sales@trtaust.com.au or talk to Troy Hand at +61 423 561 111

or Brendan Cook at +61 478 398 219.

LEEA LAUNCHES TRAINING INTIATIVE

arch sees another si nificant milestone for in the re ion, e plains ustin oehm, e ional ana er for ustralia and ew ealand.

THE LIFTING EQUIPMENT ENGINEERS

Associa on (LEEA) is proud to announce the launch of Licenced Training Cen es (LTC), a s ategic ini a ve that will signi cantly improve the aining and safe standards of the li ing equipment indus y in Aus alia and New Zealand.

“ is project is a result of collabora on and consulta on between LEEA, our members and the end-users of li ing equipment,” said Jus n.

“It re ects our vision and mission to promote excellence and professionalism in the sector. It’s also an enormous bene t for our indus y stakeholders, who look to LEEA to ensure our members have the most up to date skills to ensure safe on their sites at all me.”

e LTC project aims to establish a network of licenced aining cen es across both Aus alia and NZ, where experienced and quali ed ainers will deliver LEEA’s high-quali courses for li ing equipment technicians. LEEA’s courses cover a comprehensive range of topics and skills that are essen al for the profession, such as inspec on, tes ng, maintenance, repair, design and opera on of various pes of li ing equipment.

In the past, LEEA’s ainers have own in om the UK Head O ce to deliver face-to-face aining, which was put to an abrupt halt during the COVID-19 years.

“Now we’re clear of the COVID days, we needed a permanent solu on to ensure our members could get aining delivered face-to-face, in a mely manner, wherever they may be. With licenced aining cen es, we now have that.” Jus n said.

LEEA’s Founda on, Li ing Accessories (formerly Li ing Equipment General) and Manual Li ing Machines (formerly

Li ing Machines Manual) will be delivered by our LTC partners in the coming weeks, meaning we will have a formalised mechanism to deliver the prerequisite courses for our newly established Cer cate IV in Li ing Equipment Tes ng and Inspec on. ese are the rst courses the LTCs will deliver, with the addi onal course, Veri ca on of Competency and assessments for the Cert IV to follow shortly. All our LTCs are Registered Training Organisa ons.

e requirement for our LTCs be Registered Training Organisa ons (RTO), is to ensure we have compliance aligned to the Aus alian Skill Quali Authori Framework, which veri es the competence and skills of the RTO. en combining our indus y based aining, we will have indus y technicians, holding na onally accredited aining, with relevant skills and a quali ca on recognised by end users, stakeholders and regulators.

LEEA’s courses have always been taught with Aus alian and New Zealand standards as their basis, informed by our global connec vi . ese standards and global know-how re ect best prac ce and regula ons for our indus y. e licenced aining cen es will also provide our members and their techs ongoing professional development opportuni es. is is something lacking om our indus y for too long.

e licenced aining cen es will be regularly audited and monitored by LEEA to ensure compliance with the high standards and expecta ons set by the associa on. e cen es will be required to follow s ict guidelines and procedures for quali assurance and, combined with s uctured repor ng requirements with

our members, LEEA has demons ated our commitment to excellence and safe in the li ing equipment indus y. We also hope this con ibutes to the well-being of the technicians in our indus y. Without a dedicated Na onally Accredited Training course, many of our indus y people don’t believe their work is signi cant, but we know the work of our people is of high value and believe that this project and the delivery of the Cer cate IV will be a success and a source of pride for all of us.

e LTC project is expected to deliver its rst round of aining in April, with our Senior Trainer – Dave Tucker – having conducted the last round of aining to the LTCs in February. We invite all our members, partners and stakeholders to join us in this exci ng journey and support us in making this project a reali .

Visit LEEA.com.au for more informa on and to book your course (members only).

SQUARE PEGS, ROUND HOLES

Franna design engineer Mitchell Orupold discusses the customer-centric approach that has led to a range of safety updates in 2023 to better serve the crane market in future.

“GENERALLY, MY ROLE IS TO MAKE THE square pegs t into the round hole.”

at’s how Design Engineer Mitchell Orupold describes his posi on at the Aus alian based manufacturing site for  Franna.

His career has seen him graduate om the Universi of the Sunshine Coast with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, move onto a career in civil cons uc on, before having a conversa on with Franna in October 2021. It was there where his logical thinking and prac cal a tude gained him recogni on as a graduate design engineer, moving into his current posi on a mere nine months ago.

“ e easiest way to describe what I do now,” he says, “is gure out how to install a range of customer-based op ons that we don’t necessarily adver se.”

What this means for Mitch and the engineering team is that, on any given

day, a customer could come to Franna and request a speci c feature, to meet a speci c requirement, on a speci c job – and it’s he and his team’s job to make that feature work within the crane. As he says: square pegs, round holes.

According to Mitch, it isn’t widely known that Franna devises speci c, tailormade solu ons to unique customer requests. However, it is a facet of the business that leads to some of the most signi cant safe and prac cali developments in the Aus alian manufacturer’s cranes, as seen in the January/February edi on of Cranes and Li ng - through the 360-degree camera and enhanced Dynamic LMI installed on the Spark consor um’s four Franna cranes working on the North East Link project.

“It’s a customer-led process,” he says. “We receive speci c orders, and then if three or four machines go out in an annual year with the same request, we’ll ac vate is

Mitchell Orupold, Design Engineer at Franna. Images: Franna

a con gurable op on for our sales team to sell as a con gurable op on.”

It should be noted that 2023 was a year where a series of signi cant requests were put to the Franna design team. Reeling o an abundant amount of addi onal features, Mitch highlights a speci c client needing to meet an air quali standard within the MAC25 cabin; for that to pass, an HEPA lter rated cabin air and cabin pressurisa on monitor needed to coexist – a solu on that was resolved by the team at Franna. Other features across the calendar year included an updated cooling pack aimed at improving serviceabili , a redesigned bar grill that is now removable to be er access and service the engine, a new pressuriser for the AT40 that minimises dust par cles coming in while be er pressurising the cabin, and, what Mitch labels a “locator system” for the MAC25 Superli mode. To counter an in ux of bent pins om customers comple ng “simple li s” thanks to counterweights sliding too far to one side and thus making the crane think it’s in Superli mode, Mitch devised “small li le wedges” that slot onto the lugs and stop the counterweight sliding back and forth, hence stopping the issues – as he says, “nothing crazy”, but a “handy li le solve”.

e Franna engineering team is constantly evolving and upgrading the cranes. In 2023 alone, there were 155 upgrades that were completed. ese upgrades ranged om swapping out a hex head bolt to a round head in the leaf springs,

to upda ng the genera on 5 ansmission to genera on 6. While some of these upgrades are addi onal op ons, many of them become standard.

Mitch’s upgrades also span into the mining and underground applica ons indus ies. Among the advances made in the last year were the tailoring of cranes to speci c requirements such as in LPG mines or charged air environments, where a choker valve is now available to shut o air to the engine and reduce the risk of an engine overhea ng beyond the point of con ol. Upgraded fuel lines have been on the item list, as well as enhanced warning

“Generally, it’ll be the bigger mining companies who will make these requests of us and it’ll be picked up on eventually by other companies because they start seeing how safe the crane is on the mining site,” he says. “ at doesn’t discount in as ucture companies, however; for example, John Holland has somewhere between 10-15 cranes that are using our new Superli con gura on, and the Spark consor um love the new 360-degree camera feature.

Ul mately, as Mitch is keen to s ess, Franna s ives to ensure that the best model of crane that can possibly be manufactured is going out to the market. For him and the

“The fact that Franna devises specific, tailor-made solutions to unique customer requests is not an area of its business that is well known. “

lights on the ont of all cranes – again, all tailor-made solu ons derived om customer requests and, as Mitch highlights, are o en produced om the mining indus y.

As discussed in the September issue of Cranes and Li ng, mines provide di cult condi ons for cranes to operate within, such as uneven ground, rough, sandy terrains, caverns with minimal space and harsh, red dust blowing about. For Mitch, this is why the mining indus y o en sets the highest safe standards that are then picked up on by the rest of the li ing indus y.

design team, a signi cant part of ensuring that happens comes om listening to customer feedback about where the crane can improve, how it can improve, and what speci c requirements the machine needs to t into speci c  requirements.

“Our customer-led a tude is cen al to our improvement at Franna,” he says, “because if no one tells us what is going to make the crane be er, then we don’t know where to improve – and we just want to make a good product for the Aus alian crane market.”

NOWRA CRANES PUTS ON THE PADS

Shoalhaven-based crane hire company Nowra Cranes has purchased T T s rane utri er ads. irector li ilson elaborates on the reasons for his purchase.

DRIVE FOR 160KM ON A TWO-HOUR TRIP south of Sydney, and you’ll nd yourself in the Shoalhaven Ci Council area.

Home to 100 beaches and a mixture of 49 towns and villages, there are sights aplen to see in the temperate, balmy coastal council dis ict, ranging om a wealth of lakes, inlets and surf beaches, through to a breadth of bushwalks boas ng some of Aus alia’s best ora and fauna.

As of 2024, however, Shoalhaven has added a new must-see feature to its inventory: TRT’s Crane Ou igger Pads, courtesy of local crane hire company Nowra  Cranes.

“It’s just really reassuring to know we’ve got these pads,” said Director of Nowra Cranes, Cli Wilson. “Everyone at Nowra’s got a lot of con dence when they’re using the pads because they know they’re going to stand up to the test.”

Cli began his career in the crane indus y at the same me as Nowra Cranes: nearly 22 years ago, back in July 2002. Nowra Cranes is a local crane hire company that operates within the Shoalhaven area, in the South Coast region of New South Wales. Opera ng under Paci c Na onal Cons uc on as of 13 years ago, the company now owns the largest crane hire eet in New South Wales south of Wollongong, running cranes om 20-tonne pick and carry machines through to its premier crane, the ve-axle, 250-tonne capaci Grove all-terrain. Being a local company, Nowra Cranes prides itself on providing e cient, cost-e ec ve li ing solu ons to the Shoalhaven area that consistently priori ses the highest level of safe with each li conducted, underscored by having not made a single claim through workers compensa on policy.

Or, as Cli puts it, things are “always going alright” for the local business.

“We don’t y and venture out too far,” he says. “We want to service our neighbouring region and service it well, so we focus our resources on delivering as good a possible service as we can around our  area.”

Before servicing the cranage needs of the Shoalhaven region, however, he was a partner in a steel erec on company, meaning that when it came to choosing crane ou igger pads, he was well aware of the quali he needed – and, in TRT’s hightensile, Hardox steel Crane Ou igger Pads, he found the answer he was looking for.

“We looked at some op ons om America, but TRT’s Ou igger Pads provided a more cost-e ec ve solu on with higher quali steel,” he said. “On top of that, the pads were being delivered om New Zealand rather than across the

Images: TRT

TRT’s Crane Outrigger Pads are built using a high-tensile, Hardox steel, designed for durability.

“We looked at some options from America, but TRT’s Outrigger Pads provided a more cost-e ective solution with hi her qualit steel.

North Paci c Ocean, so the wait me was signi cantly less too.”

TRT’s Crane Ou igger Pads are manufactured at its head o ce and manufacturing facili in Hamilton, New Zealand. e Aus alasian manufacturer and dealer builds its pads using high tensile Hardox steel, a pe of steel with high durabili that is highly resistant to wear. Due to steel’s characteris c to wear slowly under high amounts of mechanical s ess, Hardox is commonly used as a wearing plate and, according to manufacturer SSAB,

is the world’s leading abrasion-resistant steel. TRT’s Crane Ou igger Pads are designed in a honeycomb s ucture that helps to minimise tare weight and de ec on while also protec ng onsite underground services om damage.

Available as ‘o -the-shelf’ purchases that Nowra Cranes – as well as both Empire Cranes and Borger Cranes – has made full use of, TRT’s Ou igger Pads come in a wide range of sizes, making them versa le for both jobsite and di erent crane  applica ons.

Addi onally, the pads are capable of spanning enches and manhole covers without disrup ng the surrounding ground’s stabili .

As re ected in its slogan, ‘made possible’, and fully explored in the August 2023 issue of Cranes and Li ng with TRT Aus alia’s General Manager, Neil Webb, service and support are two of the primary pillars upholding TRT’s business man a. For Cli and the team at the Shoalhavenbased Nowra Cranes, this was something they were able to witness in full themselves.

“Everything was really easy and s aigh orward,” he said. “We worked with TRT Aus alia’s Business Development Manager, Brendan Cook, and he was very easy to deal with and made everything really simple  for  us.”

The honeycomb design inside TRT’s Crane Outrigger Pads.

TAKING THE HIGH ROAD

With the launch of the 2024 Women in Industry Awards, Cranes and Lifting is profilin women in cranes and en ineered heav -liftin , discussin their careers, their ourne , and the importance of a more diverse industr . n this month s edition, we talk to arens e ional ana er ceania, sabella urke.

Sarens’ Regional Manager Oceania, Isabella Burke.

Image: Sarens

WHEN THEY GO LOW, YOU GO HIGH.

It’s a cliché that has been ied and tested, applied to every scenario, and been used over and over – yet, for Sarens’ Isabella Burke, its meaning is s ll just as per nent as when Michelle Obama u ered the phrase in the lead-up to the 2016 US Presiden al  Elec on.

“ e world’s moving at a rapid pace to support women in leadership

posi ons,” she said, “and I don’t want to be in a posi on where I could bring that down through a nega ve  reac on.”

Responsible for Aus alia, New Caledonia, and a recently announced joint-venture in Papua New Guinea, Isabella, as Sarens’ Regional Manager Oceania, ts the mould of women in leadership posi ons. With a career in the ansport, heavy li ing, and

logis cs indus y spanning seven years so far, she arrived at the rst crossroad of her career a er comple ng her Bachelor of Business at the Queensland Universi of Technology in 2016: faced with the choice to either to go down the marke ng path, or the interna onal supply chain management route.

e decision, however, was clear for Isabella; embracing her

enjoyment of the logis cs courses she undertook at QUT, she moved into a graduate posi on in 2017 at the Brisbane-based, familyowned ansport business, Russell Transport. It was there, Isabella explained, that she gained an apprecia on for the importance of good mentors who would listen, not be readily dismissive, and be open to cons uc ve conversa ons.

e same principle holds ue at Sarens, according to Isabella, where she joined in January 2021. As she was keen to underscore, the global engineered-heavy li ing expert is

commi ed to embracing workplace diversi to ensure that the best people are selected for the roles. Importantly, on top of being a socially and professionally inclusive a tude, research conducted by global management consultant McKinsey indicates a posi ve correla on between workplace diversi and corporate success due to more diverse ways of thinking about the same  subject.

And, a er Sarens’ CEO recently said in the Sarens Women+ magazine that feminism is the belief in equal rights and opportuni es for all.

“Feminism means wanting the same opportunities and attitudes for everyone, regardless of gender – at Sarens, this is something that we practice consistently.”

• MCH175A: 10t max lift & 55m Jib Length

• MCH125A: 8t max lift & 50m Jib Length

• Standard 1.6m masts

• 2m masts up to 58.5m height

• Fast erection < 4 hours

• Reduced Out of Service radius at 10m

Isabella feels as though she’s working at a company where hard work, e ort, and a tude outweigh any genderbased  predisposi ons.

“It’s important for me that both males and females play an equal role in our evolu on into a more diverse, inclusive indus y,” she said. “Feminism means wan ng the same opportuni es and a tudes for everyone, regardless of gender – at Sarens, this is something that we prac ce consistently.”

Set to be held on June 20, 2024, Prime Crea ve Media’s ‘Women In Indus y’ Awards celebrate the outstanding women in male-dominated indus ies. Nomina ons for the event close on April 19, 2024; for more details on how to nominate someone for an award, or for sponsorship opportuni es, please visit: h ps://womeninindus y. com.au/.

Tel:

TIDD PICK AND CARRY CRANE EXCELS FOR MCLEOD CRANES

MCLEOD CRANES AND HIABS HAS deployed its TIDD PC28-2 on a roadworks project in Waikato, New Zealand, to manoeuvre road safe barriers.

Pu ng the large concrete slabs into place to help facilitate roadworks on New Zealand’s No.1 Motorway, the Bay of Plen and Waikato crane hire company labelled the machine as a “great tool” in a social media post, reserving special praise for the crane’s ‘Slew Safe’ feature.

e TIDD PC28-2 possesses a 28-tonne li ing capaci , posi oning the machine among the leaders for pick and carry op ons on-site. e machine is powered by a Mercedes-Benz OM906 six-cylinder, 6.4 li e, turbocharged, inter-cooled 205 kW diesel engine. e crane possesses a full-power, four-sec on telescopic boom and holds a width of only 2.5m and a 44-degree ar cula on,

making it the most manoeuvrable pick and carry crane on the market, according to a press release om its manufacturer, TRT.

Furthermore, the crane features a 75 per cent sta onary li ing chart, and a 66 per cent pick and carry chart that

speaking highly of TRT’s ademarked ‘Slew Safe’ feature, a “cri cal safe component included with all TIDD PC282 Cranes”, according to the manufacturer.

e ‘Slew Safe’ feature is an in-cabin indicator of the crane’s load capaci , featuring red, amber, and green lights. If

“The TIDD PC28-2 possesses a 28-tonne lifting capacity, positioning the machine among the leaders for pick and carry options on-site.”

can be enhanced by 12 per cent using the machine’s op onal 1.1-tonne superli counterweight op on. On the safe ont, TRT’s TIDD PC28-2 possesses a roll-over protec ve s ucture (ROPS) s le cabin that recently came in for e usive praise om na onal cons uc on company AWCON’s Andrew Ison, while also

the machine enters the red zone, the Slew Safe will be ac vated, reducing the speed of the steering to 15 per cent, making turning the steering wheel harder, a ‘loaded up engine’ that makes an audible sound change, and a constant alarm going o inside and outside the cabin to warn of overload.

McLeod Cranes’ TIDD PC28-2 lifts road barriers into place. Image: TRT

PLEASE SEND YOUR LIFT OF THE MONTH ENTRIES TO SIMON.GOULD@PRIMECREATIVE.COM.AU

COMPANY: Premier Cranes

CRANE MODEL: Liebherr LR 1350/1

PROJECT: West Gate Tunnel Project

CLIENT: CPBJH JV

OBJECT: Lift a 97-tonne, 40m-long girder into place on the elevated road above Footscray Rd.

RIGGING: 120-tonne triangle with sync hoists

PARAMETERS: Pickup at 21m radius, installation at 10.4m height and 34.1m radius, with a maximum tip height of 53.4m during the lift.

CRANE CONFIGURATION: 60m main boom, 163 tonnes of counterweight with 200 tonnes of superlift utilising a variable derrick system.

DIFFICULTIES: A preliminary lift assessment highlighted several constraints, including the need to avoid obstructions like light poles, scaffolding, and the bridge during the lift execution. The lift needed to be completed in a four hour window to ensure traffic on the motorway below would not be disrupted.

The quiet performer

Built Australian – Built Tough

The only Australian made range of Pick and Carry Cranes

Fully fabricated in Australia using robotic welding

Australian owned by the DRA Group established in 1971

Field proven lowest operating costs of all Pick and Carry Cranes

Field proven highest level of safety with class leading innovation

2 year/2,000 hours warranty, 15 year/15,000 hours to major inspection based on established historic data

Fully powered and compensated boom to 20.7m – longest in its class

Humma 35 UG series – the only Pick and Carry approved meeting underground specifications

HUMMA 25 – HUMMA 35 – HUMMA 55