Cranes and Lifting June 2023

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IN THIS

6 Industry News

Liebherr launches new narrow track crawler crane.

12 Tadano Up Front

Tadano launches EVOLT, the first all-electric rough terrain.

16 CICA WA Chair Report

Training is high on the agenda for CICA WA.

18 CICA Regional Meeting

Massive fundraising effort from CICA NSW and dedication honoured.

22 CICA Member Profile

Changing of the guard in Gladstone.

26 Liebherr Unplugged Select Liebherr showcases its batterypowered electric cranes.

TELEHANDLERS FEATURE

30 MCT

The Magni rotating telehandler is a game changer

36 JCB

JCB unveils net-zero products, paving the way for the rest of the world.

40 Beaver Technology Services

BTS discusses its new crane related safety products.

44 Tutt Bryant

CCS’ Elliot Bird discusses all things Tutt Bryant and his new Sany crane.

46 TRT

TRT Made Possible looks at TRT’s continued evolution.

50 Mammoet

Introducing the Dutch company’s 6,000t ring crane.

52 Borger Crane Hire

Borger Crane Hire continues Queensland expansion.

56 Gayndah Cranes

Dan Leggett of Gayndah Cranes discusses operating in a rural town.

57 Cer tex

Certex Lifting is now one of the countr y’s largest lifting equipment and service companies.

58 Franna

A delve into the broad servicing and logistics capabilities of Franna.

62 XCMG

XCMG launches a new European 120t capacity all-terrain crane.

64 Under writing Agencies Australia UAA appoints new CEO and reinforces commitment to customer service.

68 Pace Cranes

Andrews Crane Hire takes delivery of new Maeda and Tracked Carrier.

71 New Grove Rough Terrains

Grove’s Italian plant expands manufacturing range.

74 Liebherr Unplugged

New all electric piling rigs out and working.

76 LTE Construction and Zoomlion

Gleason Cranes deliver new Zoomlion crawlers.

78 Lif t of the Month

What our industry does best.

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WELCOME TO THE JUNE ISSUE OF CRANES AND LIFTING .

NEW GUIDE TO BENEFIT CRANE INDUSTRY

The Andrews Labor Government is making it easier for Victoria’s mobile crane operators to access key information and processes, thanks to a new Australian first guide for the industry.

Minister for Ports and Freight Melissa Horne recently released the new Crane Industry Guide which is online for the crane operation sector to use.

The guide has been designed for current and future mobile crane operators as a single, valuable reference point for industry and includes information on crane importation, registration, legislation, regulation and road network access.

It’s been developed in collaboration with the Crane Industry Council of Australia, VicRoads, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator and Freight Victoria.

The guide complements information and processes accessed through the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator to enable the importation and registration of a crane and associated certificates required.

It also builds on the Labor Government’s reforms to make it easier for heavy vehicle operators to move around the state. In August last year,

eight pre-approved maps, which give mobile crane operators information about where they can travel on the road network, were also published to improve safety and efficiency for the industry.

This issue of Cranes and Lifting includes articles relating to products manufactured to meet the increasingly onerous emissions targets within the construction sector. We talk to Borger Crane Hire about its continued expansion in Queensland and TRT explains the importance of its people within the business. We report on the CICA NSW Regional meeting in Canberra which included a massive fund raising auction and we continue to highlight the ‘Changing of the Guard’ within our industry.

As always, the Cranes and Lifting team has worked hard to bring you this interesting content and as always, we hope you enjoy the read.

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Simon Gould Editor, Cranes and Lifting

Liebherr has unveiled the successor to its successful 600-tonne LR 1600/2W narrow track crawler crane With more power and greater lifting height, the LR 1700-1.0W offers the best prerequisites for efficient assembly of modern wind turbines in wind farms. To meet the challenging demands for driving and steering, Liebherr has equipped the crane’s new narrow track travel gear with components from its next larger crane class. The new 700-tonner is now the benchmark for narrow track cranes worldwide.

Narrow track crawler cranes are optimised for use on wind farms: they can travel from one turbine to the next along the existing routes and be deployed very quickly. Liebherr developed the first narrow track lattice boom crawler crane 20 years ago, the LR 1400/2-W. However, in the intervening years wind turbine

towers have become taller and wind power components heavier. For this reason, Liebherr launched the significantly more powerful LR 1600/2W back in 2010, of which around 50 units are currently in operation worldwide. However, assembly of the latest generation of wind turbines now requires cranes with an even higher lifting capacity.

Just as the LR 1700-1.0 replaced the LR 1600/2 in Liebherr’s line-up almost two years ago, the narrow track version of the 600-tonner is now also being replaced by the new 700-tonne LR 1700-1.0W.

Liebherr has designed a narrow crawler travel gear and a new centre section with star support for the existing slewing platform. The boom systems from the standard crane can be adopted to a large extent. At 5.9 metres, the crawler travel gear is only 10 cm wider than its predecessor. When

driving, the supports are folded forwards and backwards.

The biggest differences to the predecessor model, the LR 1600/2W, are the new crane’s significantly higher lifting capacities and greater lifting heights. The basis for this is a more powerful basic machine as well as the 3.5-metre-wide H-lattice type sections in the lower area of the main boom, which increase the lateral stability of the entire system.

Comparing the longest windturbine boom with the derrick system on the predecessor model (156-metre main boom plus 12-metre lattice type fixed jib) with the new crane with the same boom length results in a 64 per cent increase in lifting capacity (from 73 to 120 tonnes). In addition, the new LR 1700-1.0W can be built up higher: with derrick system plus 15 metres, without derrick system plus 6 metres. The new crane thus meets the more challenging requirements of working on modern wind turbines with hub heights reaching 170 metres. Liebherr also offers the LR 17001.0W with a luffing jib. This option was not available for its predecessor.

The V-frame and VarioTray have more than proven their worth on the LR 1700-1.0, LR 1800-1.0 and LR 11000 crawler cranes. Therefore, the narrow-gauge variant of the LR 17001.0 also receives these innovative systems.

The V-Frame ballasting system is a hydraulically adjustable folding frame that allows the ballast radius of the 700-tonne crawler crane to be adjusted continuously between 13 and 21 metres. A rigid ballasting system is thus no longer required for large radii. These innovations offer great advantages, especially for wind turbine assembly.

The new narrow track crane also gets the LR 1700-1.0’s modern lattice type fixed jib, which can lift up to 170 tonnes and is designed for both single and parallel operation. Limited rope length is no longer an issue because two winches can work simultaneously over the jib.

LIEBHERR’S MOST POWERFUL NARROW TRACK CRAWLER CRANE ON THE MARKET

69m Boom!*

MAXbase Equipped

LEVEL ACCESS THE BENCMARK 150t HAS MORE REACH

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

• Capacity: 150t

• Main boom: 68.7m pinned*

• Maximum Jib: 30.2m (40O hyd luff)

• Maximum tip height: 99m

New GMK5150XL

MODULIFT LAUNCHES MULTILIFT

Introducing the Multi-Point: Modulift unleashes flagship all-in-one beam to the lifting industry.

“Featuring an optional 360-degree swivel hook and extended support stands, the Multi-Point is a perfect option for tandem lifts with two cranes when there is only one lower lifting point required and rotation of the load is critical.”

Modulift recently announced the release of the Multi-Point; a strong, versatile lifting system designed to save rigging time and maximise use across multiple lifting applications.

Expertly designed and engineered for use as a semispreader or a lifting beam and also ideal for tandem lift operations.

Multi-Point gives the operator the power to lift across multiple points at varied spans.

The Multi-Point Beam is the most versatile and adaptable in the Modulift range.

The Multi-Point gives unrivalled Modulift strength and reliability with additional features to suit different lifting scenarios.

With lifting points on the top and bottom, the Multi-Point Beam can be reused for multiple lifts.

The Multi-Point can be supplied with or without swivel hook, allowing for tandem lifts where there is only one lower lifting point required. It can be used as a semispreader to give a steadier lift, and as a lifting beam.

Designed using the latest 3D Linear Analysis, and manufactured to BSEN 13155, the Multi-Point gives peace of mind with safety and practicality at the forefront of its design.

Engineered for any lift, anywhere in the world, multiple connection points on the top and bottom provide ultimate flexibility for the beam to adapt to any situation – whether lifting a boat, reel, tank, turbine or anything else in between.

Featuring an adaptable and versatile modular design, the Multi-

Point is ultra-portable, robust and can be reused for hundreds of lifts. With easily detachable components, the beam lifts at spans from 3 to 12m, with a lifting capacity from 12t right up to a jawdropping 600t.

Simply unbolt the sections to lengthen or shorten the Multi-Point and change the rigging set-up.

Featuring an optional 360-degree swivel hook and extended support stands, the Multi-Point is a perfect option for tandem lifts with two cranes when there is only one lower lifting point required and rotation of the load is critical.

A truly innovative piece of kit, the Multi-Point Beam can also be used as a semi-spreader to give a more balanced lift, or as a lifting beam when headroom is restricted.

MultiPoint Beam with Hook

Our market proven CKS range is reliable, efficient, economical and built to exceed expectations.

ORDER NOW!

With limited production slots, talk to us today to secure your next CKS Lattice Boom Crawler.

Plus we’ve got you covered with full backup sales, service, parts and support Australia wide with TRT.

TRT are your Asia-Pacific agents for Kobelco. Talk to us today about your next project!

ROBORIGGER APPOINTED DISTRIBUTOR FOR LUDWIG HOOKS

Roborigger has been appointed as Ludwig Hook’s exclusive distributor in Australia. while increasing safety at the same time. Ludwig hook can be used on all types of cranes including mobile cranes, tower cranes and harbour cranes.

The first Ludwig hook system sold in Australia was recently delivered to NEWest Alliance, a joint venture between Downer EDI Works & CPB Contractors, and it will be used to lift steel masts for railway electrification.

Unhooking loads by hand is a time-consuming and often dangerous job. Ludwig Hook makes work safer and more efficient by enabling loads to be released remotely, from a safe distance, at the push of a button. The Ludwig Hook and slings can remain on the crane hook, making ladders, elevated work or lifting platforms unnecessary. The Ludwig hook speeds up the lifting operation

Ludwig hooks are made by Ludwig System Gmbh & Co. KG in Germany and exported worldwide. Ludwig System is Roborigger’s agent in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, and The Netherlands.

“Ludwig Hook makes work safer and more efficient by enabling loads to be released remotely, from a safe distance, at the push of a button.”

Roborigger appointed distributor for Ludwig Hooks.

TADANO LAUNCHES EVOLT ELECTRIC ROUGH TERRAIN

In April 2021, Tadano announced that it was working on a fully electric rough terrain crane. Two years later, the EVOLT GR-1000XLL EVOLT was showcased at t his year’s ConExpo to industry members for the first time as a fully functional prototype.

THE CRANE CAN TRAVEL TO WORK SITES and take care of all lifting operations there exclusively with energy supplied by its batteries, making fully zeroemission operation possible. A single battery charge is enough for up to nine hours of crane operation, or five hours of crane operation with a travel distance of up to 20km.

Meanwhile, the charging time is a mere two hours with fast charging on a US-COMBO CCS1 connection and only about seven hours with normal charging on a three-phase 240 VAC. In addition, unlimited operation with the crane plugged into a power outlet is available as well.

The powerful electric motor delivers a maximum output of 194 kW, ensuring that the GR-1000XLL EVOLT has the equivalent lifting capacity and operating speed as its diesel-driven sibling, the GR-1000XLL-4.

But where the GR-1000XLL EVOLT truly stands apart from its diesel counterpart is environmental

friendliness, with Tadano calculating savings of around 8,328 litres of diesel and a resulting reduction of close to 22t of CO2 emissions a year for an average crane usage scenario.

The GR-1000XLL EVOLT will be launched in 2024 - first in the USA and in Canada with releases in other countries, such as Australia, to follow.

“This crane will make an invaluable contribution to achieving our goal of reducing the CO2 emissions from our products by 35 per cent by 2030,” says Toshiaki Ujiie, President and CEO of Tadano Ltd.

It is worth mentioning that the crane’s lifting performance is exactly the same as that of its diesel-driven counterpart, the GR-1000XLL-4.

The powerful electric motor delivers a maximum output of 194 kW, ensuring that the GR-1000XLL EVOLT has the exact same lifting capacity and operating speed.

It offers a top speed of 11.2 mph (18 km/h), and its dimensions are

exactly the same as those of the GR1000XLL-4.

Please note, there might be slight changes in specifications compared to the prototype, as the design and production plan is finalised.

AN ELECTRIC DRIVE THAT COMES WITH MANY MORE ADVANTAGES

The electric motor not only provides the rough terrain crane with environmentally friendly operation, but also with significantly lower noise levels during work, all while eliminating exhaust emissions. These two factors come with considerable advantages for customers in a multitude of scenarios, including projects in urban areas with noise regulations, nighttime lifting work, and indoor assignments.

During ConExpo Tadano also introduced its diesel-driven APU

auxiliary power unit for the first time ever on a GR-800XL-4 rough terrain crane. The unit is already currently approved for use as an optional accessory for new orders of Tadano RT models GR-1000XLL and GT1000XL-4 in the USA and Canada.

The nine-hp two-cylinder engine on the unit has an extremely low fuel consumption rate of only 0.75 litres of diesel fuel per hour.

The powerful electric motor delivers a maximum output of 194 kW, ensuring that the GR-1000XLL EVOLT has the equivalent lifting capacity and operating speed as its diesel-driven sibling, the GR-1000XLL-4.

“This crane will make an invaluable contribution to achieving our goal of reducing the CO2 emissions from our products by 35 per cent by 2030.”

“This crane will make an invaluable contribution to achieving our goalof reducing the CO2 emissions from our products by 35 per cent by 2030,”

Moreover, by producing an output of 972 W, the APU is able to supply electric power for numerous important crane functions while the onboard engine is off.

This includes the floodlights and aviation obstruction beacon, the wipers for the windshield and roof, the HVAC system, the USB outlet, and, of course, all important display functions inside the cockpit.

Tadano calculates that the APU can reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by around a fourth when compared to the energy used by the idle running of the onboard diesel engine on the crane.

ELECTRO-HYDRAULIC “E-PACK” MAKES ZERO-EMISSION CRANE OPERATION POSSIBLE

Tadano introduced its e-PACK in Europe all the way back in 2019. It is an electro-hydraulic system featuring an integrated 32-kW electric motor that works with zero emissions and nearly zero noise – and without any loss in lifting capacity to boot.

All that is needed is for the crane to set down the e-PACK where it will be used so that it can be connected to an external 400 V / 63 A or 400 V / 32 A power supply.

The e-PACK is currently available

for all new Tadano AC cranes with lifting capacities of up to 80 tonnes, as well as a retrofit for existing cranes.

To register your interest in the GR-1000XLL EVOLT, scan the QR code printed below here.

Signing up will keep you up to date on product availability, specifications, and pricing for the Oceania region.

SCANNING THE SMART

You will be informed with updates on product availability, specifications, and pricing for the Oceania region.

“The e-PACK is currently available for all new Tadano AC cranes with lifting capacities of up to 80 tonnes, as well as a retrofit for existing cranes.”

CODE allows you to register your interest on the GR-1000XLL EVOLT.

says Toshiaki Ujiie, President and CEO of Tadano Ltd.

P.A. Construction Equipment Pty Ltd (Pace Cranes) was established in 1987 to provide the construction industry with an independent Australian owned and operated crane sales, crane service and crane spare parts organisation.

For over 30 years Pace Cranes have offered premium quality equipment to the Australasian market with a dedicated and unrivalled service, supported by specialist technical advise across the full range of equipment sold.

Mini Crawler Cranes Crawler Cranes

Electric Cranes

Mobile Cranes Telescopic Crawler Cranes

Duty Cycle Cranes

Glass Lifting Devices

Tracked Carriers

Crawler Cranes

Knuckle Boom Cranes

Electric Pick & Carry Cranes

Glass Manipulators

Bi-level Multi Loaders

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT GETS A BOOST IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA

State Chair update: CICA Western Australia

IT’S A PRIVILEGE TO SHARE AN UPDATE from CICA Western Australia. We’ve had a great start to 2023. Last year the W.A. State Training Board approved and gazetted the Certificate III + skillset for mobile crane operations. Crane operators are front-and-centre of the many major construction, mining and renewable projects in our State, so proper skill development for mobile crane operators is essential. This investment into future

operators will create a safer industry.

On Wednesday 3 May, CICA WA held a Traineeship information evening for employers. This evening was well attended, and those who came along heard about the economic and business benefits of well-trained operators, how to use the Traineeship to retain good staff, and to upskill the existing team using RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) credits.

The next CICA Traineeship intake is in July, which will add to the twelve already progressing well through their training. The intake numbers are predicted to increase as the Traineeship becomes more widely known. It’s not too late to sign up, if you have a potential trainee in mind or would like more information head to the CICA website, www.cica.com.au

Another CICA initiative to make

Anthony Grosser State Chair WA.

the workplace and industry are both components of the On-road Articulated Steering Crane program. This standardised training and assessment tool assists small and medium businesses that would otherwise not have the resources to create this training in-house.

Thank you to Franna for hosting our WA members who took the opportunity to complete their Articulated Steering Crane On-road training and assessment, earlier this year.

Sheltered and pristine, the Pullman resort at Bunker Bay was the perfect location for the W.A. Members Retreat / Regional Meeting in March, which was well attended and very enjoyable. Dunsborough, Margaret River and the South-West are wonderful places to visit if you are considering doing some extra touring before or after the 2023 National CICA Conference in Perth later this year.

This year, serving on the CICA WA branch executive are Rod White, Ben Pieyre, Allan McPherson, Darryl Reeves, Ray Martinez, Robin Ghosh,  Craig Meldrum and Lester Fernandaz. We welcome any ideas or feedback that you may have, so come along to the branch events which can be found on the CICA website.

CICA WA recently said ‘goodbye’ to Dave Adams who had provided secretarial support to our branch for 7 years. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank Dave for his hard work and wish him all the very best in his future endeavours.

Anthony

Grosser

CICA WA State Chair

CICA BOARD

Ben Pieyre – President

Marcus Ferrari – Vice President

Tom Smith – Director

Danny Adair – Director

Danny Black – Director

Andrew Esquilant – Director

David Solomon – Director

Karli Sutherland– Director

CICA OFFICE

Brandon Hitch Chief Executive Officer 03 8320 0444 0428 228 048 ceo@cica.com.au

Paul Arztenhofer Membership Engagement/ Business Development Specialist 04 9093 9274 paul@cica.com.au

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

Patrick Cran CraneSafe and CrewSafe Technical Advisor 0488 004 274 pat@cranesafe.com.au

Damien Hense CICA Road Policy Advisor 03 8320 0460 0488 007 575 damien@cica.com.au

Julie Turner CICA Executive Assistant / Office Manager 03 8320 0411 julie@cica.com.au

Kate Galloway Traineeship Coordinator 0491 047 118

Kate@cica.com.au

Ashleigh Gould

Cranesafe and Crewsafe Administration Officer

Phone: 03 8320 0466

Email: ashleigh@cica.com.au

Michelle Verkerk Marketing Communications Officer 0404 938 714 michelle@cica.com.au

Justina Blackman Member Events and Engagement 0403 717 626

justina@cica.com.au

Unit 10, 18–22 Lexia Place, Mulgrave Vic 3170

Phone: 03 9501 0078

Fax: 03 9501 0083

Email: admin@cica.com.au

Website: www.cica.com.au

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

“The next CICA Traineeship intake is in July and this will add to the twelve already progressing well through their training.”

CICA CANBERRA REGIONAL MEETING: EDUCATIONAL, REWARDING AND INSPIRATIONAL

The CICA Canberra Regional meeting attracted an audience of over 50, including a number of crane owners from various regions throughout the ACT and NSW as well representatives from crane manufacturers and suppliers to the industry.

EDUCATIONAL

NSW Vice Chair Stephan Becherand hosted the event and introduced various topics and industry updates delivered by leading industry experts. These included updates and presentations from Steve Miller and Rochelle Mathews from NHVR, Brett Graham from TfNSW, a finance and market update from Chris Burke, a National CICA update from Brandon Hitch, and presentations about Road Vehicle Standards Legislation from

the Federal Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and Art, and separate presentations from Graham Evans and Finlease and a Roads Update from CICA’s Damien Hense. These presentations will be covered in more detail in future editions of Cranes & Lifting.

For many, a highlight of the day was the Crane Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) Question and Answer session, with panellists including

John Stewart from Manitowoc, Neil Webb from TRT representing TIDD and Kobelco, Michael Cawston from Pace Cranes representing Sennebogen and Maeda, Matt Molross from XCMG, Andrew Esquilant from Liebherr and Jay Gower from Tadano. The audience was left in no doubt that our industry will continue to navigate difficult times relating to the parts supply and availability of new equipment. However, the Crane OEMs reassured attendees that the transition

NSW Vice Chair Stephan Becherand, Sarah and Jon Brookes and Paul Heeks, Pace Cranes.

to alternate fuels was underway and will be managed in an orderly manner with various options being researched and developed.

REWARDING

The meeting then moved to dinner and the fundraising auction, which is always a highlight, but before this commenced CICA had two surprises. John Farrier from FS Cranes and Anthony Davis from The Baden Davis Crane Connection were recognised for their dedication to the industry. Both have given hundreds of hours over decades to various CICA committees and lobbying government departments for the betterment of the crane industry.

INSPIRATIONAL

CICA ACT & NSW had decided the proceeds of the auction would be donated to the battle to eliminate children’s cancer. With the help of Paul and Anthony Heeks the audience was introduced to an inspirational young lady, Sarah Brookes, and this is her story.

“Like most other children I was a happy and healthy. I played about every sport possible and enjoyed every part of it but more than anything else I loved soccer and had made a high-level representative development team,” she told attendees.

“During late 2015 and into early 2016, aged eight, I started to develop a sore right shin. As anyone would, due to the amount of sport I was playing, we put it down to bruising, growth, or a twisted ankle.

“Unfortunately, the pain became worse, with no bruising or obvious swelling. Because of the pain I began coming home from dancing crying, and was unable to run around and kick a ball on the pitch. Noticing this unusual behaviour mum and dad decided to take me to the physio,” said Sarah.

Upon initial consultation, it was suspected that Sarah may have developed a stress fracture. However, a week later subsequent scans revealed that Sarah had a rare cancerous tumour in her shin bone called osteosarcoma.

The next two years were filled with emergency rooms, isolation,

chemotherapy, surgeries, scans, blood tests, infections, feeding tubes, transfusions, bed sores, orthopaedic appointments, plastic surgeon appointments, physiotherapy…the list went on.

“Throughout these two years I was never home for more than two weeks at a time before returning to the Sydney Children’s Hospital in Randwick. I would reach temperatures of 38 degrees-plus and I was forced to return to avoid spread of infection.

“It also became very apparent, in unfortunate circumstances, how lucky I was to have the support of my family and friends. Mum and Dad never left my side with Mum taking the day shift and Dad staying nights whilst both, together with other family members, tried to keep life as normal as possible for my younger sister at the time,” said Sarah.

Sarah underwent many rounds of strong chemotherapy between August and November of 2016. Two weeks before major surgery to remove the tumour routine scans were done in preparation.

“Unfortunately, after the months of chemotherapy, we were told the tumour

had not reduced in size but instead had continued to grow. On November 7, 2016, I underwent a 10-hour operation to remove the tumour from my shin. The tumour was radiated and my shin placed back into the tibia. My fibula (a non-weight bearing bone) was removed and grafted onto the tibia with a 20 cm plate and multiple screws.

“Following this I spent many days in the intensive care unit. We could not rate the medical team or hospital staff highly enough but like many of these procedures it was not without complications. For example, after the surgery and whilst in ICU, alcoholic wipes were accidentally left between my body and the bed, dissolving the skin. So whilst my leg was in traction I was treated as a burns victim as well,” said Sarah.

Sarah also had adverse reactions to blood transfusions, which were resolved incredibly with antihistamines. Chemotherapy commenced again at the start of December and continued for another six months. On May 3, 2017, on her 10th birthday, she rang the bell.

“I was cancer free and in remission. Whilst I was cancer free, I was unable to

“CICA ACT & NSW had decided the proceeds of the auction would be donated to the battle to eliminate children’s cancer.”

CICA recognised Anthony Davis for his contribution to the crane industry.

my body was without an immune system. I endured many sessions of physiotherapy to learn to walk again and I underwent further surgeries to remove central lines which had been placed during my treatment. As a result of my weak bone structure the plate and screws that had been placed in my ankle snapped, which required replacing.

“In 2018, during my final year of primary school, I decided I wanted to do something to give back and ultimately make the brutal reality of childhood cancer one that would never have to be endured by any other child or family. I was inspired by a young girl who had made handmade bracelets to raise money for childhood cancer research,” said Sarah.

“With the help of my mum and the sacrifice dad made in letting me turn his man cave into a candle factory, I was able to develop Sarah’s Charity Candles from which I have donated one hundred per cent of all proceeds to Children’s Cancer Research.

“Since then, I have been fortunate enough to participate in various charity events, fundraisers, and school fairs, together with my own candle sales, raising over $51,000, all of which I have been so proud to donate to kids cancer research and awareness.

“Please never underestimate the need and appreciation of your support. I remain one of the lucky kids who survived; however, many others sadly do not. We live for the day zero childhood cancer becomes a reality.”

Jon Brookes introduced his daughter with these words.

“In 2015 I sincerely considered myself to be the luckiest man in the world, having a beautiful wife, two beautiful daughters and a successful business, the result of of over 25 years hard work. As a family we wanted for, nor needed anything.

“However, an Xray, followed by a scan and phone call turned our world upside down with our daughter Sarah, aged 8, being admitted to Sydney Children’s Hospital Randwick with osteosarcoma, an aggressive bone cancer.

“Like so many, I grew up in an environment where I was told if you work harder, trained harder and studied

harder, you will have every opportunity to succeed in our Lucky Country. In this instance, I learnt very quickly it didn’t matter what I had worked for, what we had and who we knew, we simply couldn’t buy our daughter’s health,” said Jon.

“In a heartbeat, I would have swapped places rather than have my daughter exposed to this insidious disease and the treatments including extensive chemotherapy and major surgeries. But as we all know, it unfortunately doesn’t work

“With the assistance of an amazing team of doctors, oncologists, orthopaedic surgeons, nurses and various affiliated organisations, Sarah thankfully faced and beat adversity and today, we remain one of the lucky families.

“So many families don’t share the same

prognosis and story and have sadly lost their child to this insidious disease. We remain forever grateful to organisations such as CICA, which are generous with overwhelming contributions. These will continue to make a difference in realising our shared wish that one day, we will all live in a world free of childhood cancer. We would also like to thank Anthony, Paul and Faye of Pace Cranes for the invitation to be involved in CICA’s special occasion and tell our story,” said Jon.

With the audience listening to every word, it was apparent that when Sarah finished her story, there wasn’t dry eye in the room. This translated to vigorous and generous bidding on the many and varied items and CICA was delighted to announce the auction had raised over $42,000!

CICA New South Wales has once again demonstrated such incredible generosity. Thank you to everyone who donated to such a worthwhile cause, who spoke at the event and who attended.

“We remain forever grateful to organisations such as CICA, which are generous with overwhelming contributions. These will continue to make a difference in realising our shared wish that one day, we will all live in a world free of childhood cancer.”

CICA recognised John Farrier for his contribution to the crane industry

A CHANGING OF THE GLADSTONE GUARD

“The company was formed in 1979 by my parents Neil and Beth, and it generated its first invoice in January of 1980. Dad was working locally for EDI Hire and he could see the region of Gladstone was entering into a construction period, and he saw an opportunity to buy his own crane.

“His boss at the time was Ivan Rusik, Rusik supported Dad’s decision to branch out on his own. Ivan happily utilized Dad as a subcontractor while he grew his own customer base, Ivan also assisted Mum in learning how to run the books. Once the business was established, his passion for operating cranes and enjoyment of working with his customers provided a good income for our family and built a stable platform for me to build on. For Dad he was just doing what he loved it never felt like a job,” said Wayne.

The first crane Neil bought was an 8t capacity BHB tractor crane. Wayne continues the story.

“Dad was doing all a whole range of work with that crane, from day one it was mostly general hire and this included housing, domestic construction and light commercial work. He also worked on wharf expansions around Gladstone harbor and secured some project work on the building of Boyne Smelters Limited, which remains one of our key clients today.

In the mid-’90s, Wayne’s sister Tanya and brother-in-law joined the company, with Robert being trained by Neil and Tanya learning from Beth, it’s then that they bought their second crane.

“It was dad, my brother-in-law in the

field, and my sister assisting with the accounts when I joined the company in 2000 having finished my diesel fitting apprenticeship. It was around that time that we bought our third pick and carry crane, which was 20t Linmac and we still own and operate two of them to this day, these were the cranes that built Matherson Crane Hire,” said Wayne.

In the early 2000’s Jason Williams was the first employee outside of family to join Matherson Crane Hire, and he’s still with the business today.

“Jason is my Operations Manager and right-hand man. He was an eager young boilermaker that showed a lot of interest in cranes and practical skill when dad showed up onsite. He appeared to be eager and interested, so Dad offered him a job,” said Wayne.

Wayne goes on to explain how the

growth of the business reflects the growth of Gladstone and the surrounds.

“The growth of the business was due to a combination of local market demands and also, in 2005 the introduction of the Rigger Law, meaning you had to have a rigger under the hook for all lifts. Prior to this, we’d run around in the crane, jump out, sling our own loads up and jump back in the crane. The new law forced us to get more labor to support the cranes. Then, around 2010 we began looking at slewing cranes and we purchased a Kobelco RK-160 and a Demag AC-55 city class. We then acquired

After more than 43 years servicing the Gladstone area community and industry sectors, Matherson Crane Hire has sold to become part of the Smithbridge Group of Companies and Universal Cranes. Wayne Matherson, Managing Director of Matherson Crane Hire provides the background to his company and the reasons for selling.

Neil Matherson started the business with an 8t capacity BHB tractor crane.

a Liebherr LTM 1055-3.2 and a Demag AC100-4L in 2012. The 100t purchase fulfilled a dream of owning a 4 axle All terrain crane of which came to me during my apprenticeship, after working alongside Vic Maben’s 4axle 80t Demag at Capella in the mid 90’s,” said Wayne.

The growth in Glastone has been cyclic and there was a boom in the mid 2000’s, but Wayne and his team were not distracted by the boom.

“We were focused on establishing and consolidating relationships with our current clients and new key industrial clients and that is when we acquired the Demag AC100-4L and established our secured first official industrial contract with Boyne Smelters Limited. The 100 tonner was the big jump, and we knew with that extra capacity we could service then BSL Contract and also allow us to expand what we had to offer all our clients, I never lost sight of the small people that helped us become what we are today,” said Wayne.

The next big step was two years ago when the business invested in a Liebherr LTM1250-5.1

“We’ve had the 250t for two years now, and that was a crane I’ve never envisioned in my wildest dreams of owning. Then opportunities presented and we took a calculated risk on building a market for this

capacity of crane and it has paid off,” said Wayne.

Wayne goes on to discuss the work culture of the business emphasizing there is no business without people.

“The culture of our business was key to our success and has always been very much about trying to treat everyone as equal, employees and clients alike. Maintaining a high value on family, valuing our people and establishing a culture of taking pride in the work we complete in the field for our customers, the presentation and quality of equipment we operate.

“Maintaining our equipment to the highest standards has proved to a winner for the business as I have people line up to buy my secondhand cranes because they know they’re so well-looked after due to our maintenance programs. This also gave clients piece of mind that our equipment was always reliable.

“Kurt Williams is our Maintenance Manager, and he does a brilliant job, but because we essentially assign a crane to a team member and give them ownership and then give them whatever they need to keep the crane well maintained, clean, polished and shiny, this generates a lot of pride in the presentation of our fleet,” said Wyane.

Wayne has spent the last two to three years establishing the business in a good debt

asset ratio position, and maintain a high quality, young aged fleet that’s attractive to potential buyers and with a workload to pay for it. He explains how the growth of the business and being on call 7 days a week, over a concerted period of time, impacted on the individuals involved.

“In the early days of the business we were working six and seven days a week, and on we were maintaining and servicing our fleet on top of this. The first step to alleviate the work load, was to recruit employees who wanted overtime which provided us the opportunity to have weekends off and take the occasional family holiday.

“The second step was to build a management structure which enabled me to step away from the business to a degree. The significant and defining moment for all of this was the retirement of my dad in 2009. He was 65 and only had 12 months retirement with mum before she passed away.

“At that point, I realized I wanted to build the business so I could be in a position to make decisions regarding my retirement and not wait until I was 65. I was aiming for 50, but I’m 44 so that is kind of nice.

“More recently it got the point, where I realised it was time to release the stress. I’m still passionate about the industry and love what I do and proud of what we have

Wayne Matherson, his father Neil and Operations Manager Jason Williams with the Liebherr LTM1250-5.1 they never dreamed of owning.

“Without question it is going to be a good fit for everyone. Universal Cranes is large and successful company and the owner Albert Smith, operates very morally and has a great track record with his people.

“I have enjoyed dealing with Albert and I have been working closely with Adam and Sarah Bauer who are the branch managers here in Gladstone. Adam has come from a family business background of Ballina Cranes, which his family owned so he knows what a family-owned general hire business is all about.

“I know he’ll carry on a respectful relationship with my staff and with my clients. I’m excited for the greater opportunities for my guys in a company of this scale, for sure. Within the negotiations

of the sale, Albert has been very reasonable in ensuring 100% of my teams’ entitlements transfer, including entitlements we didn’t have to by workplace law.

“Negotiations are always tough, but I can walk away knowing that I’ve done the best by everyone in this situation. We’ve ensured everyone has an offer of a job with the company, right down to the 2nd year apprentice diesel fitter that we have, which was my key concern in this job market. The adults will find a job anywhere, but the young fellow left school to start his time with me, and I needed to make sure his employment was secure and was continuing his trade, and he is, which is really nice,” said Wayne.

Being passionate about the industry has seen Wayne take an active role within The Crane Industry Council of Australia (CICA).

“I initially became involved in CICA because I could see that as the leading industry body it would help me remain informed as things change, and CICA has been brilliant in both affecting change and relaying the details of the changes to its members.

“Over time I developed an interest in being more involved and became a committee member for Queensland, and also sat on the code of practice review committee. I stepped into the Vice-Chair role for Queensland. I was in that role for about two years under Steve Gonano and latter stepped up to the role of Chair.

“Unfortunately, I wasn’t in the role for long, I was only there for about six months before gracefully stepping down to focus on the business and my personal life.

But during that short tenure I had a bit of a milestone moment as we managed the biggest ever Regional Meeting that CICA Qld had held at Mackay. We had an excellent attendance and put on a good display for the TMR members and local government members. In a bid to educate and work toward better road access,” he said.

Wayne then takes a look at what the future might hold for him.

“Initially I plan to take a bit of time out, but as the saying goes, ‘you can’t keep a good man down. I’m still passionate about the industry and I’m looking to develop some practical upskilling for the industry.

“I’m developing a training program to teach better operational practices and improve skills which I see currently as a major shortfall in our industry. The current licensing system is presented well by most RTO’s, but it takes years to learn the skills to be a competent operator. I see the primary issue stemming from projects and companies just needing “bums on seats” and are too busy to teach extra skills. Along with the knowledge that Dad has passed to me and knowledge that I’ve learnt through being in the field for over 20 years.

“The upskilling will be in the pick and carry crane sector, which I am extremely passionate about. I’m tired of seeing pick and carry cranes laying on their side due to lack of operator training. Unfortunately, due to the nature of pick and carry, operators can be well within the capacity of the cranes, but there are always variables that the operator needs to be aware of and know how to adapt accordingly to stay safe.

The cranes are a super versatile and efficient tool in all sectors and manufacturers of pick and carry cranes are doing great work to improve safety systems but the cranes will never be intuitive and be able to see and predict all the variables a pick and carry crane face, this is where the human comes in.

I want to teach and improve the knowledge and skills around dealing with those variables. I’ve already started creating notes and modules for the program. It is absolutely my intention to give back to the industry which has been so generous to my family over many years and I hope to improve the skill sets of the operators now and in the future,” said Wayne.

The growth of the business was due to a combination of local market demands and also, in 2005, the introduction of the Rigger Law which meant a rigger needed to be under the hook for all lifts.

Neil and Beth Matherson.

SELECTING LIEBHERR UNPLUGGED

SELECT PLANT AUSTRALIA RECENTLY TOOK

delivery of two 250t capacity all-electric Liebherr LR 1250.1 unplugged crawler cranes, the first to arrive in Australia.

With over 30 years of global experience, Select Plant Australia delivers various innovative, sustainable and high-quality construction solutions. With its industrial transportation services and depots in New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia, Select delivers plant and site setups to every corner of the country.

Select offers a comprehensive range of services, from plant hire to logistics, which includes transport management and safety compliance, as well as Site Solutions, which supplies and installs on-site accommodation facilities. Select primarily caters to the construction, civil engineering, rail, infrastructure and utilities industries. By keeping up with the latest technological developments, Select provides its customers with the most advanced and cuttingedge solutions, as evidenced by its recent purchase of Liebherr’s electric crawler cranes.

SELECT’S CRANE FLEET

Select manages a fleet of crawlers, mobile, tower cranes and access equipment. Its mobile and crawler cranes range from 60t capacity rough terrains up to 350t capacity crawler cranes with Superlift capabilities. The range of tower cranes varies from small, flat-top type hammerheads to larger capacity luffing cranes.

Select’s crane fleet is predominantly utilised in the building and infrastructure sectors and more recently, in the resources sector, in the Pilbara and Goldfields of Western Australia.

The majority of Select’s crawler crane fleet consists of Liebherr cranes with capacities ranging from 60t to 350t and has been bolstered by the addition of the two

new 250t electric crawler cranes.

SUSTAINABILITY IS THE TARGET

Select Business Unit Leader Nathan Mitschuinig explains why Select purchased the Liebherr unplugged crawlers.

“We brought the Liebherr crawler unplugged range on board to lead the market towards a sustainable future. Working hand in hand with our parent company Laing O’Rourke, we are committed to achieving net zero operational carbon emissions (Scope 1 & 2) by 2030 and net zero Scope 3 emissions by 2050,” said Nathan.

“We have invested in building a modern, innovative and environmentally sustainable fleet that includes electric, solar and hybridpowered solutions. We already have two site compounds operating off solar power, and

surrounding community,” said Nathan.

“As with most electric vehicles, the initial cost (for now) is more than that of their petrol or diesel equivalents. However, the complete reduction of diesel fuel requirements and lower services played a large part in Select’s decision-making process.

“Financially, we have a clear return on investment expectations from capital expenditure – this shifts the decisionmaking towards justification against market rates for traditional assets. We considered both the reduction in mechanical maintenance as well as the performance unknowns of the battery-powered asset in the Australian environment when measuring its return on investment,” said Nathan.

The company turned to its colleagues

our fleet is growing weekly with low and zero-emissions plant.

“The Liebherr LR 1250.1 unplugged will play a role in helping us achieve our net zero targets,” he said.

ELECTRIC VERSUS DIESEL

One of the main reasons Select purchased the LR 1250.1 unplugged was to provide an environmentally friendly alternative to clients, allowing them to contribute to lowering emissions on site.

“The Liebherr electric crawler made economic sense for the team at Select as lower fuel expenses and maintenance costs are a major plus for our clients. The electric crane is noticeably quieter than the diesel version, which is an excellent advantage for metro projects as most construction sites want to lower their noise pollution for the

at Select Plant Hire in the United Kingdom to provide a level of reassurance and expectations of performance and productivity of the Liebherr LR 1250.1 unplugged. The crane offers immediate benefits such as producing zero emissions and very low noise levels, while its battery and electric power make Select’s clients less susceptible to fuel price fluctuation. In the long term, it is expected to save on running and maintenance costs compared to the diesel equivalent and a reduction in carbon emissions.

ZERO EMISSION EQUIPMENT IN AUSTRALIA

Whilst Australia currently has no requirement to have zero emission machinery on site, Select is passionate about innovative and sustainable solutions. Select recognises the importance of

Select Plant Australia has brought the first electric Liebherr crawler crane into Australia, utilising experience from its sister companies in the United Kingdom to ensure it could adequately support the addition.

“We brought the Liebherr crawler unplugged range on board to lead the market towards a sustainable future.”

Select has a vast array of cranes in its fleet but is very excited by the prospect of bringing the first Liebherr electric crawler crane to Australia

reducing its environmental footprint and wants to contribute to a more sustainable future, while setting a benchmark for the construction plant hire industry in our region.

“Public sector ambition for emissions abatement coupled with high investment in infrastructure across all states sees the need for more sustainable equipment fast approaching. The current scarcity of zero and low emissions products in the domestic construction market and a high barrier to entry for these assets made the Liebherr unplugged a smart investment for Select,” said Nathan.

Select Plant Australia prides itself on market differentiation through its modern and sustainable fleet and solutions offering. The LR 1250.1 unplugged is a flagship product in the fleet and signals serious ambitions to be the provider of choice to the Australian construction market.

“Select will encourage users to charge the crane with Greenpower offset mains electricity or renewable power on remote or off-grid sites. We currently use mains power which Greenpower offsets in our yards but plan to install solar in all of the depots to ensure the crane is as green as possible,” said Nathan.

“For our team, the shift to the Liebherr unplugged range will be simple - with the same systems throughout – the only

difference from other Liebherr crawlers is how it is powered.

“On a typical day, the crane can be operated for eight hours without the need to be charged. Although charging instead of refuelling may be unfamiliar to some operators, it is expected that the plant hire industry will move towards electrification and embracing this change will become second nature.

“The recommendation is to work with the crane plugged in for the battery’s

customised solutions for each situation. For example, Select is currently working with a client who will have the crane plugged in 24/7 for maximum operation, so we are creating crane pads for the area it will be working in.”

FEATURES OF THE LR 1250.1 UNPLUGGED

The Liebherr LR 1250.1 unplugged won the European Association of Abnormal Road Transport and Mobile Cranes (ESTA) Awards of Excellence in 2021. This is recognised as the leading award event for the European crane and heavy-lift industry. During the online event, Liebherr-Werk Nenzing GmbH won the top award in the category ‘Innovation Manufacturer’. The LR 1250.1 unplugged – the world’s first battery-powered crawler crane was the award-winning product.

The LR 1250.1 unplugged is driven by an electric motor with a power rating of 255 kW. There are no compromises at all regarding its performance of the unplugged crane when compared with the conventional version, and it has a maximum lifting capacity of 250t.

The blue accent in the colour composition, which lends the distinctive look to the unplugged series, symbolises the electric solution representing an advanced technology. The unplugged cranes achieve the best possible combination of operator

longevity and to produce a higher output. Cranes of this size typically work in one area, and with the correct setup it can easily operate whilst plugged in,” he said.

Select expects the LR 1250.1 will run just as well as its diesel equivalents. It already has electric and hybrid plant and equipment in the fleet, and they provide their diesel counterparts a run for their money.

“We know that there will be some challenges with accessing electricity to recharge the crane batteries in remote locations. However, we are confident that we can work closely with clients and create

benefit, efficiency, and environmental sustainability.

The model is emission free and a has a very low noise level. That is a huge advantage in areas sensitive to noise, and also for the people working on the jobsite.

The crane can be recharged on a conventional jobsite electric supply (32A, 63 A) in 4.5 hours and optionally with 125 A in 2.25 hours. The capacity of the battery is designed for 8 hours lifting operation. In accordance with its name, the crane can be operated with or without a cable, hence the ‘unplugged’, thanks to the battery-electric drive design.

“On a typical day, the crane can be operated for eight hours without the need to be charged.”

The crane provides great flexibility operating either plugged or unplugged.

RAISING THE EXPECTATION

The Magni rotating telehandler delivered by MCT equipment has been a game changer on a number of major civil projects recently for Calroc.

The team at Calroc has been so happy with the Magni telehandler it has ordered a second.

CALROC’S MANAGING DIRECTOR LIAM McKinney will take delivery of his second Magni RTH7.26 next month and he’s not shy about telling Cranes and Lifting Magazine why.

Calroc is a leading formwork, reinforcement and concreting specialist, servicing the Mining and Minerals, Civil Infrastructure and Specialist Precast Sectors across Australia.

“In our line of business, this machine is a game changer”, Liam commented.

“From a safety perspective, we’re not relying on hand signals or radio communications. My operators are standing next to their loads, using the remote to lift and land the loads with pinpoint accuracy,” he said.

As a contractor, providing precast solutions for a major Perth rail project, Calroc is benefiting from the improved safety, efficiency and versatility of the Magni RTH7.26 on the worksite.

“The boys have access to a large crawler crane onsite but if the lifting capacity is within its limits, they are going with the Magni every time because it’s quicker, easier and so much more accurate,” added Liam.

McKinney concedes that it’s not a replacement for every lifting machine, but reinforces that if you think differently, and set up your site in the right way, the versatility you get from your Magni Rotator allows for unparalleled capabilities.

“Why are we getting a second machine? Put it this way, we’ve had that machine [the Magni RTH] for a few months, and it’s already done 700 hours. It’s in operation 4-8 hours a day on this site and we’re committed here for another 12 - 18 months,” Liam said.

“I have my team demanding the Magni on other projects and with the safety and efficiency benefits it’s delivering onsite, it’s a no-brainer for Calroc.

“The Magni Rotating Telehandler’s reach, within a small footprint, is the innovation behind its versatility.

“The Magni RTH’s variable outrigger reduces the working footprint, making it ideal for working in tight spaces. This combined with its lifting capabilities is seeing it outperform a city class or rough terrain crane in most situations.”

Instead of hiring a city class or rough terrain crane to have a boom capable of reaching the right areas, the Magni is getting into tight areas to get the job done,” he said.

MCT Equipment is Australia’s leading alternative lifting provider. MCT’s Sales Manager, Danny Blazeski spoke about the Magni and what makes it a standout.

“The Magni RTH’s variable outrigger reduces the working

footprint, making it ideal for working in tight spaces. This combined with its lifting capabilities is seeing it outperform a city class or rough terrain crane in most situations,” Danny said.

The Magni’s load moving indicator (LMI) is also delivering on lifting compliance, according to Danny.

“With the LMI system fully compliant with crane regulations, the operator can see where they are within

The ability to use the Magni with a remote has been important to improve safety on site.

Platinum Sponsor:

the load range chart at any point. As the boom moves in and out the load chart is updating live, giving you complete comfort and control of your load,” added Danny.

The Magni RTH is said to be the smoothest rotational telehandler on the market and this is in part due to its partnership with Liebherr who provide state-of-the-art slew rings and drive gears to Magni.

“When you buy into Magni you’re getting a manufacturer that values tier 1 componentry,” said Danny.

“Dana Spicer axles, Bosch / Rexroth pumps and Volvo engines. Magni focuses on manufacturing the machines and all attachments in-house. They take the best of tier 1 manufacturing for these machines, making the Magni extremely reliable and extremely smooth to operate.”

REGISTER NOW!

The telehandler is often used on site to save having to use the larger crawler crane.

Calroc backs the think different, lift different movement with MCT and Magni.

The Magni RTH7.26 is the machine raising the roof when it comes to rotational telehandlers.

With a lift height of 87ft and multi-accessory capabilities, this tough, high-performance rotating telescopic handler is doing the job of multiple machines.

I have my team demanding the Magni on other projects and with the safety and efficiency benefits it’s delivering onsite, it’s a no-brainer for Calroc.

- Calroc Managing Director, Liam McKinney

The RTH7.26 in operation lifting a section of truss screed into position on a bridge deck from the road below.

MANITOU GROUP ANNOUNCES ALL NEW QUADRUPLE DROP

Manitou Group has announced its plans to release four new products - light, sustainable, heavy duty and manoeuvrable machinery that is soon set to target Australian shores.

FRENCH MANUFACTURING GROUP

Manitou has announced the launch of its newest models: the all-electric MT625e Electric Telehandler, a compact lift truck that runs 100 per cent off electricity; and the Ultra-Light Manitou (ULM), an ultra-light telehandler designed to specifically target three different areas; profitability, safety, and comfort.

Presenting at Conexpo, Arnaud Boyer, vice president of marketing and product development, said the announcement is a continuation of the growth of telehandlers offered internationally which commenced in 2019.

“With 14 models now on offer, we are strengthening our position in a

market with very high potential for Manitou Group,” he said.

“We will continue to extend electrification to other ranges in accordance with the objectives of our CSR roadmap.”

Boasting a capacity of two and a half tonnes in tandem with a height of six metres, the MT625e provides a performance level matching its internal combustion counterpart, whilst also offering a 56 per cent reduction in maintenance fees because of its lithium-ion battery, which comes in either a 25 or 33kWh capacity.

Ideal for indoor applications, downtown or building renovation, the MT625e benefits

Manitou’s MT625e Electric Telehandler, an electrified machine suitable for indoor applications, downtown or building renovations.

Manitou’s new heavy-duty telehandler series enables heavier loads operating on all types of terrain.

from the optional operation safety system and harmony on-board display for safe and easy operation.

The Manitou ULM, on the other hand, provides the lightest and most compact option on the market, providing customers with optimal versatility and transportation.

Coming in two different options –both 1.49m wide, 1.92m tall and with a lifting height of 4.3m – the ULM 412 H and ULM 415 H hold lifting capacities of 1.25t and 1.5t respectively, with both maintaining a transportable weight of less than three tonnes.

The first of the three pillars driving the release of the ULM - profitability - comes in due to its light weight and easy transportability. Providing reduced transportation times and - because its interface can be quickly navigatedmuch more user productivity, it also operates as an all-terrain vehicle thanks to an oscillating rear axle, a wide range of tyres, and a 29cm ground clearance.

The machine holds additional features such as a stop and start option, allowing a reduction of $10 per hour due to reduced machine depreciation, fuel consumption and preventive maintenance.

Equipped with an unobstructed 360-degree view in the cabin, the ULM telehandler is designed to provide even more comfort and safety to its users, according to product manager Camille Rouvrais.

“We worked with our design office to find an innovative solution that provides even more safety and comfort,” she said.

“We replaced the roof grille with a transparent, shock-resistant polycarbonate window, which complies perfectly with the requirements of the FOPS standard”.

On top of these are visibility improvements to the operator’s lateral view, a much more flexible positioning of the joystick on a floating armrest, and two vents being placed on the windshield for optimal demisting.

Furthermore, the ULMs offer three different steering modes: two-wheel for high-speed traveling, four-wheel for

navigating tighter areas, and crab mode for lateral manoeuvres.

Additional to the MT625E and ULMs, Manitou has also announced brand new ranges for its electric rotative telehandlers, with two new models encompassing six different versions, whilst also adding a new range of heavy-lifting telehandlers.

The electric range of rotative telehandlers, the MRT 2660e series from its recent VISION+ range, holds a loading capacity of 6 tonnes and a lifting height of 26 metres. Possessing a 700 V/65 kWh lithium-ion battery ensures the model can operate just as well as its internal combustion counterpart –especially in more hostile climates such as Northern Europe.

With charging requiring just four

hours and 30 minutes thanks to an onboard 11kW charger as well as a 22kW charger topping up the battery in just two hours and 15 minutes, a second battery can also be added to boost the MRT’s range by a further four hours.

On the other hand, the new heavylifting telehandler range presents an improved design for safer handling of bulkier loads on all types of terrain.

With weight capacities ranging from nine to 33 tonnes and a working height of up to 12 metres, practicality and safety have also been enhanced with easier access to the driver’s cabin provided via wide non-slip steps, and a new Manitou JSM joystick featuring the ability to accurately detect and respond to the operator’s hand for safe operation.

The ULM, a light option offering customer’s transportability and versatility.

The MRT2260e, an electrified, all-climate rotative telehandler.

HYDROGEN’S TIME TO SINK OR SWIM

Presenting at ConExpo 2023, JCB unveiled internationally the fruits of its labour in the net-zero sector over the past three years, paving the way for the rest of the world to follow suit.

FOUNDED IN THE UK IN 1945 AND STILL bearing the acronym of its founder Joseph Cyril Bamford, agriculture and construction manufacturing powerhouse JCB creates machines for consumers in industries ranging all the way from defence through to waste and recycling.

It’s little wonder then, with an internal target of zero carbon emissions in construction and external pressures from European carbon regulations, that the multinational corporation switched its attentions to how it would conduct business in a net zero environment.

One group of engineers, two prototypes and an A$188.5 million investment later, and the results were laid bare for all to see at ConExpo

2023, the world’s biggest construction exposition in Las Vegas.

JCB formally introduced its superefficient hydrogen engine on the stage at the International Fluid Power Exposition (IFPE), held alongside ConExpo 2023.

“The JCB engineering team has made enormous strides in a short space of time to develop a hydrogen internal combustion engine,” said JCB Chairman Anthony Bamford. “As the first construction equipment company

JCB has made a commitment to growing its hydrogen division.

to develop a fully working combustion engine fuelled by hydrogen, I’m delighted we are now able to present this technology on the international stage.”

Already focusing its attentions on providing electric and battery powered technology on smaller machines like the 525-60E telehandler, Bamford says JCB felt larger machines required an alternative that would leave them unencumbered by the constraints of a constant recharge.

“The JCB engineering team has made enormous strides in a short space of time to develop a hydrogen internal combustion engine.”

Because of their power usage, larger cranes and excavators that work multiple daily shifts would require larger batteries – and it is precisely because of their constant usage that they would not possess the necessary downtime required to charge.

“Hydrogen also offers a potential solution to the challenge of batteries on larger machines,” he added. “It allows for fast refuelling and is a mobile fuel solution, allowing fuel to be taken to the machine.”

JCB has been operating a few prototypes since July 2020, namely

in its backhoe loader and Loadall telescopic handler machines.

It was this success that inspired the company to then invest a further A$188.5 million into the hydrogen engine program.

“The JCB engineering team has gone back to first principles to completely re-design the combustion process to work for hydrogen,” said Bamford.

“In doing so they’ve secured JCB’s place in history as the first construction equipment company to develop a fully working combustion engine fuelled by hydrogen and

engines in telehandlers landing on Australian shores, the path forward to a net-zero future is becoming ever so clearer, with JCB indicating that anything can be achieved with the right amount of care, technical ability, and investment.

“The unique combustion properties of hydrogen enable the hydrogen engine to deliver the same power, the same torque, and the same efficiency that powers JCB machines today, but in a zero-carbon way,” said Lord Bamford.

“It is a technology which is cost effective, robust, reliable, and well known throughout not just the construction and agricultural industry, but the whole world.”

“The unique combustion properties of hydrogen enable the hydrogen engine to deliver the same power, the same torque, and the same efficiency that powers JCB machines today, but in a zero-carbon way.”

As standards change and increased safety practices are highlighted, BTS received requests to talk about products from the crane industry.

THE RISK

BEAVER TECHNOLOGY SERVICES (BTS),

is a company holding 60 years of experience providing Australian businesses with practical and innovative product solutions for Industrial Fall Protection applications,

We started out in the late 1970’s operating as the market leader within the lifting and materials handling market, which was the main focus until 2010. Beaver Technology Services saw a requirement for “fit for purpose” height safety products and evolved to become a company focussed directly in engineered height safety and specialised lifting solutions, as BTS’ Marketing & Project Manager Aaron Hatch explains.

“Originally Beaver came to the market supplying lifting equipment below the hook, including chain slings, lifting slings and shackles,” says Aaron. As the focus on safety became increasing stronger, BTS look at at ways we could offer a better product that wasn’t just another close enough is good enough offering.

Having joined the company as of late November 2022, Aaron boasts two-and-ahalf decades worth of industry experience related to safety and below the hook safety. Whilst a lot of his experience surrounds mobile cranes, it also resides in tower cranes and general construction with lifting and the height safety.

Working for various companies in lifting systems to the construction industry, the more recent years saw him switch to the safety and safe lifting side of things.

“I have worked across numerous height safety and lifting manufacturers across Australia all of which were apart of CICA which BTS has recently joined,” Aaron said.

“Joining CICA, the leading body in Australia for crane-industry representation, provides a perfect opportunity for BTS to showcase their awareness of an everincreasing focus on safety in the crane sector also providing a safer, smarter way of offering devices for below the hook within the industry,” he said.

With extra scrutiny being placed on workplace safety in working at heights, solutions are now required to combat the challenges of keeping a work site safe in the crane industry. Fortunately, Beaver Technology Services and their range of height safety products provide just the answer.

mobile fall protection space range from fixed to mobile equipment the suits all areas of the crane industry from new to maintenance.

BTS’ AIRDAVIT

BTS’ AirDavit is an exciting development by the company, a permanent fixed articulated anchor point, with a working anchor point height of 5.7m and available in single and twin arm configuration providing ideal coverage for overhead fall protection. This is ideal for workshops or to assist in the use of working on transport during the loading and unloading process.

BTS AIRHOOK TRAILER

The BTS AirHook trailer is a complete overhead fall protection system that complies to Australian & New Zealand standard and is mounted on a towable road registered trailer suitable for all road conditions.

The AirHook trailer provides fall

protection for up to two workers, on an overhead anchor point that is easy to set-up. The main mast is raised or lowered using an electric or hydraulic pump and valve arrangement.

BTS AIRHOOK MAX PRO TRAILER

The AirHook Max Anchor Systems is the solution for workers exposed to fall arrest hazards in industries across the country where traditional products just can’t handle the job. This system will increase productivity, reduce lost time, and prevent injuries – all while providing the absolute highest level of fall protection. The Air Max Pro is ideal where extra height is required along with use in remote locations.

AIRHOOK MAX PRO CUBE

The BTS 12m AirHook Max Pro Portable Overhead anchor provides a person working at heights an overhead anchor point that is modular and can be moved easily around a site via a forklift. An ideal product solution for sites where an overhead structure or existing anchor point may not be suitable. Available with an adjustable height of 12m and a reach of 2.3m.

AIRHOOK CUBE

Similar to the AirHook Max Pro, this system can be moved by a forklift but being lighter can even be shifted by a pallet jack. The AirHook is an ideal product solution for sites where an overhead structure or

“As the focus on safety became increasing stronger, BTS look at at ways we could offer a better product that wasn’t just another close enough is good enough offering.”

BTS designs and manufactures a range of products which address the ever-increasing focus on safety in the crane sector.

existing anchor point may not be suitable. Available with an adjustable height of 7.3m and a reach of 3m, the AirHook 3.6.

The 7m AirHook is designed with a minimal footprint allowing it to be positioned close to the equipment being accessed, providing maximum fall protection for the worker and can be set-up for use by 1 person in less than 5 minutes.

AIRHOOK LITE CUBE

The AirHook Lite is an all-encompassing mobile overhead fall protection anchor point that can be easily moved around a site to suit both working at heights and working in confined space applications.

For confined space application, the AirHookLite can be fitted with a Type 3 Inertia Reel c/w Recovery Winch via a diversion sheave to allow workers to be safely lowered and raised out of a confined space and in the case of emergency, the worker can be retrieved quickly out of the same area. 360-degree swivel allows for the injured person to be rotated away from the confined space entry and moved across to ground level for any 1st aid requirements

BTS products provide solutions for working activities conducted at significant heights on fixed and mobile plant equipment.

“We also have our unique BTS Elebia automatic lifting hooks, that are battery powered which help keep workers away from the lifting and lowering of loads. Below the hook applications have also been a big highlight within work safety practices here in Australia.”

Holding complimentary products such as lifting slings and shackles for everydaytype-use products that operate in tandem with BTS’ aforementioned height safety options, Aaron warns of the need for crane companies to be aware of certain pitfalls and typical mistakes when it comes to working at heights, highlighting the risk of workers climbing over set plant gear and cranes - particularly during the maintenance of equipment.

“Essentially, we’re looking to keep personnel from falling off plant gear, injuring themselves or having fatalities falling from substantial heights - which is where our engineered products come into

“We have set products, but we can also have our engineers design specific

“Essentially, we’re looking to keep personnel from falling off plant gear, injuring themselves or having fatalities falling from substantial heights - which is where our engineered products come into play.”

FIELD MAINTENANCE SAFETY KIT

The Mobile Plant Safety Line Kit is another safety device offered by BTS, providing a solution for working activities conducted at significant heights on fixed & mobile plant equipment that require being at the top of machinery to undertake maintenance or inspection work.

Aaron explains how more and more crane operators are turning to BTS to improve safety on site.

“As standards change and safety has been highlighted within the various industries, we found that we were getting more and more requests to talk about our products within the crane industry - both for general use for maintenance and also in the general logistics side of their business,” says Aaron.

products or a specific item to suit the needs of any user,” he said.

BTS, holding a culture of “Empowered by innovation”, believe that every work environment is unique in its own way, and goes about addressing complications such as height safety with that ethos in mind.

A team compiled of designers, engineers, installers, trainers and sales staff operate within the fall-protection industry elite in Australia with a goal of delivering a “WOW experience to our customers.

“A lot of our products are around minimising those risks and putting these things in place to protect businesses and staff from injury and tragedy,” says Aaron.

6 Reasons to choose

CraneSafe

CraneSafe complies with Australian Standard recommendations

CraneSafe is supported by major crane manufacturers

CraneSafe is accepted by all State OH & S departments

CraneSafe is nationally recognised by the CFMEU

CraneSafe assessors are independently audited

CraneSafe is the only NATA accredited crane inspection program www.cranesafe.com.au

TUTT BRYANT PROVIDE THE SOLUTION

Running a family-owned crane business can be hard work. Compact Crane Solutions’ Elliot Bird discusses why he got into cranes, the help he has received from leading construction and heavy equipment distributor Tutt Bryant Equipment, and why he recently added a new SANY STC250T4 truck crane to his fleet.

LEAVING BEHIND THE FIFO LIFESTYLE AND registering the family-owned company Compact Crane Solutions back in 2018, Elliot was keen to get back into some form of “normality”, there’s a hint of wistfulness as he reflectively talks about the inception of his company, and how it didn’t really take off initially.

“I owned a little 285 Maeda mini crane and tried to push it around for a while,” he says,“but I found I didn’t have the contacts and the wherewithal to really get it going.”

Set on establishing CCS as a reliable mini crane, truck, rigging and transport business on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, Elliot persisted with doorknocking on various businesses where he believed the crane would be helpful.

“From there, we just kept pushing our case and pushing for work, and we upgraded and bought a semi-crane truck to work

in tandem with the mini crane and the transport truck,” he said.

At this time, though, Elliot was still a solo operator – and with demand for CCS’s services skyrocketing, he knew he needed more hands on deck because he wasn’t keen on operating all three vehicles himself. He proceeded to recruit a couple of ex-FIFO workers who were also looking for a change of scenery.

With the organisation perpetually growing and the demand for CCS’ products on the rise, new cranes and machinery were always on the horizon. Enter Tutt Bryant Equipment, leading construction and heavy equipment company, and National Distributor for the Sany range of cranes. Elliot was confident Tutt Bryant would have the right solution and he found it in the new Sany STC250T4.

Featuring a 25t maximum lift capacity,

Sany’s three-axle hydraulic truck crane possesses a 35m maximum boom length, a 10.5m minimum turning radius, and a 43m maximum lifting height.

With a hydraulic system designed around precision, the STC250T4 features a load sensing hydraulic system resulting in higher efficiency with less consumption, constantpressure powered luffing, a big flow-piston sewing motor, and a power control mode that reduces engine speed by 12% in operation. What these details all result in is a crane that holds a smoother luffing capacity and uses less fuel.

Additionally, the Sany’s ‘smart-control’ system features a CAN-BUS system where the transfer of information can occur at speeds of 20ms, a BCM controller for easy fault detection and maintenance, a userfriendly seven-inch colour display with a smart panel and IO power distribution, as

Tutt Bryant recently delivered the SANY STC250T4 to CCS, a “great lifter” according to company director Elliot Bird.

well as a LMI that monitors load and wire rope conditions.

“The STC250T4 is excellent,” said Elliot, “and the operating system behind it is quite easy to use.”

“It does rely on the operator to input the information correctly, but in terms of its functionality, the computer system, and the safety behind it, does everything it needs to,” he said.

Other features of the STC250T4 include a spacious walking deck with an abundance of space between the deck and slewing platform, a max. single line pull of five tonnes on its winch for easy loading and a 300-litre fuel reservoir.

Citing its affordability as one of the key reasons for purchasing the crane, the 25t capacity truck crane has enabled CCS to quote on some larger jobs giving them the confidence to pull the trigger on expanding the business.

“It’s a great lifter, and it’s got really good charts,” said Elliot. “At full radius it has a very similar chart to a 40-tonne all terrain crane – hence the reason we went with the 25t truck crane.”

“With all the work we do, we’re operating in that 22-23 metre radius mark and for what that crane can do at that distance, it’s a perfect structural steel installment crane.”

On top of acquiring such a useful crane at a price within his range, Elliot also complimented the manner in which Tutt Bryant conducted business throughout the sales and delivery process, citing their open communication and transparency as being massively beneficial.

“We made a last minute, decision to purchase the crane and I reached out to Tutt Bryant’s National Crane Business Development Manager Peter Lawgall,” said Elliot. “He was actually off on leave but I managed to get his personal phone number and he negotiated the deal even though he was on holiday.”

CCS was very keen to take delivery of the crane quickly as work was already lined up for it. Tutt Bryant were quick to make the minor adjustments to the crane relating to CraneSafe compliance and communication regarding delivery times for the crane was transparent and professional.

“Tutt Bryant were so quick to make adjustments and the communication relating to the progress of the crane and when we would take it was just great – they were just straight onto it. This communication allowed me to move my schedule around because I knew when I would take delivery of it,” said Elliot.

Elliot admits that he didn’t really “know too much” about Chinese manufactured cranes, and with his family-owned business on the line, he wanted to make sure he was making the right choice.

He learned that Tutt Bryant Equipment have been very successful with the Sany brand since they were appointed as the

SANY’s STC250T4 25-tonne lifting capacity and a maximum lifting height of 43 metres.

National distributor in February 2021. A couple of conversations with some friends in the industry and after a quick analysis of the close proximity of Tutt Bryant service centres, Elliot was convinced.

“The fact that it’s powered by the Cummins engine and other componentry in the crane being world class, as well as having the support from a big company just an hour and a half down the road were all decision making factors.

“Working with a big organization like Tutt Bryant gave me all the confidence I needed to buy the Sany and it has worked out to be a terrific purchase for the business,” he said.

TRT MADE POSSIBLE

COVID-19 was extremely disruptive for numerous organisations, with many manufacturers just recently getting back to prepandemic capacities. This is not the case for TRT. During the pandemic, TRT’s management team took the opportunity to refocus and to invest in areas that will benefit the business for years to come. TRT Chief Operating Officer Lawrence Baker spoke exclusively to Cranes and Lifting magazine.

“COVID PROVIDED US AN OPPORTUNITY TO examine our brand and our key products. As part of our Made Possible branding, in Financial Year 2022 (F22), we worked on strategies that would take the business from F22 through to F26. We decided F22 would involve realignment to drive efficiencies throughout the business.

“The TIDD pick and carry crane has gone from strength to strength. Almost four years ago, we were proud to launch the TIDD PC28 which built on the success of the TIDD PC25, which we had manufactured and sold 47 units, from 2011 to 2017.

“We are coming up to the 100th TIDD PC28, which means we have manufactured twice as many in half the time which

TRT’s Chief Operating Officer, Lawrence Baker.

shows the market wants home-grown, quality-made products, from Australasia. We continue to design and manufacture quality products and we are always working on ways to make improvements,” said Lawrence.

This realignment process also enabled the TRT team to carry out a thorough examination of its products, says Lawrence.

“We conducted a full examination of the TIDD PC28 engaging our customers and dealers. This led to the setting up of our TIDD Improvement Group, which looked at several improvements based on operator efficiency, what worked for the operator and what didn’t. We spent time examining the ergonomics, the usability, and the functionality inside the cab and this has led to improvements around the operator’s feel and experience of the TIDD,” said Lawrence.

He goes on to explain how product development is managed in-house and how investment has led to greatly improved manufacturing processes.

“To be able to continually improve our products we knew we needed to invest heavily in capital equipment and plant, and we’ve done this. We invested in brand new plasma cutting technology which allows us to cut smarter, cut lines more cleanly and to be a lot more accurate in our design. We have also invested significantly in robot welding technology.

“2023 has seen improvements to our manufacturing processes with what we call ‘Drive Efficiency’. To drive greater efficiencies, we have completely reorganised how we manufacture the TIDD. This reorganisation has created a flow-on effect to our manufacturing. We take the parts in a timely manner and we make sure our high standard of work is maintained with visual control and Quality Assurance checks.

“We are now building two and a half to three TIDDs a month. We build them on a 14-week cycle and if a customer gives us nine weeks’ notice we’ll paint the TIDD on site in any two colours the customer wants,” said Lawrence.

“From the moment we receive and cut the high-grade steel to, as we say, waving the mudflaps goodbye, we manage all processes in-house. We cut the steel

with our new plasma technology, we have bending and press capabilities, where we manufacture all the booms, the chassis and everything else. All the major components are built in-house before going through to final assembly where we put it all together in our new, final assembly manufacturing facility,” he said.

TRT’s site in Hamilton, New Zealand, is 33,000 square metres with 9,000 square metres under the roof line. A recent initiative from the board focuses on cutting the organisation’s carbon footprint.

“We recently installed a complete solar system on one of our sheds from which we generate enough power to run all of our machinery and plant and equipment. It’s so successful we are installing a similar system on our second shed roof line. Reducing our carbon footprint will continue on an ongoing basis,” said Lawrence.

TRT currently has 234 staff overall with 28 in the Australian business. Of the 234, 114 are manufacturing staff, explains Lawrence.

“I’m lucky enough to host the 10-year service award dinner each year - currently we have 47 staff in the 10-year club. To add to that comment, we have 114 manufacturing staff who (together) have over 602 years of experience. Dave Carden formed the business 54 years ago, and one of his philosophies is ‘you don’t have a business without people, and you need to grow your people, from within’.

“With this in mind, we have developed a very strong apprenticeship program and we try to cover 10 per cent of our working force at any time, with apprentices, so we are heavily invested in this program. One of our senior fabricators, Nick Marsh, has been with the business for 10+ years, he is the fabrication team leader and apprenticeship coordinator.

“Once a week we take all our apprentices off the shop floor for one hour before they finish work, and we put them all in our training room where Nick goes through their paperwork and supports them with all the projects they are involved in.

“We cut the steel with our new plasma technology, we have bending and press capabilities, where we manufacture all the booms, the chassis and everything else.”

TRT recently installed a complete solar system on one of its sheds from which it generates enough power to run all of its machinery, plant and equipment.

We are very proud of Sasha Devia, our first female apprentice who is now in fabrication, and she’s going just great,” said Lawrence.

Sasha, who only started working at TRT 11 months ago, says being the first female welder at the company is something she is very proud of.

“I like showing the team that I can do it too,” she says.

“The team at TRT hasn’t treated me differently because I am a woman, they treat me the same as everyone else and I couldn’t be more grateful. I have been told in the past that I couldn’t be a welder, but TRT made that possible.”

Along with the TIDD pick and carry, TRT has an excellent reputation for supplying other crane related products including specialist trailers and crane pads as well as representing major OEM products such as Kobelco and Manitowoc.

“Apart from manufacturing the TIDD, we are proud to be the Kobelco Crawler Crane distributor for all of Oceania, that

covers Australia, NZ, and the Pacific region. We are also the New Zealand and Queensland distributors of Manitowoc which includes Grove all terrains. Another one of our value propositions is our range of crane pads.”

“The market is very demanding regarding requirements for crane pads, and we offer a 12-week lead time on this product. Again, we make them completely in-house starting with the moment the steel arrives,” said Lawrence.

“We fabricate the pads utilising our robots. We understand there are other products on the market, but the TRT crane pads are engineered so that when they get to site, they are certified and fit for purpose.”

A significant customer for TRT is Borger Crane Hire. Shawn and Nathan Borger have seen the benefit of TRT-designed and manufactured crane support trailers and crane pads for many years.

“Over the years we have provided Borger Crane Hire with a full range of

crane support trailers and crane pads which complement their crane fleet. Just recently two more crane support trailers were loaded ready for delivery and there were 12 crane pads. Borger’s has been a great supporter of TRT and a great ambassador for our crane pads.

“A number of crane companies in New Zealand and Australia utilise our purpose-designed products and we’ve designed crane support trailers for Kobelco, Manitowoc and other brands of cranes. Our trailers enable customers to mobilise and demobilise quickly and efficiently because the trailer is specifically designed for the crane and its associated equipment like counterweights and rigging equipment,” said Lawrence.

TRT’s Australian operation has seen some significant operational changes since Neil Webb joined the organisation 12-plus months ago. With senior crane specialists joining the team, Lawrence is excited about the future for TRT Australia.

‘You don’t have a business without people, and you need to grow your, people, from within’. Judith, TRT’s tea lady has been with the business for 18-plus years.

“COVID-19 was a tough time for TRT’s directors, shareholders and the executives based in New Zealand because we were unable to get across the ditch to see our Australian team. I think timing is everything in life, and Neil Webb was keen to bring his family back home from Indonesia and we were keen to have a crane expert running the operation.

“Already we have been able to leverage Neil’s knowledge in Indonesia, and we’ve sold a number of TIDD cranes into that market. Neil has also recruited a number of crane sales specialists to the operation, so we have a very positive outlook for the Australian operation,” he said.

After-market support has always been a major focus for TRT.

“One of the advantages of working for a family-owned business like TRT, is they’re prepared to invest in after-market parts. In early April we went live with a brand new ERP system for our whole business. We conducted an analysis of our after-market spare parts holding from the system we installed 24 years ago. Interestingly, we still hold some of that stock 24 years later because there’s still a crane out there in the market that’s being used that requires our after-market support. I think that’s special and unique.

“We also have a really good support team, headed up by Aaron Gedge in Australia. With the support of Kobelco and Manitowoc, we can offer a service where we minimise downtime for our customers because we all know if a machine is down, it’s costing the customer money. TRT offers an exceptional backup service in terms of parts, an excellent service team with experienced people on the ground,” said Lawrence.

Last year TRT’s executive team rolled out to all its staff the business strategy for the next five years. The “Plan to Win” strategy saw 2022 as a year of realignment. The next two years will include a focus on driving greater efficiencies throughout the business, with 2025 to see the growth momentum continue and 2026 to be a year of sustaining that momentum.

“We are not growing for the sake of growing, we want to be at a level where we can maintain the ‘TRT Way’, maintain our

value proposition and continue the service levels that we’ve offered for 54 years,” said Lawrence.

“We’re very proud of the products we represent and manufacture. The TIDD pick and carry features Slew Safe which makes it a very safe product. We have a mentality around zero harm for our people, and also zero harm for the customers that use our products, and the Slew Safe technology allows operators to go to work with the expectation they will come home safe, and we’re very proud of that,” he said.

Recently, a number of Australian customers and potential customers visited TRT’s Hamilton facility.

“Because we live and breathe TRT and we are here every day, we probably take our workplace a little for granted. It’s not until you get a fresh set of eyes looking at our approach that you understand we are doing a lot of things right.

“We invited existing customers, and we had customers that had never bought from TRT before. Their overwhelming comments were around our people, how engaging they are and how passionate they are about their products and what they do. This includes Judith, our tea lady who has been with us for 18-plus years. In today’s fast-paced business environment, I doubt there are many organisations that still have a tea lady on site. If you think Bruce Carden is passionate about our product you have to meet Judith, she’s a special woman and just as passionate about the business.

“Feedback was very positive on just how much we have invested in technology and our capabilities to manufacture a highquality product. They could see we have invested for the future, and one customer said, “I will buy the product from TRT, because I know you are going to be around for another 54 years,” said Lawrence.

“Feedback was very positive on just how much we have invested in technology and our capabilities to manufacture a high-quality product.”

Sasha Devia is TRT’s first female apprentice and first female welder.

WORLD’S LARGEST ELECTRIC CRANE NOW BEING BUILT

Mammoet investing in an additional 6,000t capacity ring crane to serve growing energy markets.

THE FIRST PARTS OF A NEW 6,000T ring crane will soon be delivered to Mammoet’s engineering nerve centre in The Netherlands. In the months ahead, fabrication and production will continue as it is being readied for its very first project, with delivery scheduled in 2024.

It becomes the world’s highest capacity land-based crane and can be fully operated using electric power, allowing clients to execute projects in a sustainable way.

The introduction of this 6,000t ring crane sets a new standard in worldwide heavy lifting capacity and allows customers to construct heavier and larger components than ever before.

With its unrivalled outreach, hook height and lifting capacity, it offers a

carbon-free lifting solution that others simply cannot match.

The new ring crane, named SK6000, shares the same engineering DNA as its predecessor, the SK350. By employing similar design principles and lifting techniques, it provides customers with continuity and peace of mind. Much of the crane’s technology has been working successfully – and safely – on project sites around the globe for many years.

Like earlier models, the SK6000 is containerised, enabling swift mobilisation and on-site assembly, providing ultraheavy lift capacity wherever it is needed. It has been designed with next generation of offshore wind farms in mind and will serve all global energy markets where additional

lifting capacity is needed - both onshore and at sea.

As offshore wind components grow in scale and in weight, more lift capacity is needed. The SK6000 delivers this capacity and unlocks a major design constraint. The innovation will enable customers to integrate higher and bigger turbines, and launch heavier foundations, be they fixed or floating.

In the conventional energy sector, the SK6000 allows offshore and floating production projects to reduce integration time by building even larger topside modules. On land, it helps refineries to reduce downtime by removing and installing larger components with minimum disruption.

The introduction of this 6,000t ring crane sets a new standard in worldwide heavy lifting capacity and allows customers to construct heavier and larger components than ever before.

Mammoet customers benefit from construction of larger modules, reducing integration and fabrication times

“The introduction of this 6,000t ring crane sets a new standard in worldwide heavy lifting capacity and allows customers to construct heavier and larger components than ever before.”

The SK6000 is the world’s largest land-based electric crane

BORGER’S QUEENSLAND EXPANSION CONTINUES

In 2019, Borger Crane Hire ventured North and opened a yard on the Sunshine Coast. Since then, the Queensland operation has expanded dramatically - leading to the opening of yards in Brisbane and more recently in Carrara on the Gold Coast.

BORGER’S BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT manager for Queensland Shannon Gaddes says the new Gold Coast facility is central to the business’s future plans.

“When we first moved to the Sunshine Coast in 2019 we always had intentions to expand,” he said.

“We opened the Brisbane yard in 2020 and we were getting a high level of enquiries for us to travel to the Gold Coast for projects - and one of these was the Tweed Heads Hospital for Lend Lease.”

“We also have a number of clients that we work for in Sydney that are also managing major infrastructure projects in Queensland,” he added.

“These include John Holland, CPB, Acciona, Seymour Whyte, Fulton Hogan and Georgiou, to name a few. We are now in a position to offer them the expert service they have come to expect from Borger Crane Hire and a fleet of cranes which are capable of completing the complex lifts on these major infrastructure projects.” Shannon said.

Borger’s Gold Coast supervisor Luke Moroney says the Carrara yard is now working for Borger Crane Hire, thanks in no small part to the team involved.

“With a service workshop and boiler maker facilities, we have service capabilities and a hard stand room for

Borger Gold Coast Supervisor, Luke Moroney, Business Development Queensland Manager, Shannon Gaddes and Business Development Manager, Luke Gallagher.

the cranes. But we are experiencing considerable growth and our team of 25 is going to grow over the six months and we are currently identifying land on the Gold Coast on which we plan to build a purpose-built facility which will accommodate this growth,” he said.

Currently Borger’s operates a range of cranes from the yard and these include:

• 3t mini crawler

• 16 t telescopic crawler

• Two 25t capacity Franna

• 40t Franna AT40

• 20t City Crane

• 60t all terrain

• 1 20t all terrain

• 150 t all terrain, and

• 2 x 1 10t capacity crawlers

“We have a broad range of cranes which suit the local market and of course, we can always bring in cranes from the Brisbane yard if need be,” Shannon said.

“That’s the beauty of Borger Crane Hire, if we don’t the crane in the yard for a specific project, we can call on other areas of our operation and bring the crane in,” said Shannon.

“Our crews are very experienced and have been in the industry for a number of years. All are local Gold Coast residents so there is a real sense of community and family in the yard.”

The culture within Borger Crane Hire is a key reason for the success of the business.

“All the depots in the business are extremely busy, but we haven’t lost sight of the importance of each individual and the contributions they make,” Luke Moroney said.

“We encourage a sense of family within the business, and this began right at the beginning with Jon and Barbara.

Borger Business Development Manager Luke Gallagher said Borger Crane Hire had come from humble beginnings, adding that founders Jon and Barbara Borger have ensured that humility continues today.

Gallagher says the crane industry is highly demanding, with many extra hours required to get the job done safely and efficiently.

bring the crane in.”

Borger Cranes was recently engaged by Precision Rigging and Logistics to assist with the crane hire and planning for the removal of the iconic Les Paul guitar from its rooftop position at the Hard Rock Café on the Gold Coast.

“We have a broad range of cranes which suit the local market and of course, we can always bring in cranes from the Brisbane yard if need be. That’s the beauty of Borger Crane Hire, if we don’t the crane in the yard for a specific project, we can call on other areas of our operation and

Strong family values are a driving force throughout the business, and this encourages teams to go above and beyond for the organisation and our clients.

“Shawn and Nathan have continued their parents’ approach to the business, and they wouldn’t ask the staff to do something they would not do themselves,” Luke Gallagher said.

“This leads to a very motivated team which backs itself 100 per cent.”

“We are now investing in business processes and procedures which will be common across all of our operations.

“These processes will make the organisation more transparent and enable the various operations to bettermanage the projects for our clients, no

matter where they are situated,” Luke Galllagher added.

With these changes afoot, Luke Gallagher says the future looks bright for Borger Crane Hire.

“Over the last five years, the Borger family has invested heavily in its fleet, its personnel and its facilities,” he said.

“This investment has enabled the business to provide state of the art cranes to our clients for the major projects they have been awarded in Sydney, Newcastle, throughout New South Wales and Queensland.

“We have opened new facilities in Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast and now the Gold Coast and we recently moved into a brand-new facility in Glendenning, Western Sydney.

“We now operate a fleet of 150 cranes and employ 500 personnel. Our fleet includes some of the largest all terrain and crawler cranes on the Eastern Seaboard and we are well positioned for the future,” he said.

That said, the excitement about the opportunities in Queensland was palpable, he said.

“We are particularly excited about the prospects for the Queensland operation. We’ve opened three depots in three years despite a very difficult period during COVID-19.

Back in the mid 1990’s Sydney was awarded the 2000 Olympic games. With the amount of construction required to host the Games, Jon Borger said the business was never the same again.

“Brisbane will host the 2032 Olympic Games and over the next eight years there will be an enormous amount of construction required in South East Queensland in preparation for the Games,” Luke Gallagher said.

“The Queensland operations of Borger Crane Hire are well positioned to service this expected boom in construction.

“We will continue to invest in the latest technology ensuring our clients receive the highest levels of service and we will continue to invest in our people and facilities to ensure we attract and retain the best personnel available in the crane sector,” he said.

“Over

the last five years, the Borger family has invested heavily in its fleet, its personnel and its facilities.”

Borger Cranes used smaller cranes from the fleet with the Liebherr LTM1060-3.1 and Franna MAC25-4, but the lift still took plenty of planning.

Borger Cranes is a family owned and operated crane hire and rigging business servicing New South Wales and Queensland.

Borger Cranes maintain a modern fleet of cranes and equipment and our fleet boasts two of the largest all terrain cranes on the east cost, the Liebherr 750 tonne and Liebherr 650 tonne all terrain.

With every job, our experienced and industry trained team delivers high quality performance and nothing but excellence.

Borger Cranes getting the job done for you.

COMMUNITY, CONNECTION, AND CRANES

does in his community, and his family’s longstanding connection to Gayndah.

Known for being the oldest town in Queensland, the Leggett family arrived from Adelaide and settled there in 1884, with Dan’s great-great-grandfather being the centre’s longest serving mayor over a duration of 35 years.

own words, the cranes are a “predecessor to the Frannas”.

“They’re good machines,” he says. “They’re in compliance with their 10-year check-up, and they get through their annual servicing really well.”

And he puts them to good use too. Big jobs, little jobs, whatever the Gayndah community needs, Dan and his two Linmacs are there to help.

“We’ll do work for the local authorities, Sunwater, on main roads, builders, farmers, anyone,” he said. “All the good people – that’s who we work for.”

Working for over 40 years in the construction industry – whether it be civil construction, concreting or cranes – Dan holds a wealth of experience, and it’s something he wishes to bestow on his community because – in his own words –“everything spent in a small community stays in a small community”.

With a population of just 1,981 people as of the 2016 census, Gayndah is exactly that.

“I like it here,” he says. “All the local groups – the showgrounds, the racecourse, the museum – they get one free lift a year.”

“THERE ARE NO OTHER CRANES FOR 150 KILOMETRES.”

So says Dan Leggett, Director of Gayndah Crane Hire and resident of the rural Queensland town, in the state’s North Burnett region.

“We suffer from a lack of resources,” he says bluntly. “You’re looking at quite a lot of money spent on transfers to get one in from Bundaberg, Rockhampton, Gippy or Maryborough.

“They won’t just send a crane alone either. They’ll send a rigger – which is policy, and that’s okay – but it’s just expensive. I saw an opportunity to fill that gap here with the two machines I own to complete all the jobs that needed to be done around here.”

You can hear his voice start to perk up and become more conversational as the discussion switches to the work he

During that stint he contributed to vital infrastructure projects such as the construction of a hospital, improvements to the railway and a new town hall – work that Dan describes as “instrumental”.

Helping the local community is something that runs in the Leggett family’s blood. Dan’s father still cultivates his crops as an 85-year-old, whilst his brother still works in construction. Dan, at 61, is still running his crane hire business to aid the town, which is mainly known for its agriculture – particularly of the citrus variety.

“My family’s been here for seven generations,” he explains. “I had the opportunity to buy these two cranes and, well – here we are.”

The machines themselves are two Linmac AWD 12 cranes, manufactured back in 1990.

Holding a 12-tonne capacity, they also possess a 17.5-metre powered boom, and are run off a Cummins engine – in Dan’s

“There’s lots of agriculture here, and they need help setting up their sheds and putting in heavy, complicated machinery.

“Our community means a lot to me. We struggle with government facilities –there’s plenty of government contractors, but the supply of materials is an issue,” he says.

And so, what can a local, generationally committed man like Dan do for his community in Gayndah?

“We just make do with what we have. My great-great-grandfather wanted to make a better place here, and so do I.”

One of Dan’s two Linmacs, the predecessors to Franna.

Gayndah Cranes performing a dual lift over a 30-metre span.

Operating his own business out in the rural town of Gayndah, Director of Gayndah Crane Hire Dan Leggett opens up about his business, connection to the town and the importance of community.

CERTEX LIFTING HAS LANDED

Certex Lifting Pty Ltd is now one of the country’s largest lifting equipment and service companies, following their significant expansion into the Australian market in November last year.

AUSTRALIAN COMPANY CHAIN

Applications Pty Ltd is now officially operating under its new name Certex Lifting Pty Ltd.

Previously seperate entities, The Rigging Shed, Lifting Victoria, On Call Lifting, Elevate Lifting & Rigging, and Schillings Hoisting Equipment are now unified under the same Certex Lifting Pty Ltd name.

The national rollout of the Certex Lifting brand can be seen across the country with signage now complete at the Adelaide, Geelong, Melbourne North, Melbourne West, Newcastle, and Geelong Wangara branches.

Certex Lifting will continue its close collaboration with new parent, Axel Johnson, on supply chain

“There are no changes to shareholding, directorship, and management team, and Certex Lifting Pty Ltd will continue to deliver the flexible, service-orientated philosophy and unparalleled ‘Lifting Know How’ customer have come to trust into 2023.”

diversification, national operational initiatives and marketing campaigns that will set Certex Lifting apart in the Australian market.

There are no changes to shareholding, directorship, and management team, and Certex Lifting Pty Ltd will continue to deliver the flexible, service-orientated philosophy and unparalleled ‘Lifting

Know How’ customer have come to trust into 2023.

Bringing the brands together under one banner improves the offering from each branch and creates a company offering a comprehensive range of lifting solutions.

To learn more about Certex Lifting and its capabilities visit the company webpage at www.certexlifting.com.au.

Certex Lifting Kalgoorlie, previously The Rigging Shed.

KEEPING AUSTRALIA WORKING

OPERATING FOR OVER 40 YEARS SINCE the founders sold their first pick and carry built from truck components, Franna remains one of the most reliable and durable machines; the company ensures its products continue to deliver by maintaining a strong parts and servicing division.

The division carries out a variety of work, including 10-year major inspections, routine maintenance, repairs for general wear-and-tear, breakdowns, accidents and warranties, bulletin updates, complete rebuilds and upgrades.

Franna’s National Service Manager Mark Tanner says routine maintenace comes around very quickly for Franna cranes due to their high utilisation rate.

“Typically, pick and carry cranes can be used for tasks they are not originally designed for, such as the pushing and pulling of loads,” he said.

“This can result in damage to both the internal mechanisms and structure of the boom, so we need to make sure we thoroughly inspect these areas during maintenance.”

As a means of supporting their machines at a national scale, Franna’s comprehensive support network includes several sales and service centres, with Brisbane the main distribution point to support workshops in Perth, Sydney and Melbourne for any necessary parts and to provide local support to customers.

Additionally, to ensure their customers can efficiently receive the parts required to keep their machines running smoothly, Franna maintains a sizeable inventory of spare parts for its machines should they be needed.

“Overall, Franna’s comprehensive support network ensures that their machines are well-supported throughout Australia, regardless of where they are located,” Tanner explains.

Offering a vast array of services Australia-wide, the spotlight falls on how Franna can ensure quick and efficient access to all customers across the country. Tanner, who has been with Franna for nigh on 29 years, says the company holds no problems with the geographical challenges of providing efficient servicing and parts to customers.

“To ensure that spare parts can be delivered quickly to remote locations, Franna uses advanced logistics and supply chain management systems to ensure that spare parts can be quickly located and

The high utilisation rate means routine maintenance comes around very quickly for Franna cranes.

While you can find one of Franna’s much-loved pick and carry cranes in nearly every corner of Australia, providing the support they need is an ever-growing challenge. Cranes and Lifting took a dive into the world of crane support from Franna.

shipped to remote locations utilising a number of service providers,” he said.

Included within these services are an approximate 8,000-part lines, which are duplicated across all sites and, additionally, are holistically designed to include support for all cranes of all ages.

As well as the Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney workshops are two remote-field-service locations in Rockhampton and Mackay, Queensland.

Franna is also working on a service agent agreement with a well respected

business in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

On-site field-servicing is available from all the workshops, with Franna possessing a fleet of 20 field-service vehicles in order to aid its on-site servicing capability.

A servicing team including workshop technicians, field-service technicians, product support technicians, and people operating in warranty and administration are all components of Franna’s success.

All up Franna has about 70 people to help provide any support required.

The parts team, operating outside of – yet in tandem with – the service team, consists of around 30 people with a number of years experience operating in multiple roles, whether it be parts interpreters, buyers, store-people, inventory planners or analysts.

“Overall, Franna is committed to providing fast and reliable support to its customers – even those operating in remote locations – through a combination of advanced logistics, supply chain management systems and a highly skilled spare parts team,” Mark said.

“To ensure that spare parts can be delivered quickly to remote locations, Franna uses advanced logistics and supply chain management systems to ensure that spare parts can be quickly located and shipped to remote locations utilising a number of service providers.”

Franna’s comprehensive support network ensures that their machines are well-supported throughout Australia.

The nature of the work completed by pick and carry cranes means it has regular parts that may degrade faster or need monitoring to ensure the crane is operated safely.

Mark says that crane owners and operators should keep an eye on their Franna cranes to monitor them for degradation.

Among the parts operators should keep an eye on are:

“By monitoring these key parts and performing regular maintenance and inspections, clients can help to ensure the safe and reliable operation of their Franna cranes.”

WINCH ROPES

The winch ropes used in Franna cranes are under constant stress and can become worn or damaged over time. Clients should watch for signs of fraying, kinks, or broken wires, and replace wire ropes when necessary.

BEARINGS

The bearings used in Franna cranes support the weight of the machine and can wear out over time. Users should utilise the remote greasing systems and monitor for signs of play or looseness in the bearing assemblies, and replace bearings as needed.

HYDRAULIC HOSES AND FITTINGS

The hydraulic hoses and fittings used in Franna cranes can be subject to wear and tear, and can develop leaks or cracks over time. Clients should regularly inspect these components and replace

them if any signs of wear or damage are present.

FILTERS

The filters used in Franna cranes help to keep the hydraulic and fuel systems clean and free of contaminants. Clients should monitor these filters and replace them according to the manufacturer’s recommended schedule.

ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS

Franna cranes use a range of electrical components, including switches, sensors, and relays. Clients should monitor these components for signs of wear or damage and replace them as needed.

“By monitoring these key parts and performing regular maintenance and inspections, clients can help to ensure the safe and reliable operation of their Franna cranes,” Tanner said.

Franna has approximately 70 people to help provide any support required.

Franna is committed to providing fast and reliable support to its customers.

XCMG LAUNCHES 120 TONNE CRANE

Chinese manufacturer XCMG has launched a new European All-Terrain crane, the 120 tonne four axle XCA120_E. The new model will be officially unveiled at the 2023 JDL Expo in France.

THE NEW CRANE BOASTS A SEVEN section 66 metre main boom, topped by an 11.65 to 18.5 metre bi-fold swingaway extension which can offset by up to 40 degrees.

Two 7.1 metre lattice extension sections can be added between the boom nose and the swingaway to achieve the maximum tip height of just over 96 metres, while the maximum working radius is 60 metres.

The 120 tonne nominal capacity is achieved at a theoretical 2.5 metre radius, at three metres radius the crane can handle 80 tonnes.

Power comes from an MTU diesel driving a 12 forward - two reverse speed ZF 12 TraXon transmission, with the three rear axles all driven, while all wheel steering is standard as is a retarder.

The independent suspension system avoids the need for full width

axles and is similar in overall concept to that used by Grove.

Depending on tyres, the crane has an overall width of 2.75 metres, and the overall length is just over 14.3 metres.

The outriggers have up to five working widths, from fully retracted to 3.83, 5.0m, 5.9m or a fully extended seven metres.

The maximum counterweight is 33 tonnes, built up from eight slabs allowing for a variety of configurations.

The chassis was designed and manufactured by XCMG, made of high strength steel. The finite element analysis method is used to carry out

The newst 120 tonne crane from XCMG has 66 metres of main boom.

“Two 7.1 metre lattice extension sections can be added between the boom nose and the swingaway to achieve the maximum tip height of just over 96 metres, while the maximum working radius is 60 metres.”

simulation analysis and calculation of all working conditions.

The manufacturing process is inspected to stringent specifications, and the key parts are full-coverage detected to ensure strength and stability during the bearing process.

The full dimension steel structure luxury cab has a spring connection

structure and a rear damper.

It is also equipped with electrically operated window lifters, air suspension adjustable seats, electric heating and adjustable rearview mirrors, a steering wheel adjustable in four directions, DVD navigation and a large screen liquid crystal display.

The combined central control

panel is reasonably arranged in an arc, presenting a human-oriented design.

The crane comes with an LED combined lamp, Multifunction steering wheel and Central locking system with remote controller.

The interior adopts PVC hot pressing technology and one key, while human-machine interaction with t he UI interface is upgraded. A heater, air conditioner and audio system are standard.

The crane follows the launch at bauma last year of the 60 tonne XCA60 EV three axle hybrid All Terrain crane.

The latest crane is set to debut at the JDL expo in France.

UAA’S RENEWED CUSTOMER FOCUS

Since Steadfast Group’s announcement of the merger of mobile plant and equipment insurance companies Underwriting Agencies of Australia (UAA) and MECON, the focus has been on increasing the efficiencies of the organisations and enhancing their abilities to service customers more effectively.

WITH THE RETIREMENT OF MICHAEL ‘MURF’ Murphy and the appointment of Stan Alexandropoulos as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), the new executive team is focused on realising greater efficiencies across both organisations.

New appointments have been made to UAA’s executive team including the appointment of Marc Crossman as Group Strategy and Distribution Manager and Jane King as Group Chief Underwriting Officer. Marc has a wealth of experience with UAA having headed the company’s Southern Region, and prior to this their Singapore operation for many years, along with managing the South Australian and Northern Territory businesses.

UAA Group CEO Stan Alexandropoulos says these are exciting times for the businesses, with the two brands complementing each other and both focused on a customer-first approach.

“When we look at the brands, we see they are recognised in the market for very different strengths. UAA is recognised for its strength

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

Stan Alexandropoulos, UAA’s Chief Executive Officer.

in mobile plant and machinery insurance, including cranes, whereas MECON holds a much tighter focus on contracts works insurance. One thing that both brands have in common though is that they are both recognised market leaders in their specialty fields.”

“We brought the two groups together because we felt there was an opportunity to complement and leverage from each other’s strengths in the market, as well as utilising the sales force at UAA to assist in increasing MECON’s footprint in the market”, he said.

“We created Marc’s role to place a focus on an integrated relationship between the two organisations and assist the Business Development Managers (BDMs) to see the business as a group rather than have UAA and MECON working in silos” said Stan.

“Marc’s role is very important in bringing all that together. His role will also incorporate our strategy around marketing and make sure we have a level of consistency regarding branding and marketing across the group. That will include branding and marketing across our global businesses as well, including Singapore and New Zealand and our new ventures including Canada.”

Emphasising the need for consistency across the two businesses is paramount, with UAA’s CEO highlighting the important role Marc will play in advertising and marketing to ensure the same messaging is consistent whichever business is being spotlighted.

As well as appointing the new Group Strategy and Distribution Manager, Stan highlighted how the business is streamlining its claims reporting process through Chief Claims and Services Officer George Grasso. This highlights his desire to ensure there are similar processes and procedures in place across the board, whilst also allowing for the differences within the two businesses to complement each other.

“MECON have certain skills within their claims department that UAA don’t have and vice versa. They’re very good on, for instance, the personal injury liability side of things and, being in construction, that’s a big part of the claims that they have whereas UAA don’t have as many,” said Stan.

“Additionally, it gives us scope and scale. We have a large team at the moment and it’s a team we’ve increased dramatically, and we

will continue to increase the head count and the experience within our claims team. It’s all about being adequately resourced to provide a superior service to our customers.” he said.

With more than 30 years of experience in the insurance, repair, assessing and loss adjusting industries, George Grasso is well qualified to speak about how UAA and MECON plan to increase capabilities within UAA, stating the company was “doubling our size in claims” to “accommodate the group’s growth”.

“Mecon’s current contractors, plant and equipment portfolio is in the process of being transferred to UAA, so we are increasing our staff numbers in claims to best service our customers on those additional claims, as well as meet the additional regulatory requirements due to a greater focus on compliance by the industry regulatory bodies. The aim and goal is to provide the best clams service in the mobile plant and

contract works industry”, said George.

“We’re also increasing our resources in underwriting across the nation and we’re investing heavily in new technologies and systems which will enable us to be far more transparent with our customers for both underwriting and claims services. We are investing in technologies that will make the claims and underwriting process much easier because, at the moment, everything is such a manual process,” he continued.

“The technology that we’re moving into is going to allow our customers to have information and tools at their fingertips on both an underwriting and claims perspective. We want to be able to provide incredible service to our customers, to the insurance brokers and the policy holders themselves,” said George.

According to Stan, expanding the teams at both UAA and MECON is important for future growth.

Jane King UAA’s Group Chief Underwriting Officer.

“George regularly says from a clients’ perspective the claims department is our shopfront, and if we get that right, we are pretty much 80 per cent of the way there. That is why we’re doubling the size of our claims team. We want to get to a level of service where we are well and truly over and above everybody else.

“But we’re not just increasing headcount, we have made a conscious decision to hire experienced and seasoned staff. We are increasing our experience within the teams and moving to a state-based system.

“In the past our claims team has been centralised in Newcastle and we have realised the talent pool in Newcastle has become limited. So we will hire the best candidate regardless of where they are and they will have the opportunity to be based in one of

our regional and state-based offices. That’s the way we’re going to work it from now on,” said Stan.

Another significant development is the increased role and responsibility for UAA’s Jane King.

“Another significant change involves our colleague Jane King, who is currently our Group Chief Underwriting Officer” said Stan.

“Jane is going to take control of the underwriters’ operations. This means the Australian Regional Managers and Operations Managers will report to her placing a focus on our underwriting performance and our underwriting results,” he said.

“Effectively, we want to make sure we are responsible for our underwriting results

whilst maintaining a sustainable future of insurance for our customers”, said Stan.

“From a MECON perspective, it’s important that we maintain portfolio performances also, so we can continue to offer clients the products at more sustainable premiums. Over the years, we’ve made a point of looking after our securities and we have never lost one. Whereas our competitors and underwriting agencies regularly change securities because it gets to a point where it becomes unsustainable for the security, and they need to look for new markets.

“Jane is going to be responsible for the management of the portfolio globally, and she will implement focussed strategies and pricing around key areas that may not be performing and work on strategies on how to reduce risks for the customer and also the insurance company for that matter,” said Stan.

“These strategies will be based on algorithms that determine the appropriate rates and premiums which are put in place for a sustainable industry. Other insurers apply one large rate and rate increases across the board, whereas our business is heavily focused on where the risks are and the appropriate rates for those risks and how they should be applied.

“No two crane companies are the same and no two machines are the same. There’s a lot of science and actuarial work around geographic risk, the types of occupational hazards associated with client activities, the client’s exposure and experience in the industry and the rates are applied accordingly. Our new structure and approach is focused on the individuality of a company, the risks associated with the work they conduct and the premiums associated with the cover required for this work,” said Stan.

“We are implementing a number of changes and we are confident our customers are going to see big improvements in the programs we are offering. There will be significant improvement in the claims services area as well our sales service. The technology we are implementing will be a game changer and enable UAA and MECON to provide an insurance package and service which is second to none,” said Stan.

“We are implementing a number of changes and we are confident our customers are going to see big improvements in the programs we are offering. There will be significant improvement in the claims services area as well our sales service.”

George Grasso, UAA’s Chief Claims and Services Officer.

Celebrating excellence in the construction industry

20. 09. 2023 Melbourne

The Foundation Awards recognise both individuals and businesses who excel in the industry and bring together different industry segments to one room on one night for a glamorous night of celebration.

foundationawards.com.au

Both machines are remote controlled and particularly with the Maeda that is a game changer, giving the operator an incredible vantage point whilst operating the crane.

ANDREWS TRACKING WELL

IN 2014 MANAGING DIRECTOR OF ANDREWS

Crane Hire, Andrew Whyte, saw an opportunity to enter the crane sector and took the leap with his wife Emma.

When he decided to go it alone, Andrew had to establish a specialty service - identifying a gap in project work with a focus on oil and gas.

Working with companies such as VIVA Energy and Shannon Group, the company needed the right cranes to tackle the challenges that came its way.

“We purchased a 20t and a 25 tonne capacity Franna which are complemented by a couple of boom lifts and scissor lifts along with a Liebherr all-terrain, and we recently brought a Maeda MC285C-3 and a tracked carrier on board,” he said.

“Whilst our equipment is pivotal, we understand the importance of our team. We have a permanent crew, our longest serving team member started with us eight years ago, roughly nine months after the

business started, and the shortest is five years - we have great loyalty from our team,” he says.

“I am often out operating cranes and quoting jobs and last year, I visited a project that was going to have a range of challenges including access.

“We approached Pace Cranes and enquired about the tracked carrier for this project and pulled the trigger on ordering it back in November.

“(We) then quickly came to the conclusion we needed a Maeda and after carefully weighing up our options we settled on the MC285C-3,” Andrew said.

The Maeda MC285C-3 has a capacity of 2.82t working at a distance of 1.4 metres, with a maximum radius of 8.2 metres and a maximum lifting height of 8.7 metres, giving it the dexterity needed for the project.

The MC285C-3 comes with multi angle position outriggers making it ideal for

applications with tight space tolerances.

The frame of MC285C-3 is slight and compact when in position and comes with an array of added safety features including tilt alarms, working status lamps and a data logger offering the safest working environment.

The Maeda has the ability to fit through tight doorways with a width of only 750 millimetres. The model also includes a slew angle limit setting, an 18cm display, HBC radio remote control and detachable electric motor.

The Yanmar diesel engine meets requirements for the new gas emission standards of EU Stage V.

The track carrier from Pace Cranes offers an unrivalled method of transporting heavy goods through confined spaces. Coming in at only 950mm wide, the 2200 R and 2200 PRO models are heavyweights in compact packaging.

When a challenging project came across Andrew Whyte’s desk, he knew he needed to think outside the box in terms of the equipment that would deliver the desired outcomes.

Andrews Crane Hire purchased a 20t and a 25t capacity Franna which are complemented by a couple of boom lifts and scissor lifts, a Liebherr all-terrain and now the new Maeda and Tracked Carrier.

The Pro model purchased by Andrews Crane Hire offers new features such as gradient- monitoring, information feedback and a smart auxiliary output, ideal when increased safety measures are required or powered attachments make the job easier.

Andrew explains how the two new additions will be used by the team.

“The carrier is going to be used alongside the Maeda dismantling a pipeline, the Maeda will transfer the pipe onto the carrier and they will move and relocate it together,” Andrew said.

“The Maeda was the perfect solution for us on site, it is easily moveable and has great capacity, I don’t think anything else could complete this work,” he said.

The modern technology available on both the Maeda and the tracked carrier create a number of benefits for the team at Andrews Crane Hire.

“Both the machines are remote controlled and particularly with the Maeda that is a game changer, it gives the operator an incredible vantage point whilst operating the crane and his visibility is seriously improved when working in confined spaces,” Andrew said.

“The Maeda has the multipoint outriggers as well, which is an excellent feature for this project as the outriggers need to be in various positions throughout.

“The 2200 Pro tracked carrier is good for 2.2 tonnes which is actually really impressive,” he said.

“When we purchased the tracked carrier, they didn’t have one in stock so we trusted the Pace Cranes team when it came to its capacities and understanding how we could use it.

“We could only view a smaller model but since the tracked carrier arrived, we

have been impressed by how robust it is,” Andrew said.

Andrew and the team has been incredibly impressed by the support provided by Pace Cranes as he explains.

“Obviously we asked a lot of questions before bringing both of the products on board, every question was answered, and every concern alleviated,” he said.

“We purchased a lot of new technology like the remotes which we had never worked with before and Pace Cranes took the time to walk us through it and explain each part to us,” Andrew said.

With the arrival of each piece of new machinery it is an exciting time for the company as it moves forward.

“We go out to each site when we are approached for a project before taking it on board. The Maeda and the tracked carrier are going to give us so many more options now,” said Andrew.

CICA

ITALIAN PLANT BEGINS PRODUCTION OF GROVE GRT8120 ROUGH-TERRAIN CRANES

The Manitowoc plant in Niella Tanaro, Italy is expanding production, adding the Grove GRT8120 rough-terrain crane to its manufacturing line. Niella Tanaro is strategically positioned to serve customers across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific.

The 120t capacity Grove GRT8120 offers some of the most impressive characteristics of any two-axle rough-terrain crane on the market.

Grove RT cranes produced at the factory share multiple common components to simplify parts support for customers and owners, while making use of locally sourced materials delivers additional efficiencies.

THE MANITOWOC PLANT IN NIELLA

Tanaro, Italy, has further expanded its manufacturing capability to include production of Grove GRT8120 and GRT8100-1 rough-terrain cranes. The plant specialises in building Grove roughterrain and Potain self-erecting cranes.

“Expanding this plant’s production lines reaffirms the strategic position of our factory for customers in the Europe, Middle East, Africa, (EMEA) and AsiaPacific markets,” said Federico Lovera, product manager at the Niella Tanaro plant. “Our Niella Tanaro plant continues to strengthen, with new capabilities and enhanced production. The GRT8120 is the largest Grove RT crane ever built at the

In addition to a massive lifting capacity, the crane features a seven-section, 60 m MEGAFORM boom with a tip height of 80.8 m when used with the optional jib.

“Our Niella Tanaro plant continues to strengthen, with new capabilities and enhanced production. The GRT8120 is the largest Grove RT crane ever built at the plant, and we are excited to add it to our production line.”

plant, and we are excited to add it to our production line.”

With a wider range of Grove RT cranes now offered from Niella Tanaro, customers in EMEA can benefit from locally produced cranes from a facility that embraces lean manufacturing using the principles of The Manitowoc Way. Grove RT cranes produced at the factory share multiple common components to simplify parts support for customers and owners, while making use of locally sourced materials delivers additional efficiencies.

The 120t capacity Grove GRT8120 offers some of the most impressive characteristics of any two-axle roughterrain crane on the market. In addition

to a massive lifting capacity, the crane features a seven-section, 60m MEGAFORM boom with a tip height of 80.8 m when used with the optional jib. It also offers the option of the MAXbase asymmetrical outrigger system, allowing greater flexibility on congested jobsites. A wider, full-vision cab with 20° tilt maximises operator comfort and visibility, and the operator further benefits from Manitowoc’s Crane Control System (CCS) that includes the Boom Configurator mode for simpler setup and on-board lift planning.

The other new RT crane rolling off the production line at Niella Tanaro is the GRT8100-1, which replaces

the older GRT8100 in the company’s production offering. The GRT8100-1 combines the wide cab and carrier of the GRT8120 with the superstructure of the predecessor GRT8100 to deliver a model that offers improved operation, easier servicing and added jobsite flexibility with the MAXbase asymmetrical outrigger positioning. The 100 t capacity GRT8100-1 has a 47 m main boom, with up to 72.9 m of maximum tip height available.

Both the GRT8120 and the GRT81001 produced at Niella Tanaro are backed by a two-year warranty, reflecting Manitowoc’s confidence in the reliability of its products.

KNOCK, KNOCK. WHO’S THERE?

FITTED WITH A NEW GEN HAMMER H 6, it has found its first jobsite in Sweden. Hercules Grundläggning AB, which specialises in building foundations, is using this model to drive nearly 300 concrete piles into the ground and is very satisfied with the first performance.

Mats Andersson operates the piling rig LRH 100.1 unplugged on a jobsite in Karlstad, Sweden - where a building complex with apartments, offices and ground floor shops is currently under construction.

It’s the first application and endurance test for the battery-powered piling rig from Liebherr, and Mats says he is pleased to avoid the exhaust, noise emissions and vibrations that normally come with the job.

“I am retiring in two years. It is very nice to operate such a machine for the last few years,” he said.

In order to transfer the load of the building into load-bearing soil layers, Hercules Grundläggning AB is driving piles into the ground with the LRH 100.1 unplugged. “We are installing 284 piles with sizes of 270 x 270mm and lengths between 15 and 20 metres,” he said.

FLEXIBLE FOR ALL PILING CONDITIONS

The LRH 100.1 unplugged excels with its large working range. A radius of up to 8.7 metres has the advantage that the machine does not have to be constantly moved. The design of the leader enables inclinations of up to 18° in all directions. Furthermore, it is also possible to raise or lower the leader by 4m (e.g., when working in a foundation pit), making the machine more flexible.

For the piling work, Hercules Grundläggning AB has equipped the LRH 100.1 unplugged with a Liebherr hammer

The piling rig LRH 100.1 unplugged is one of the latest models in the electrically driven unplugged series from Liebherr.

The electro-hydraulic drive of the LRH 100.1 unplugged has the same performance specifications as the conventional version.

type H 6. The hammer is modular and can be used with drop weights of between 3 and 6 tonnes, depending on requirements. At the jobsite in Karlstad, Mats drives the piles into the soil with a 5 tonne weight from a drop height of 400mm.

Liebherr product manager Michael Rajek says the company is using a free-fall hammer - rather than an accelerated one.

“We only compensate for the power loss with the cylinders. This has the advantage, especially when driving concrete piles, that these are not damaged so much as when using accelerated hammers,” he says.

Depending on the length of the pile, between 800 and 1,500 strokes of the hammer are necessary for each one. In only 10 to 20 minutes, Mats can lift the pile and drive it into the soil.

“The control 1/4 system is designed in such a way that the operator can now adjust the pile-driving energy and the number of strokes independently of each other, and thus ideally adapt to the conditions,” Michael says.

“We have more or less changed the whole architecture of the existing H 6 hammer. The new steel construction is specially designed for stiffness, longevity and for reliability.”

The noise reduction on the jobsite due to the battery- powered piling rig was also continued with the new generation hammer, which has a soundproofed pile helmet and pile helmet guide.

Due to the redesign of the hammer, the noise emission has been reduced by about 35 per cent.

PERFORMANCE, SAFETY AND ZERO EMISSION

The electro-hydraulic drive of the LRH 100.1 unplugged has the same performance specifications as the conventional version. Both are operated in the same way, which is especially convenient for machine operators if they often have to switch between machines.

The Ground Pressure Visualization of the new piling rig calculates the current

ground pressure in real time and compares it with the specified safety limits of the relevant jobsite. The ground pressure is displayed in the operator’s cabin. This means the operator is permanently aware of whether the machine is situated in, or is approaching, a critical area.

One exceptional feature of the electric drive concept is Zero Emissions. The unplugged machines of this series do not produce any exhaust fumes and are extremely quiet. This strikes the right note, especially in noise-sensitive regions. and finds favour with construction site personnel like Mats Andersson.

The battery charges with a conventional jobsite electric supply. “That was no problem at all,” Mats Andersson said.

Operation can continue as normal while charging. In order to change to battery operation, the operator just needs to pull out the plug, therefore: unplugged.

Whether attached to the electric supply or not, the performance and range of application remains unchanged.

The LRH 100.1 unplugged excels with its large working range. A radius of up to 8.7 metres has the advantage that the machine does not have to be constantly moved.

CRANE BUSINESS BOOMING FOR LTE, GLEASON CRANES

MAINTAINING A STRONG FLEET OF CRANES, LTE Construction Group is working on some of the most impressive projects across Melbourne.

The company has once again turned to Zoomlion to support its team by bringing two hydraulic boom cranes into the fleet.

Operating across Victoria and Queensland, the company maintains a focus on piling and earthmoving alongside its transport contracting.

Currently led by Managing Director, Nick Maric, LTE Construction has a solid reputation within the industry of delivering projects to a high standard.

“The business was started back in 2000 and we begun with a focus on tip trucks and excavators and then transitoned into what we are today,” Nick said.

“About half of our cranes work in the piling sector whilst the other half work

out of our pre-cast yards along with other required works. They are our main two areas of focus for our cranes though.”

Nick said when it came time for LTE to consider a new crane into for its fleet it was drawn to the Zoomlion cranes offered by Gleason Cranes.

“We brought the ZCT600V into our fleet first and it has been working on the piling side of the business and we were really impressed by it,” he said.

“For us, it was definitely the price point that was a standout, but then looking at every other aspect it really stood up when we compared to other cranes.

“Once we took delivery and had it out working, we were impressed by how reliable they are.

“Sometimes people can have low expectations for these Chinese machines but it has really exceeded our expectations

and not missed a beat since we had it,” Nick said.

The newest series of Hydraulic Boom Crawlers from Zoomlion is a strong offering from the company and is well equipped when compared to similar cranes, he added.

The ZCT600V comes with a Weichai engine producing 860Nm with a 60 tonne capacity and 46 metres of main boom in five sections.

Alongside this, it also has an optional fly jib attachment adding up to 12.8 metres to its reach.

“We were really happy with the ZCT600V and when it came to purchase our next crane we turned once again to Chris and Gleasons for it,” Nick said.

The 90 tonne crane comes with a five section boom with a 47 metre reach and an optional jib which can add up to 14 metres.

Keeping pace with Melbourne’s booming infrastructure is challenging but the team at LTE Construction group is keeping pace and has turned to the Zoomlion cranes for a range of work.

The crane is easily transportable with a width of 3.3 metres and requires no disassembly to be transported to site.

The six cylinder diesel engine gives the crane plenty of power and the standard grouser tracks, coupled with the 12 month part warranty, made it a simple purchase for LTE construction.

“It was a really simple decision to bring this crane into our fleet, it has a lot of similarities to the others so driver familiarity was high,” Nick said.

Nick breaks down the expectations for the crane and what it will work on in the coming months.

“This crane will head straight up to Queensland into our yard there and will get to work on pre-cast jobs straight away,” he said.

Nick said he has been extremely impressed working with Chris Logan and the team at Gleasons.

“Chris is an absolute gentleman, he is

so pleasant to deal with and always was on hand for any questions we had,” he said.

“We can call the team any time with questions or concerns and they will talk us through ways to troubleshoot the problems, considering it is an overseas brand the backup support is fantastic.

“We were taken through our induction with Gleason Cranes and felt supremely confident once we took delivery of them,” Nick said.

With these new cranes on board the team LTE construction knows the importance of maintaining its strong team, as Nick explains.

“The in-house team at LTE Construction Group has experienced piling staff, machine operators and engineers that ensure our clients receive the best advice before each project starts,” he said.

“Bringing these cranes on board only strengthens this for the team and will allow us to deliver for our clients.”

Zoomlion’s ZCT600V in operation with LTE Construction.

Zoomlion’s hydraulic crawler crane, supplied to LTE by Gleason Cranes.

“Once we took delivery and had it out working, we were impressed by how reliable they are, sometimes people can have low expectat ions for these Chinese machines but it has really exceeded our expectations and not missed a beat since we had it.”

LIFT OF THE MONTH

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

WHO: Compact Crane Solutions

WHERE: Toowoomba

WHICH CRANE: Sany STC250T4

LIFT: 22m wide rafter weighing 1.8t

LIFTING RADIUS: 24m with the crane operating at 98 per cent of charts.

DIFFICULTY: The crane was set up in an extremely tight spot with 50mm clearance on the counterweight, up and over columns sitting inside the outrigger footprint.

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

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 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

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The quiet performer