SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018
JOINING FORCES Australian Crane & Machinery and Zoomlion on the joint venture that’s set to define their future.
INSIDE
Australia’s largest crane - a 1200 tonne Liebherr The story on the Manitowoc and Kobelco split Installing prefab U-troughs – a world-first in Victoria
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CONTENTS
61
25
48
14 High on Cranes CabCranes opts for a dual crane lift to tackle 42 tonnes of conveying equipment at a gold mine site with Pilbara. 18 CICA - Raising The Bar A snapshot of the Crane Industry Council of Australia’s 2018 Conference, with something for everyone at this year’s event. 23 Australia’s largest crane Max Crane & Equipment Hire brings in a 1200-tonne Liebherr, the largest to be permanently based in Australia. 27 Taking over the global market Underwriting Agencies of Australia (UAA) CEO Michael Murphy talks about his international plans.
39 Assigner Software How DPW is using software-as-aservice to organise its paperwork on the Sydney Metro Northwest project 37 Ending a global alliance The background behind the split between Kobelco Construction Machinery and Manitowoc. 42 High-level solutions for construction and heavy lifts Tutt Bryant on an 80-year history of quality, excellence and professionalism. 46 From a half to a whole lot A history of growth for Top 50 finalist Melrose Cranes
31 Hybrid systems and safety Genie on the success of its fuel electric (FE) articulated boom lift.
48 A partnership built on higher standards ACM and Zoomlion announce an exclusive joint venture to offer greater factory support and assistance
34 The Palfinger crawler crane Palfinger has launched its first crane mounted on a crawler chassis.
50 The end of an an era The story behind the split between Kobelco (KCM) and Manitowoc
37 One Tadano Q&A with Tadano General Manager Anthony Grosser
52 Manitowoc’s plans for the future Manitowoc VO & General Manager John Stewart on a change of direction.
54 Planning a Trophy Lift Columnist Stuart Edwards outlines how to rig a lift that would work on the original 1998 CICA Crane Lift Project trophy. 57 Cranes in Action: Colac Otway Installing 44 turbines at Acciona’s Mt Gellibrand wind farm. 61 Cranes in Action: Melbourne Receiving and delivering a 250-tonne Hitachi generator/stator at Port of Melbourne. 64 Cranes in Action: Frankston Replacing a level crossing on Skye Road with prefabricated U troughs. 68 Mitigating risks Advice on adopting a risk management approach to tyre management. 70 SA Industry Day CICA South Australia welcomes the industry to discuss the group’s important work with CrewSafe and CraneSafe.
September 2018 CAL / 3
FROM THE EDITORIAL TEAM
WELCOMING CRANES AND LIFTING TO THE PRIME CREATIVE MEDIA FAMILY IT BRINGS ME GREAT PLEASURE TO announce that as of August this year, Prime Creative Media was fortunate enough to acquire Cranes and Lifting Magazine. At a time when Australian construction and infrastructure is booming, we appreciate the importance of a strong crane industry that will be needed to support this surge. Our core purpose is to grow individuals, organisations, and industries, and we look forward to applying this purpose to our partnerships in the crane industry. Within a few short weeks, we have already met with a number of major players in the industry, and are impressed with the passion, knowledge and experience of everyone involved. In looking to grow organisations and industries, we have historically worked very closely with industry associations. It was a pleasure to sit down with the Crane Industry Council of Australia (CICA) to learn about the important work the association has done to improve both efficiency and safety, acting as an important voice for the industry in Australia. We consider ourselves quite fortunate that our first edition will be distributed at the CICA conference, and look forward to meeting with more
TIME TO SHINE It’s with great pleasure that I take the reigns of Cranes and Lifting magazine, under the new ownership of Prime Creative Media. Covering the construction industry for longer than I dare to admit has helped me develop a strong appreciation for the important work of this industry in the Australian economy. 4 / CAL September 2018
people at this important event. Long time Cranes and Lifting readers will have noticed a new look to the magazine. A redesigned magazine is just part of the efforts we will invest into this important publication. Early next year, we will be launching a dedicated Cranes and Lifting web site and e-newsletter. In terms of content, we aim to continue to deliver technical information that will help to inform the industry on the latest technology, best practices, and developments to help deliver safer and more efficient projects. I would like to take the opportunity to thank Greg Keane for the impressive work he has done as Editor of Cranes and Lifting. We are sad to see him go, however are happy to announce he will stay on as a regular contributor in the publication. We look forward to welcoming Simon Gould, an experienced construction Writer and Editor to take his place.
John Murphy Managing Director Prime Creative Media
In this edition specifically, we’re excited to offer many industry firsts – proof that the Australian crane industry is reaching an impressive peak. This includes the purchase of Australia’s largest crane to date, a 1200-tonne Liebherr LTM 11200-9.1 by Max Cranes, (see page 25) and the installation of prefabricated U-troughs to remove level crossings
beams in Frankston (see page 64) –the latter believed to be a worldfirst. I personally look forward to meeting you all at the upcoming CICA event, as well as the opportunity to work with you on upcoming editions of Cranes and Lifting magazine. Simon Gould Editor, Cranes and Lifting
Published by:
11-15 Buckhurst St South Melbourne VIC 3205 T: 03 9690 8766 www.primecreativemedia.com.au Managing Director John Murphy John.Murphy@primecreative.com.au Chief Operating Officer Brad Buchanan Brad.Buchan@primecreative.com.au Publisher Christine Clancy E: christine.clancy@primecreative.com.au Managing Editor Syed Shah E: syed.shah@primecreative.com.au Editor Simon Gould E: simon.gould@primecreative.com.au Journalist Jan Arreza E: jan.arreza@primecreative.com.au Business Development Manager Nick Markessinis E: nick.markessinis@primecreative.com.au T: 0422 800 920 Client Success Manager Justine Nardone E: justine.nardone@primecreative.com.au Art Director Michelle Weston E: michelle.weston@primecreative.com.au Design Blake Storey, Kerry Pert, Madeline McCarty Subscriptions Gordon Watson T:03 9690 8766 E: gordon.watson@primecreative.com.au The Publisher reserves the right to alter or omit any article or advertisement submitted and requires indemnity from the advertisers and contributors against damages or liabilities that may arise from material published. © Copyright – No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the permission of the publisher.
DPW PLANT HIRE AUTOMATES THE COMPLIANCE PROCESS WITH ASSIGNAR According to DPW Managing Director, Paul Waters, compliance is a result of automating the documentation process. “We win work because all our machines meet every Rolling Stock Operator (RSO) certification and as founders of the HiRail system for Dieci telehandlers within the rail sector, it is paramount we are on top of all safety documentation for our systems and machinery. Maintaining these high compliance standards across the different rail networks took a lot of energy and time but now with Assignar we have one program that can manage all of this more efficiently.”
Learn more about Assignar at www.assignar.com Further information: e sales@assignar.com; p +61 2 9199 7447
INDUSTRY NEWS Xxxxx Xxxxxx
The crane industry lost an icon with the death of Les Holt in early September. Despite earning a reputation as an innovator in cranes and heavy haulage and building a substantial business, Les was an unassuming person happier with tools in his hand than wearing a suit. The business sale in 2003 gave Boom Logistics its first Queensland presence. As we covered much of Les’s crane background in the September 2017 issue of CAL (Succession Planning in the Crane Industry pp 34-35), we will celebrate Les’ contribution to the industry largely pictorially, other than to acknowledge the loss of
The design of a steerable jinker contributed to domination of “haul install” work for bridge beams in South East Queensland and Northern NSW.
When an existing bridge could not support the size of cranes needed to install the furthest beams for a motorway upgrade, a skate system and winches were used to position I-beams lowered by smaller capacity truck cranes.
Les’ wife Patricia and children Leigh, Mark and Kellie, all of whom worked in Holts Crane Hire at some time; and Les’ brother Ernie – a partner in the Bendigo
Growing up with innovation – dad Arthur put Stuart tank tracks under a 5t Malcolm Moore tractor crane to snig logs from the river: Les and his brother Ernie worked on projects like this in their early days .
LOSING A PIECE OF HISTORY Bob Blackman was a link in a piece of Australian crane and rigging history that will most likely never be matched. McLellands Lifting Equipment Hiring has operated from the same premises in the Sydney suburb of St Peters since 1910, with Bob’s wife Jan being the granddaughter of the founder William McLelland. Together, Bob and Jan were the key to the business’ longevity, as evidenced by the number of customers who attended Bob’s funeral and wake. Bob’s illness took its toll on the 6 / CAL September 2018
learning curve, and their extended families as well as the many friends and colleagues. In the “things you may not have known” category, Les’ surname traces back to the pioneering tractor family that came together with Best to form Caterpillar, Les was a member of the Surfies basketball team that won 10 Men’s
business, particularly with his wife Jan (an equally integral part of the business) taking time to care for Bob and the business contracting without their constant presence. As befits a business with such a heritage, Bob had a love of things old – trucks, cars and the like – but, where Les Holt’s Cadillacs were of 1950s vintage, Bob’s pride and joy was of 1920s vintage. Given the proximity of the funeral to the magazine deadline, some more words will follow in the next issue.
A grade basketball championships in Bendigo commencing in 1969 and had a reunion last year, and Les restored Cadillacs in his retirement. His collection was a feature of the Toowoomba Hot Rodders’ High Altitude Rod Run in March this year, and a restored Cadillac convertible led the hearse from the chapel to the cemetery.
Acknowledgment: Equipment pics courtesy Greg Keane Collection.
Death of an industry icon
INDUSTRY NEWS Xxxxx Xxxxxx
AUSTRALIA’S LARGEST ELECTRIC LUFFING TOWER CRANE LANDS IN SYDNEY Titan has introduced one of the world’s largest Electric Luffing Tower cranes to Australia, with its JASO J780 crane on Grocon’s $700 million The Ribbon site where it works in unison with two other JASO J438 tower cranes. The Ribbon is a new development in the heart of Sydney’s Darling Harbour which will feature a 25-storey hotel, serviced apartments and a modern new premises for the IMAX theatre. The JASO J780 was recently released to the market by Spanish Crane Manufacturer JASO and is the latest in a new range of Heavy Lifting Tower cranes. The onboard technology is a culmination of joint Australian and Spanish research and development. “We are proud to deliver this monumental crane to the Australian construction sector and pioneer the future of crane technologies in Australia,” said Damon Hanlin, Managing Director of The Titan Group. “This crane brings exceptional performance with technologies unlike any other and moves Titan into new markets previously considered for diesel-type cranes only.” The heavy-duty crane boasts a hoist speed of 310 metres per minute and can lift 28 tonnes in single line pull. The JASO J780 has a lifting capacity of 75 tonnes “The J780 is unique and will be a very successful model. Its capacity, performance, cloud-based data logging, safety capabilities and transportability is unlike anything the industry has seen before,” said Hanlin.
Editorial credit: / Shutterstock.com
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CICA CONFERENCE
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The Crane Industry Council of Australia (CICA) will hold its annual conference from October 17 - 19 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. The CICA conference this year will fall under the theme “Raising the Bar” and will take place alongside the Crane Display, Exhibition, and Networking Dinner, all taking place under one roof. Key features of the conference include: • Combined Crane Display, Exhibition and Networking Dinner • World class industry speakers • Increased technical presentations and content • Technical and business workshops • Business networking with the leading players in the industry • Information from CICA Exhibitors, Sponsors and the Crane Display participants • Learn how to do things better – more safely and more profitably • The prestigious Lift of the Year Awards • The Gala Awards Dinner, the grand finale to the whole event For more information, visit conference.cica.com.au
WORLD CLASS MATERIALS HANDLING Gough Palfinger Australia delivers and supports the world-leading Palfinger SOLUTION range of innovative lifting, loading and materials handling solutions for land and marine applications. We provide highly LIFETIME transportable and agile logistic EXCELLENCE solutions for the waste industry.
PRIME CREATIVE MEDIA ACQUIRES CRANES AND LIFTING MAGAZINE, INSIDE CONSTRUCTION As of 27 August, Prime Creative Media purchased Inside Waste, Cranes & Lifting and Inside Construction print and digital assets. The publications will be operated out of Prime Creative Media’s Sydney office. The new titles will sit with Prime Creative Media’s strong offering of infrastructure and resources titles including Roads & Infrastructure Magazine, Australian Mining, and Waste Management Review. Prime Creative Media is a multi-platform publishing and events business, with printed 8 / CAL September 2018
publications complimented by dedicated web sites, newsletters, awards programs and/or trade events. John Murphy, Managing Director of Prime Creative Media, says the mastheads fit in perfectly with the company’s current suite of products, with strong industry association support and an established readership. “We have long admired the position these magazines enjoy in
the market, and the contributions they make to their respective industries,” said Murphy. “ We look forward to continuing the great work the team at Mayfam Media have done in the past few years.” Ross May, Publisher at Mayfam Media, said: “I have full confidence that the team at Prime Creative Media are well placed to take on these titles, and continue their development.”
Prime Creative Media is Australia’s leading business-to-business publishing company. The team publishes mastheads that serve a broad range of industries including manufacturing, mining, commercial transport, rail, education and more. “Prime Creative Media is a multi-platform publisher, committed to connecting our clients with key decision makers,” said Murphy. “We look forward to investing our resources in Cranes and Lifting Magazine.”
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National dealer network - locations are listed on our website
Contact the team to find out more:
(07) 3271 5811 | PALFINGER.COM.AU Gough Palfinger Australia - Head Office: 66 Industrial Avenue, Wacol, Queensland 4076
KHL’S INTERNATIONAL ROUND-UP
AROUND THE WORLD WITH KHL Cranes and Lifting has partnered with supplier of international construction information KHL to bring you news from around the world. TADANO AND ESCORTS HOOK UP IN INDIA Equipment manufacturers Tadano and Escorts have formed a joint venture company to manufacture rough terrain and truck mounted cranes in India, writes Partha Pratim Basistha. Tadano Escorts India (TEI) in Faridabad, Haryana state, will manufacture 20 and 80 tonne capacity truck cranes and rough terrain cranes for the Indian market. Japanese crane and access equipment manufacturer Tadano Ltd will hold a 51 per cent stake in TEI with the remaining 49 per cent held by Escorts Limited, an Indian manufacturer of cranes, road construction and agricultural machinery. The joint venture agreement was signed in New Delhi by Nikhil Nanda, Escorts Limited chairman and managing director, and Koichi Tadano, president and CEO at Tadano Ltd. Commenting during the signing ceremony, Nikhil Nanda said: “The JV will leverage the cost effective frugal Indian engineering excellence of Escorts and world leading Japanese technology from Tadano to cater to an expanding Indian market for heavier, safer, sophisticated, and efficient truck and rough terrain cranes. The joint venture will enable us to reinforce our leadership in construction equipment space.” Koichi Tadano said: “Tadano India Pvt. Ltd was established in 2012 for selling and servicing our mobile cranes. However, sales have been modest. The local, manufacturing merging Tadano’s superior technology, featuring, safety, quality and efficiency will provide us with a competitive edge. This will further enable us to leverage our market presence in India supported by Escorts’ wide distribution network.” 10 / CAL September 2018
ACM ZOOMLION JV
Tadano and Escorts joint venture company to start producing RT cranes in India
On the question of whether Tadano will also manufacture other crane types in India, Koichi Tadano said: “We will be gradually looking to introduce all our range of products for the Indian market. To cater for the Indian application and market requirements, the cranes, made under the JV will be engineered accordingly.” Ajay Mandahr, Escorts Construction Equipment Business CEO, said: “Production under the JV is expected to commence at our Faridabad facility in the third quarter of this financial year. Fixtures will be imported from China for production.” The INR 600 million (AU$11.4 million) joint venture entity will cater first for the Indian market followed by exports in due course. Operations will begin in November 2018 and sales are forecast to reach INR 1,215 million (AU$23 million) by 2023. Mobile crane sales in India increased 41 per cent last year to more than 7,700 units, according to a new report from Off Highway Research. Chris Sleight, OHR managing director, continued: ”Mobile cranes were the country’s third largest selling construction machines after backhoe loaders and crawler excavators. However, the market is dominated by locally manufactured pick & carry cranes, which accounted for 96 per cent of sales in 2017. Demand for conventional cranes remained level with 2016 levels at some 320 units.”
Australian Crane & Machinery Pty Ltd (ACM) are pleased to announce our new partnership and Joint venture with ZOOMLION Australia the ACM-ZOOMLION JV.
Martin Zehnder (President Land, Palfinger) and Henrik V. Jørgensen (President Controls Division, Danfoss Power Solutions).
PALFINGER AND DANFOSS CONNECTIVITY COLLABORATION Salzburg, Austria-headquartered multinational Palfinger and USheadquartered mobile hydraulics Danfoss Power Solutions have announced that they are working together to develop the connectivity of Palfinger cranes. Initially, the two companies will focus on implementing the latest Danfoss connectivity technology on selected crane models, with a longer-term aim of rolling out telematics solutions across all Palfinger products. Palfinger said the data generated from connected cranes will be transmitted to a secure cloud, enabling its customers to make informed business decisions anywhere in the world. In addition, it says the solution will help its customers boost efficiency and product lifespan, minimise downtime, and report equipment location, use and condition. Henrik V. Jørgensen, president of the Controls Division at Danfoss Power Solutions, said: “This is a new way of building cranes and a new way of doing business enabled by our solution, so we’re really happy about enabling Palfinger to offer this technology.”
Featuring exclusively; 150Tonne All Terrain Crane 72M main boom and up 26M off set fixed fly boom 60Tonne Rough Terrain Crane 43M main boom and up to 16M off set fixed fly boom 60Tonne Truck Mounted Crane 43M main boom and up to 16M off set fixed fly boom. 30Tonne Truck Mounted Crane 35M main boom and up to 16M off set fixed fly boom.
ACM –ZOOMLION JV are now the sole dealer and representatives with in Australia, New Zealand and Oceanic areas for new this new mobile crane line up. Sales , Service and Spare Parts QLD Branch (07) 3868 3786 SA Branch (08) 8262 7205 Head Office (03) 9357 7524 Please contact our Australian and New Zealand Sales Manager / Justin Potter on +61 (0) 439 265 852 sales@australiancrane.com.au www.australiancrane.com.au
KHL’S INTERNATIONAL ROUND-UP
Compact, Efficient and Safe BACKING FOR AUTONOMOUS CRANES Mor and Tzach Ram-On from IntSite
Construction technology start up business IntSite has secured backing to further develop autonomous cranes. Venture capital fund Terra Venture Partners from Israel has invested in the project led by twin brothers Mor and Tzach Ram-On, founders of Int Site. IntSite’s vision is a future with automated cranes increasing the productivity and efficiency of construction sites around the world. Mor Ram-On made a presentation at the International Tower Crane conference in London, UK, in May 2017, explaining the possibilities of automated tower cranes and IntSite’s progress made to date. IntSite has raised US$1.35 million (AU$1.87 million) in seed funding from Terra Venture Partners, from the Israel Innovation Authority and from other partners. “We are excited that Terra Venture Partners is supporting us on this journey and I have a great faith in our growing team and solution,” said Tzach Ram-On, IntSite CEO. “On a personal level, as a civil engineer, I am thrilled the construction sector is starting to reap the benefits of digital transformation. We will begin piloting our system in the UK and France in 2019 and I’m sure we are going to see great success.” Terra Venture Partners said urbanisation worldwide is seeing 200,000 people a day moving to cities. All of them need suitable housing and full infrastructure which means a huge amount of work for the industry. Despite this, Terra Venture Partners said, “the sector has evolved at a glacial pace, hesitant about fully embracing technological innovation and labour productivity has also stagnated accordingly.”
The new Tadano GR-200EX Specifically designed for Australian standards and Road Regulations the GR-200EX boasts an array of new features, the latest technology and the tightest swing radius in it’s class. No modifications required.
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NEW RAM LUFFING CRANE FROM LIEBHERR The new 50 tonne capacity RL-K 2600 from Liebherr is an offshore crane designed for applications in the oil and gas sector where space on deck is limited. It is the third model in the ram luffing knuckle boom crane series and has a working range of up to 40 metres. Space on deck is an increasingly important issue in the offshore sector so the new crane was designed with a small tail swing radius of less than 3 metres. Freedom of movement is less restricted which broadens the field of potential applications, Liebherr said. The space-saving knuckle boom design is also without a machinery house. Liebherr said the crane’s lightweight construction is a market requirement but that it also allows operation in harsh weather, even in an arctic environment. An option is to have the new path control system which helps optimise crane movements. It is designed to support the crane driver when operating in confined spaces.
12 / CAL September 2018
The compact dimensions of the RL-K 2600 allow it to be used wherever deck space is limited.
P: 1300 TADANO I E: info.au@tadano.com I W: au.tadano.com
HIGH ON CRANES CabCranes
ONE FOR THE ROAD Caboolture Cranes (CabCranes) undertakes regular work for Burpengary business Mobile Conveying Services (MCS) when it sends portable conveying equipment to sites around Australia.
Photo Credit: Images courtesy Greg Keane Collection
A RECENT LOAD SENT TO A gold mine in the Pilbara region of Western Australia provided a challenge that was a little out of the norm. A stockpile reclaimer 5.3 metres wide, 5 metres high, 13 metres long and weighing approximately 42 tonnes is the largest item designed and built to date by MCS, and was an over-dimensional load requiring transport on a platform trailer with dolly, and a police escort.
Because of the limited room, the platform was reversed under the load with the dolly removed.
14 / CAL September 2018
ECONOMIES OF A LARGER CRANE Because of the size of the reclaimer, CabCranes elected to perform a dual crane lift, using its 130 tonne Demag AC130-5 and 70 tonne Tadano ATF70G-4, each with minimum counterweight, with the lift study showing that this configuration would comfortably handle the lift. CabCranes MD Dave Hamill said: “In situations like this lift for MCS, we used bigger than needed cranes as it made the lift progress much
more quickly and with a much greater safety margin. “The extra cost of the bigger cranes is sometimes more than compensated for in shorter job times. Customers like Graeme (Cooney, MD of MCS and a former crane operator) are a pleasure to work with as MCS prioritises safety and efficiency as highly as we do.” The Demag and Tadano are the largest two slewing cranes in a fleet that also includes Frannas and smaller slewing cranes starting with a 12-tonne City Crane. A single support semi-trailer was required for the lift, and this was designed by CabCranes and fitted out to its specifications, with the main aim being ensure safety for the crew when climbing up and operating on the trailer (it is fitted with a ladder and rails, has mounting points for counterweight and outrigger pads to ensure that the load doesn’t move; and has selfcontained lighting for night work). September 2018 CAL / 15
HIGH ON CRANES CabCranes
LIFT PLANNING & VERIFICATION MAJOR INSPECTION ENGINEERING ADELAIDE | PERTH | WHYALLA | DARWIN | MELBOURNE | NEW ZEALAND
HEAVY LIFTING HEAVY HAULAGE
Cabcranes’ 130-tonne Demag AC130-5 and 70-tonne Tadano ATF70G-4 dual lifted the stockpile reclaimer off the ground
The reclaimer was fabricated with eight lifting lugs at the top, simplifying rigging. Four chains were used to connect the Demag to the load, and two soft slings were used with the Tadano. The load was raised above the deck height of the trailer and rotated approximately 90 degrees, with the cranes slewing in opposite directions to achieve this.
POSITIONING FOR TRANSPORT The trailer (with dolly removed) was then backed under the load. The real skill was required in positioning the load on the trailer. Hamill explained: “Centring the over-dimensional load does
require a high level of skill with the crane operators but particularly with the riggers as sometimes the load will tend to shift as the weight comes off the crane. I count myself fortunate that I have a great crew with plenty of years’ of
Checking that the load is centred on the trailer.
experience to call on.” A further issue was ensuring that the trailer ramps, when folded, did not impact on the protruding conveyor discharge section during transit, and some experiment with trailer extension was involved.
Health & Safety AS/NZS 4801
“Centring the overdimensional load does require a high level of skill with the crane operators but particularly with the riggers as sometimes the load will tend to shift as the weight comes off the crane.” 16 / CAL September 2018
Accredited to carry out engineering crane inspections by CraneSafe
CICA INDUSTRY REPORT
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Fugure 3
CICA BOARD Danny Black – President, Terex Cranes Tom Smith – Vice President, Williamstown Crane Hire Andrew Esquilant, Liebherr Australia John Gillespie, Gillespies Crane Services Bart Sutherland, Complete Crane Hire Geoff Bevan, Hydralift Cranes Ben Pieyre, Freo Group
TOWARDS A PROFITABLE FUTURE IT’S CICA CONFERENCE TIME again and this year’s “Raising the Bar” in the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre from 17-19 October will certainly be a conference to remember. For the first time, we will have the crane display and exhibitor booths together under one roof, and the conference speakers will also be in the same complex – so rain, hail or shine, we will have a great show. Of course, we have two powerful keynote speakers Mark Wales (Former SAS Troop Commander and 2017 Australian Survivor) and John Silverston (Victoria’s most experienced Crime Reporter and Author). After very positive feedback last year, we are again offering many choices for you to customise your conference experience, with four separate workshops each with two choices. Conference time also means our annual CICA board elections. Our constitution stipulates an annual election whereby half the board is up for election as well as any board appointed members. The retiring board members this year are Bart Sutherland, Geoff Figure 1
Bevan, John Gillespie and yours truly (Danny Black). We have also received the resignation of Ben Pieyre, after accepting a promotion to President for Sterling Crane in Canada. On behalf of CICA, I would like to thank each of these board members for their commitment, passion and efforts to help improve our industry during their tenure. I am pleased to advise again this year we have a healthy nomination process, having received seven nominations for the five available positions. The nominees (in alphabetical order): Geoff Bevan, Hydralift Cranes; Danny Black, Terex Cranes Australia; Marcus Ferrari, Ferrari Brothers Crane & Rigging; John Gillespie, Gillespies Crane Services; Bart Sutherland, Complete Crane Hire; Glen Svilicich, Boom Logistics; Jeff Wilson, Finlease. Nominee profiles and ballot papers are available on the CICA website with voting closing 10 October at 4:30pm. We are truly fortunate as an industry group to have such high calibre members willing to step forward and get involved Good luck all!
The formality of the conference begins every year with our Annual General Meeting in the afternoon before the welcome reception. As we look back over the past year, I think most of us can say our economy has finally turned a corner. Our Gross Domestic Product growth has expanded from 2 per cent to just over 3 per cent, while CPI has remained stable at around 2 per cent. The RBA has continued to make no changes over the year, keeping the cash rate at a 20 plus year low of 1.5 per cent in an attempt to further stimulate growth. Mining exports have continued to grow in volume produced and the pricing of commodities increases has helped push a significant rise in the dollar value of exports – see Figure 1. The construction industry has also turned to positive growth, overshooting the forecasted growth of 4 per cent, closing 2017 at 5.2 per cent. The current outlook from the Australia Industry Group forecasts a further rise to 9.3 per cent for 2018 with continued growth at 8 per cent for 2019 (see Figure 2). This seems Fugure 2
CICA president Danny Black
aligned to what I hear with crane usage and what we see in new cranes through CraneSafe year to date. This forecasted healthy rate of 8 per cent through 2019 is largely being led by a continued high level of publicly-funded infrastructure projects. Resources-related engineering construction is expected to continue to decline. However, the mining investment downturn is likely to have bottomed with a slight upturn in mining-related construction expected in 2019. It is great to see the construction industry is forecast for continuing growth and as an industry association, CICA continues to be well positioned to execute on our Mission – to be: “The Authority for the Crane Industry”.
The Authority for Crane Inspections • CraneSafe electronic inspections, we are the only crane inspection program that is NATA certified • Working towards Major Inspections based on utilisation and routine inspection rather than Calendar year The Authority for Crane Road Access • SPV1 notice • Local Council Approval • NHVR & State Regulator lobbying • Developing Road Access Code of Practice • Ultimate goal 12 tonne per axle in every state The Authority for Safe use of Cranes • Guidance Notes & Position Papers (recent adds/in progress) • CICA Guidance Note Two-way Radio Training • CICA Guidance Note Incident Action Plan • CICA Guidance Note Wind Farm Road Construction for Cranes • Standard Documents through
18 / CAL September 2018
CICA Electronic Portal, we are seeking endorsement by Australian Constructors Association The Authority for Operator Competence • SafeWork Australia High Risk Work Licenses • CICA participates on two separate Technical Advisory groups. Artibus & Australian Industry Standards. Pushing for removal of CN & CV from C2,6,1,0 • Traineeship Cert III in Mobile Crane Operations • CrewSafe VOC – now live & the obstacle courses are available in each state • Lifting Supervisor Program – under development The Authority for the Crane Industry • Australian Standards • WH&S • Code Of Practice • Crane Industry Code of Practice (for compliance with heavy vehicle laws containing CoR provisions): • Crane Roadworthiness • Mass configuration
Many Thanks,
CICA OFFICE Brandon Hitch, Chief Executive Officer 03 8320 0444 Tracey Watson, Business Operations Manager (VIC/TAS Secretariat) 03 8320 0411 Heidi Biuwale, CICA Administration Officer ( NSW, QLD & NT Secretariat) 1300 887 277 John Humphries, VIC/TAS Liaison Officer 03 8320 0433 Alice Edwards, Project Engineer 03 8320 440 Patrick Cran, Plant & Operator Assessment Officer 0488 004 274 Damien Hense, Industry Communications Officer 03 8320 0460 Taylah Allan, CraneSafe Administration Officer 03 8320 0455 Unit 10, 18-22 Lexia Place, Mulgrave Vic 3170 (PO Box 136 Mount Waverley Vic 3149) Phone: 03 9501 0078 Fax: 03 9501 0083 Email: admin@cica.com.au Website: www.cica.com.au
Danny Black CICA President General Manager Terex Australia
For information regarding CICA membership, please visit our website or call the CICA office.
• Load security • Operator Competency • Operator Fatigue • Qld Mobile Crane Code – currently under review • International representation ISCA • Attending CICA conference & meeting 22-23 Oct I am encouraged and proud of what we as an association have achieved over the past year and I am equally confident with the team, strategy and initiatives we have in place, to continue driving real benefits for our members to enable us to have – A Safe and Profitable Industry. I look forward to catching up with you all at the Conference in Melbourne, I’d love to hear your views on how CICA can better help. And of course, if you can’t make it to the conference, please don’t hesitate to drop me a line anytime.
September 2018 CAL / 19
CICA INDUSTRY REPORT
RAISING THE BAR: CICA CONFERENCE 2018 A snapshot of what to expect at this year’s Crane Industry Council of Australia’s flagship event. TECHNICAL WORKSHOPS: Thursday 18 October 2018 - 2.00pm Tyre Behaviour Presented by Phil Savage, Michelin This workshop will facilitate a technical discussion on the behaviour of inflated crane tyres, referring to Tyre Pressure, Contact Areas and Ground Contact Pressure. Savage will focus on All Terrain Crane Tyre behaviour, with adjustment of inflation pressure and axle load. Thursday 18 OCTOBER 2018 - 3.30pm Grade 120 Chains Presented by Keith Bishop, Nobles With a 50 per cent increase in load capacity compared to the standard Grade 80 (G8) chain product, the G12 is significantly lighter. This workshop will look at the productivity and safety advantages for routine lifting operations. BUSINESS WORKSHOPS: Thursday 18 October 2018 - 2.00pm Code of Practice Presented by Alice Edwards, CICA Alice Edwards will lead a workshop clarifying the current Safety Management System relating to changes to the Chain of Responsibility (CoR) laws that are coming on 1 October 2018. Thursday 18 October 2018 - 3.30pm PPSR / Incident Presented by Stephen Natoli, Holding Redlich As equipment owners and operators, PPSA Laws have an effect on everyone. Commencing with a review and discussion on recent published cases, this workshop will step through the actions and the resultant decisions, and include an overview on the legislation. This will be followed with practical methods and steps that asset owners can follow to protect their interests. 20 / CAL September 2018
Friday 19 October 2018 - 11.00am Insurance Presented by Ben Gair, McLardy McShane McLardy McShane will be providing an information session on insurance for the crane industry, covering employment practices liability & statutory liability and much more. Friday 19 October 2018 - 11.00am Drug Detection Systems Presented by Lisa White, Pathtech This workshop will address the risk of failing to meet WHS obligations, as employers need to give priority to providing a safe workplace, which includes identifying whether individuals are fit for duty. Speaker highlights Opening Keynote Mark Wales Wales is a former member of the SAS, serving on the battlefields of Afghanistan. He later joined McKinsey & Company as a consultant, and founded a fashion start-up Kill_Kapture, a tough-luxury ecommerce brand. Closing Keynote John Silvester, Author Silvester has published crime books that have sold more than 1 million copies in Australia, and has won over 25 industry awards. His most famous work was adapted into the top rating Underbelly television series. Emcee Marianne van Dorslar Van Dorslar held a regular role on Network Ten’s national morning show ‘The Circle’. For over a decade she presented on Bert Newton’s ‘Good Morning Australia’ – and hosted Channel 7’s Lotto draws for over 22 years.
Technical Presenters Andreas Cremer, Global Product Director, Manitowoc Based at the Manitowoc factory in Wilhelmshaven, Germany, Cremer is the Global Product Director for Grove all-terrain cranes. His role encompasses global responsibility for directing all product launches and updates for Grove GMK cranes. Klaus Meissner, Director, Product Strategy, Terex Cranes Germany GmbH Meissner is an expert for mobile cranes appointed by the German HSE. He is convener of the working group developing EN13000, the European safety standard for mobile cranes and president of the product group for mobile cranes within FEM, the organisation of the European lifting industry. CICA Brendon Hitch, CICA CEO Hitch joined CICA in October 2011 as the CraneSafe Engineer, in 2012 was promoted to CraneSafe General Manager. In November 2014 Hitch was appointed as CICA CEO. Prior to joining CICA, he held a position as Senior Engineer with Cargotec Australia working on their Hiab and Kalmar load handling equipment. Danny Black, CICA President Black holds a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering degree, and joined Franna Cranes as a Design Engineer in 1989. Terex Corporation purchased Franna in 1999, and Black was appointed General Manager for Terex Cranes Australia in 2009. He began his involvement with CICA in 2000, as Australian Standards ME005 (Cranes) representative. He has actively served on the Board since 2005 To register for the conference visit conference.cica.com.au
CICA SA Industry Day
SEEKING CONSISTENCY AND COST-EFFECTIVENESS THROUGH COLLABORATION The Industry Day held by CICA SA at the Torrens Parade Ground in Adelaide on 29 June was a resounding success, with many attendees commenting that they would like to attend the next event. THE PRIMARY PURPOSE of the event was to showcase two CICA-initiated programs to people from tier 1, 2 and 3 builders and associated industries, government departments and CICA members. Those programs are: •C rewSafe (a standardised VOC assessment tool for the Australian crane industry with machine-specific, impartial, peer assessment and documented evidence of competency) and •C raneSafe (a voluntary crane
assessment program that is long-established but has had some recent updates). MAKING IT HAPPEN A committee led by CICA SA chairman Marcus Rigney (Load 28) worked tirelessly to make the event a reality, with the RSL providing the location of the Torrens Parade Ground (also used for the outdoor exhibition of the 2017 national crane conference), while CICA’s national office also provided support as well as a physical
presence in presenters Pat Cran (CICA Plant & Operator Assessment Officer) and John Humphries (VIC-TAS Liaison Officer). Marcus Rigney and CICA SA Vice Chair Rodger Weste (WGA) also made presentations. CICA SA members Load 28 (70-tonne Liebherr AT), Lockwood Cranes (25-tonne Franna) and Fork & Cranes (Hiab truck crane) provided cranes for the demonstrations, while fellow member Traffic Group
Australia provided barriers and fencing to keep spectators at a safe distance. Nobles also supported the event with a Virtual Reality Crane Simulator inside a marquee. Attendees were free to test their crane operating skills, and this proved very popular (as it did at the 2017 crane conference). Terex Franna had its principal engineer Michael Atherton on hand to address questions on the latest safety features of articulated pick and carry cranes: something is
quite topical at present. WGA provided a coffee cart for attendees so that their attention did not wane. Further support came from CraneSafe assessor Mark Thompson, who provided a demonstration of the CraneSafe process on the 25-tonne Franna while Pat Cran guided attendees through the process. Load 28 conducted a CrewSafe demonstration on its 70-tonne Liebherr, with Pat Cran again providing the commentary. Question sessions at the conclusion of each demonstration allowed attendees to build their appreciation of what they had
seen. The popularity of the event meant that both morning and afternoon sessions were conducted, to maximise the numbers who could attend. While rain threatened, it ultimately did not impact the function, or the appreciation of those who attended it. INSPIRATION Rigney, in speaking at the event, said that: “As an industry body, we hope to collaborate to make our industry safer and more efficient.” He said that, in becoming involved in CICA from the commencement of his business, he was
impressed by the quality of the programs developed by CICA to continually improve the industry and facilitate compliance, but was frustrated by how little the industries serviced by cranes knew about CICA’s activities. This sowed the seeds for the industry day, with Rigney concluding: “So, after many board meeting discussions, the concept of the industry day was formed: a day where we can show you first-hand what we do inside programs like CraneSafe and CrewSafe.” Separate talks gave attendees a greater appreciation of CICA’s activities nationally and in SA. As for the future, Rigney
said: “And most importantly, we hope that this could be the platform we need to open regular conversation between industry bodies and builders to work through site issues together, and formulate ideas for improvements.” He sees that with the industry adopting CICA’s programs rather than having builders and contractors developing their own systems, site entry can be streamlined and cranes can be on site and working earlier, with industry working with standard processes that have been developed and refined by industry people with the resources of a strong industry association behind them.
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INVESTING TO THE MAX IN CRANES AND PEOPLE Max Crane & Equipment Hire (SA) Pty Ltd (Max Cranes) recently announced that it will be taking delivery of a 1200-tonne Liebherr LTM 11200-9.1 AT crane in October 2018. This will be the largest AT crane owned and permanently based in Australia, and will allow contractors to plan and design around the availability of this crane and its impact on construction time and costs. Max Cranes founder Mark Kuhn and his son Michael were in a group of Australian crane owners who visited Liebherr’s Ehingen (Germany) factory in 2009 for its 40th birthday celebrations. At that event, the crawler crane variant of the LTM 11200 was the star of the show, with the AT variant lurking on the sidelines. When asked if he harboured any aspirations for the 1200 tonne AT crane as a result of his visit, Mark said: “No. At that time we had just
bought our 250 tonne crane.” Although the Max Cranes LTM 11200 will be the first to be owned and permanently based in Australia, it is not the first such unit in Australia. An overseas-owned unit came to Australia to undertake wind farm work, but the lack of continuity of the work saw it return to Europe. However the past decade has seen a gradual increase in the size of both AT and crawler cranes owned and based in Australia. Users have come to appreciate the
benefits that large cranes can bring to projects. Max Cranes itself owns both a 400 tonne and a 500 tonne AT crane, and the jump to 1200 tonnes capacity doesn’t seem as big as it would have a decade ago.
Max Cranes’ new Liebherr LTM 11200 in Germany prior to shipment, in road travel mode with the boom out
The already released LTM 11200 was seen on the sidelines. 2009 images courtesy Greg Keane Collection
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UP FRONT Australia’s largest crane
2009 Australian tour group to the Liebherr factory, with Mark Kuhn 3rd from right (centre) and Michael Kuhn 6th from right, pictured at Bregenz (Austria) prior to departure for Australia
GETTING SERIOUS ABOUT THE LTM 11200 Mark and the Max Cranes team commenced due diligence in the search for a larger crane around three years ago. A number of alternatives were looked at, but Mark said: “It quickly became clear that there was only one crane that met our criteria, and then it became a matter of whether we bought a used or new crane, and how we could finance it.” With mixed memories of previous purchases of used cranes, Mark said: “The certainty of a factory warranty really appealed to us for a crane of this size and investment.” And it is a significant investment – slightly upwards of $12 million taking into account the cost of support trailers and specialised rigging. On top of that, Mark expects 18 new positions to be created within Max Cranes to support the crane and the new Heavy Lift Team built around it – and including the 400 and 500 tonne AT cranes. Behind this is an in-house technical team with CAD, engineering and drafting capabilities. The decision was made easier by a grant from the Upper Spencer Gulf round of the Federal Government’s Regional
The crawler LTR 11200 was the star of the show in 2009 26 / CAL September 2018
Jobs and Investment Package (RJIP), with such grants recognising their stimulus value in allowing recipients to diversify regional economies, stimulate long term growth, deliver sustainable employment and enter new markets and sectors. By any measure, the LTM 11200 is a beast. Its 100 metre extended main boom length is the longest in the world, and then there’s the 126 metre luffing jib that goes with it to provide a maximum lift height of 188 metres and maximum reach of 136 metres. While the maximum
capacity of 1200 tonnes is something that will never be lifted in real life, the capacity of 112 tonnes at a 100-metre tip height and 105 tonnes at a 30-metre radius (59 tonnes at 50 metres) give an indication of real world capabilities. While the crane arrives in Australia in October, Mark expects that it will be six to eight weeks beyond that before it is ready to work. A factory specialist is flying from Germany to conduct training in operation and maintenance of the crane. Mark has been conscious of the need to minimise disruption to existing work in crewing the new crane, and the resulting team is a mix of existing staff promoted to work with the new crane and external recruits with the requisite skills. An open day will be held at the Port Augusta facility on 22 November to show the new crane and support team to the market. Part of the Max Cranes focus is in educating consultants and Tier 1 contractors about the capabilities of the LTM 11200, and how these can be exploited to provide improved outcomes on projects in planning. As for the future, Max Cranes is not resting on its laurels and Mark is already researching equipment that can complement and expand on existing capabilities. As the largest mobile telescopic crane in the country, Mark expects that this crane will lead to Max Cranes servicing projects beyond its traditional boundaries, although the Spencer Gulf and South Australia will remain the company’s heartland.
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UAA
TAKING OVER THE GLOBAL MARKET WITH SPECIALIST EXPERTISE Thirty years after becoming an underwriting agency, Underwriting Agencies of Australia (UAA) remains true to its heritage as a mobile plant and machinery specialist, and the company now plans to take over the international market by taking its expertise to the world.
» Full Kato factory warranty » Fully compliant with Australian Standards » Designed specifically to suit Australian markets » Road registrable in all States » Nationwide Parts & Service support through Tutt Bryant Equipment PLUS ALL NEW: » Cab Layout » Added safety features (Sonar Clearance Cameras) » Tier 4 Engine » LED Lighting » Auto level function » Optional searcher hook » Increased road speed
FOR FURTHER DETAILS CONTACT IAN EYRES ON 0411 256 388 OR IAN.EYRES@TUTTBRYANT.COM.AU
brisbane sydney melbourne adelaide perth tuttbryantequipment.com.au
1300 658 888
Michael Murphy, UAA CEO YEARS
IN AUSTRALIA
FOUNDED IN 1972 in Newcastle, NSW, Underwriting Agencies of Australia (UAA) specialises in insurance cover for industrial and commercial plant and equipment in Australia and New Zealand, supporting its client base with the use of state-of-the-art technology and quality control procedures to ensure an efficient and timely response to client needs. Cranes and Lifting spoke to UAA CEO Michael Murphy about how the company has grown over the years and achieve market leadership in the crane sector, as well as to get his thoughts on current market conditions and plans to take UAA’s homegrown expertise abroad. Murphy has more than 30 years’ experience across the financial services sector. He has been the CEO of UAA for more than nine years, providing expertise in strategic planning, analytical skills and client relationship management. “UAA specifically started because we could see a niche in the market where mobile plants and machinery weren’t being serviced by current insurance policies, and there were a number of gaps we could see in the insurance
1938-2018
September 2018 CAL / 29
Experience Experience the the Progress. Progress. Experience the Progress.
COMPANY PROFILE UAA
market, particularly for crane operators, as well as for the port and plant machinery market,” Murphy said. “The business itself has grown dramatically and we will continue to grow in Australia and abroad. We will also continue to evolve our policy, coverage and support for the mobile plant and machinery market, with a focus on the crane market. “And I think the crane sector, especially on the east-coast, is currently experiencing a boost, while the rest of the states look like they are coming back too. Recently, I read that there are more cranes in the sky in Sydney than anywhere else around the world at the moment, including Dubai. That’s pretty impressive. “I foresee the current market is going to be quite sustainable and buoyant for years to come, particularly in NSW. At every crane yard that I have gone to in recent times, certainly in NSW, there is no gear sitting in the yard. They are all out there working.” Over the years, UAA has built a reputation for offering good products for the market that better meets the need of crane owners, and Murphy said that is because their policy and coverage was specifically created for cranes. “There is no other specialist policy in the market that was built specifically for the needs of the crane sector, whereas ours was. We insure lots of other things too, but we definitely started with a focus on cranes,” Murphy said. “We do a lot of work around safety and our staff 30 / CAL September 2018
“I foresee the current market is going to be quite sustainable and buoyant for years to come. Every crane yard that I have gone to in recent times, there are no gear sitting in the yard. They are all out there working.”
work closely with crane owners and operators to get better expertise on everything that goes into a crane so that when we do get a claim, we understand exactly how we may better serve the needs of our clients. We take this very seriously and we don’t mind getting grease under our fingernails. “For example, because most claims are around repairs, we work with the owners and operators to find out who the best repairers are and who they would feel comfortable working with. Then, we’ll do our research and interview them ourselves, and then if everything is good, we’ll use them.” UAA is an Australian innovator, as its team designs and develops a unique Industrial Special Plant (ISP) policy, which is acclaimed for its diversity and underwriting scope for mobile plant and equipment. Under the policy, UAA provides cover for cranes – both fixed and mobile,
road-making equipment, self-loading vehicle, lifting equipment, earthmoving equipment, attachments, asphalting machines, non-selfpropelled plant, concreting equipment, drilling rigs, pavers, trucks tippers, trailers, forklifts, farm machinery, harvesting machines and mining machines. The demand for mobile plant and machinery services ebbs and flows with economic cycles. UAA works closely with its clients to help manage these cycles, which Murphy says is interesting because they work with unique machines. “Mobile plant and machinery are very versatile equipment because they can pivot to take advantage of different cycles, which is quite rare,” Murphy said. “For example, in Queensland there was a lot of equipment that was working in the mining sector, and when the mining cycle slowed down it pivoted more towards civil projects like road making, which became a huge market in Queensland. “However, if you are in a state like WA for example, there are less opportunities to pivot your equipment, because the state doesn’t have major regional towns all the way up the coast like Queensland does. Major regional towns by definition require more civil work projects.” UAA has also been involved in the successful introduction of the ISP product into the Latin American and Asian insurance markets. In particular, UAA underwrites
on behalf of the QBE Insurance Group in Australia and New Zealand, while providing services to QBE elsewhere in the world. “Our greatest success story over the past two years are the underwriting agencies that we established in New Zealand,” Murphy said. “That business only started three and a half years ago, and it’s absolutely been a godsend for the NZ market, because there was nobody that had a specialist offering like ours over there. A lot of the equipment were on commercial motor policies, and that’s pretty much the same around the world. “We’ve had regulatory approvals to start working in Singapore and Fiji. We’ll continue to develop our business in Latin America – notably Brazil, Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia, Chile, and hopefully, we’ll get to Argentina soon. Hong Kong will be the next market for us in Asia. “We’ll continue with our international expansion from there. We see a huge upside as every time we take our claims expertise and our policy offshore, it becomes successful.”
“Mobile plant and machinery are very versatile equipment because they can pivot to take advantage of different cycles, which is quite rare.”
LTR LTR telescopic telescopiccrawler crawlercranes cranesfrom fromLiebherr Liebherr Excellent off-road and Excellent off-roadcapacity capacity andmanoeuvrability manoeuvrability LTR telescopic crawler cranes from Liebherr “Pick-and-Carry”, “Pick-and-Carry”,driving drivingwith withfull fullload load
Short times Short setup setup times Excellent off-road capacity and manoeuvrability Crane operations up lateral angle track width Crane operations uptoto4°4° lateral angleeven evenwith withreduced reduced track width “Pick-and-Carry”, driving with full load Rapid relocation on site Rapid relocation on site Short setup times Crane operations up to 4° lateral angle even with reduced track width Liebherr-Australia Pty. Rapid relocation Liebherr-Australia Pty.Ltd. Ltd.on site Mobile Crane Division
Mobile Crane Division 1-15 James Erskine Drive 1-15 James Erskine Drive Erskine Park, NSW 2759 Erskine Park, NSW 2759 Phone: (02) 9852Pty. 1800 Liebherr-Australia Ltd. Phone:sales.las@liebherr.com (02) 9852 1800 E-mail: Mobile Crane Division E-mail: sales.las@liebherr.com www.facebook.com/LiebherrConstruction 1-15 James Erskine Drive www.facebook.com/LiebherrConstruction www.liebherr.com.au www.liebherr.com.au Erskine Park, NSW 2759
Phone: (02) 9852 1800 E-mail: sales.las@liebherr.com
IN FOCUS Genie
The Z-60/37 fuel electric (FE) hybrid articulated boom lift is ready for any job, indoor and outdoor.
WE’RE WORKING TODAY,tOSHAPE TOMORROW HITACHI SUMITOMO CRANES.
A STRONG FOCUS ON HYBRID SYSTEMS AND SAFETY With outstanding workability and high-precision operation, the Hitachi Sumitomo range of Crawler Cranes are setting the benchmark for eco-friendly, fuel economy and worksite efficiency across Australia. For more information, contact Ian Eyres on 0411 256 388 or your local Tutt Bryant Equipment branch on 1300 658 888
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In the last few months, Genie has released a range of innovative new products and safety systems, all of which have a particular focus on hybrid systems and operator safety, in light of market demand for more multi-faceted and environmentally-friendly machines for the construction industry. By Jan Arreza. WITH HYBRID SYSTEMS, at least two separate energy sources are present – such as fuel and electric batteries – that can be used independently and combined to achieve different operating characteristics for the machine. In recent years, aerial work platforms (AWPs) have offered a great opportunity to use these types of systems to increase the machine’s efficiency
and productivity, while also reducing its emissions. Genie recently released the Genie Z-60/37 fuel electric (FE) hybrid articulated boom lift into the Australian market, which Genie national sales manager Kurt Kinder says has been hugely successful thus far. The 4-wheel drive Z-60/37 can climb 25 per cent faster than typical diesel-powered units and
comes with up to 45 per cent gradeability and all-terrain foam filled tyres standard, which makes the machine ideal for both indoor and outdoor work. Operational benefits include minimal noise, clean operation, light machine weight and compact dimensions. The vehicle’s non-marking tyres are ideal for work in narrow aisles, on sensitive surfaces or fragile upper-level floors.
“As a global business, we are putting a strong focus and effort at the moment into our range of hybrid systems, which we are also looking at rolling out into our other product lines across the globe,” Kinder said. “We see hybrid systems as a game changer for the sector – the system is based on the technology used in the Prius, which is a market-leading hybrid powertrain technology.” September 2018 CAL / 33
IN FOCUS
CRANE MONITORING SYSTEMS
Genie
The Z-60/37 FE provides the choice of two modes of operation – a fully electric mode (charged in one night for more than eight hours of operation) and hybrid mode (more than one week of run time on a single tank of fuel). In the hybrid mode, the machine uses its environmentally-friendly 24hp Tier 4 Final/Stage IIIB engine-powered generator to maintain the battery’s state of charge or to supplement the battery power to get boost in machine performance. To keep productivity high and maintenance costs low, its engine-powered generator constantly monitors the battery state, keeping them topped off for maximum run time, then automatically shutting off to minimise fuel consumption. For extreme usage conditions or after heavy full-electric operation, the high-power hybrid system can provide a bulk charge within approximately four hours. The Z-60/37 FE features terrain capability, which seamlessly transitions from an off-road hill-climb to quiet and emission-free indoor
Kurt Kinder, national sales manager at Genie. 34 / CAL September 2018
use. It also delivers the drive performance that is expected from a fully diesel-powered machine, while also providing a 20.16-metre working height, 7.39 metres of up-and-over reach, and 2268 kilograms less weight than its diesel equivalent. The 1.83-metre or 2.44-metre platforms, with a capacity of 227 kilograms, enables two people to access the entire working envelope. The 2.44-metre platform comes with an additional side sliding mid-rail, opposite the standard swing gate, for a total of three entry points. In addition, the 1.52-metre jib provides a high-range of motion – 70° up and 65° down – and comes with 160° platform rotation. Thanks to a quiet, low emissions design, the Z-60/37 FE is a great asset for malls, construction sites, sport arenas, manufacturing plants, and challenging pedestrian areas with the demand for low noise and clean performance. “We are finding a greater call for multi-faceted machines, which is what you will get with the hybrid Z-60/37 FE,” Kinder added. “It is user friendly and can be operated safely and efficiently in both indoor and outdoor working environments, which allows the machine to be the first one on a jobsite and the last one off it. “A strong focus of Genie has always been on the efficiency and usability for the operators, as well as to develop and innovate products that are designed to produce stronger return on investment. Where
4300 SERIES
4500 SERIES
The Lift Guard Contact Alarm prototype comes with a freemovement zone to allow better mobility and safety for operators.
possible, we also take into consideration how it will affect the environment.” The hybrid articulating boom lift recently won the Rental Product of the Year 2017 award from the European Rental Association (ERA). “The Z-60/37 FE is a machine that focuses on sustainability and low fuel consumption,” the ERA said. “From changing a light bulb, checking surveillance systems, verifying sprinklers, changing signage, painting and cleaning to general refurbishment or industrial maintenance and job inspections, Genie has the solution to help perform facilities management access tasks easily and rapidly.” In May, Genie also unveiled its Lift Guard Contact Alarm prototype for its GS range of slab scissor lifts and GR, GRC and QS series vertical masts at the HIRE18 show in Brisbane. The prototype is an electronic secondary guarding solution, which is designed to activate when an obstruction contacts the
activation whiskers which are mounted to the lift’s platform guardrails – one at the front and one at the rear – alerting operators, occupants and ground personnel to a potential hazard. When the system is activated, all machine motions will stop, an alarm will sound, beacons will flash, and the operator will be able to continue driving or elevating the platform into the desired working position only after acknowledging the activation system and machine conditions. A free-movement zone also exists between the activation whisker and guardrail to allow mobility for operators and occupants after the system is activated. “The prototype is an industry-driven initiative and it is proving to be very popular,” Kinder said. “It is a simple design that is very user-friendly, and is definitely a stronger and safer and system, especially with the implementation of the free-movement zone for the machine’s operators.”
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IN FOCUS Assignar
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DPW AUTOMATES THE COMPLIANCE PROCESS WITH ASSIGNAR DPW Plant hire has been hiring a broad range of specialist rotating telescopic handlers and Multi Cranes since 2005. Currently, DPW is working with John Holland and other general contractors on the Sydney Metro Northwest project – putting it all together with Assignar software.
The new AC 300-6
Above and beyond. Take your business to the next level with the new Demag AC 300-6. It delivers class-leading reach combined with strength, including the ability to lift 15 t on a fully telescoped 80 m boom. To allow for high versatility, the AC 300-6 can be adapted to the needs of a variety of jobs and is the smallest crane in the Demag AC range with a luffing jib. The HAV and many components are shared with Demag 5-axle cranes — increasing your return on investment and reducing the amount of spare parts you need to have on hand. Above. Ahead. Always. www.demagmobilecranes.com
SYDNEY METRO NORTHWEST, formerly the North West Rail Link, is the first stage of Sydney Metro and will be the first fully-automated metro rail system in Australia. Sydney Metro City & Southwest is the second stage. The project will deliver eight new railway stations and 4000 commuter car parking spaces to Sydney’s growing North West, a region which has the highest car ownership levels per household in NSW. Over the coming decades, an extra 200,000 people will move into Sydney’s North West, taking its population above 600,000, or twice the size of Canberra. DPW’s specialist equipment, including the HiRail telehandlers and Sennebogen multi crane, are being used to remove all the pre-existing scaffolding, and the company is also responsible for all the overhead wiring of high voltage cables. DPW differentiates itself from competitors because its machines are certified by WorkCover. A full 90 per cent of competitors’ machines rely on outriggers or lifting attachments but DPW’s machines are able to work on rail tracks without these additions due to their
compliance certification which specifically includes EWP, RSO, and WorkCover. According to DPW Managing Director, Paul Waters, compliance is a result of automating the documentation process. “We win work because all our machines meet every Rolling Stock Operator (RSO) certification and as founders of the HiRail system for Dieci telehandlers within the rail sector, it is paramount we are on top of all safety documentation for our systems and machinery. Maintaining these high compliance standards across the different rail networks took a lot of energy and time but now with Assignar we have one program that can manage all of this more efficiently.” “For our operators, all their important site documents are submitted on their phones via the app. If anything goes wrong, we have a digital audit trail securely logged on Assignar, so we can track where all our operators are, what plant they are assigned to and what documentation they have submitted,” he said. Assignar is a cloud-based SaaS platform, built to help construction contractors
improve efficiency and safety by providing end-to-end real-time management of a company’s workforce, assets, and compliance. It allows contractors to use digital and mobile forms for scheduling, compliance, communication, and real-time tracking. “With our old paper system, collecting and processing physical dockets was a very time-consuming process. With many of our operators working on sites in different states and regions away from our head office, we could expect to experience significant delays in getting the dockets back for processing. With Assignar, we built out a
digital docket and worked closely with one of our Tier 1 customers on a major rail infrastructure project to get this approved,” said Waters. “Transitioning from hard copy documents such as prestart checklists and SWMS to digital has reduced the time we spent chasing up and processing these forms by 50 per cent.” Construction operations software adoption is expected to boom in the next few years, off the back of the Federal Government’s $75 billion investment in Australian infrastructure projects, and increasing compliance rules and regulations.
DPW is using Assignar SaaS to decrease time spent chasing paperwork by 50 per cent .
September 2018 CAL / 37
d • Max capacity: 300 t • Max boom length: 80 m • Max tip height: 120 m • Engine: 430 kW Mercedes Benz (Euromot 4/EPA Tier 4 final)
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NEW GMK6300L-1
COMPACT
AND STRONG. THE BEST JUST GOT BETTER. The new Grove GMK6300L-1 impresses. Better than ever – the GMK6300L-1 boasts significantly improved load charts over its predecessor. Giving you maximum range and lifting flexibility for your most challenging jobs. And, it features powerful performance with two-engine efficiency, reliable Allison torque converter transmission and MEGATRAK™ independent suspension. Find your local Grove dealer at www.manitowoccranes.com/australia
NEW GMK4090 SUPERIOR TAXI CHARTS • • • •
Capacity: 90 t Main boom: 11 m – 51 m Maximum jib: 8,7 m – 21,0 m Maximum tip height: 75,0 m
Delivers class-leading load charts combined with the compact footprint you expect from the leader in Taxi cranes.
All counterweight needed to achieve full capacity fits on one standard trailer
The NEW GMK4090 is designed to deliver unsurpassed work site versatility, putting more jobs within your reach.
New comfortable driver and operator cabs enhance productivity
• Impressive load charts — at 12 t per axle • Narrow width and MAXbase variable outrigger system delivers greater jobsite access and increased lift capacities • Single engine technology with fuel saver technology delivers better fuel efficiency • Crane Control System (CCS) delivers operator-friendly and ergonomic operation of the crane Find your local Grove dealer at www.manitowoccranes.com/australia
Boom configurator mode offers the easiest setup and optimal configuration Bi-fold swingaway and boom extension enhances lifting over obstacles at greater heights Six-section MEGAFORM™ boom with TWIN-LOCK™ pinning system delivers greater lifting capacity at all radii
TOP 50 PROFILE Tutt Bryant
80 YEARS OF HIGH-LEVEL SOLUTIONS FOR CONSTRUCTION AND HEAVY LIFTS
150-tonne crawler crane working on dam upgrade.
For the past 80 years; cranes, construction and equipment company Tutt Bryant, has been a name that is associated with quality, excellence and professionalism in the construction and heavy equipment space. TUTT BRYANT HAS BECOME a diverse construction equipment sales and industrial hire service provider in Australia, which conducts its operations around the country in three
principle areas: • Heavy Lift & Shift – hiring of cranes and provision of haulage and specialised transport, including planning and support services to meet lift and shift requirements;
• Equipment sales – sale of construction plant, equipment and cranes, together with the provision of parts and service through a nationwide network; and • General hire – providing
general plant and equipment hire for earthmoving, civil construction, rail maintenance, industrial, trade and DIY uses. Malcom Smith, national operations manager of Tutt
Self-propelled modular transporter placing the new hanger in WA defence facility. 40 / CAL September 2018
Manitowoc MLC650 on Perth Swan River Pedestrian Bridge.
Bryant Heavy Lift & Shift, says that while there are many overseas players in the market that push their international credentials heavily, Tutt Bryant is proud to have built its homegrown capabilities here in Australia. “Although our industry underwent a turbulent few years with the mining downturn, which resulted in the demise of a number of businesses, for Tutt Bryant, we remained focused on not letting our service standards drop and the quality of our equipment suffer at times of compressed margins,” Smith said. “Even during the darkest period of the downturn in regions such as Western Australia, Tutt Bryant has always maintained its presence, people, expertise and facilities to support our client base. And while the market is still working through the remaining effects of the downturn, things are a lot more positive, with major infrastructure projects along the East Coast of Australia driving significant activity in the industrial hire service sector.”
“Depressed pricing, which is a hangover from the downturn, remains the foremost challenge, which had forced Tutt Bryant to relook at the way we conduct our business and has led to a number of changes around service delivery and moving towards the provision of higher-level solutions. “Beyond just industrial hire services, Tutt Bryant is fully set up to offer comprehensive engineered solutions across heavy lifting, transportation and alternative techniques.” Tutt Bryant’s current Heavy Lift & Shift fleet consists of: • Lattice boom crawler cranes (90-1600 tonne capacity); • Telescopic crawler cranes (80100 tonnes); • Rough terrain cranes (30-80 tonnes); • Pick and carry cranes (20-25 tonnes); • 1100-tonne hydraulic gantry systems; • All-terrain cranes (80-300 tonnes); • Travel towers to 140 feet; • Self-propelled modular transporters; • The largest fleet of modular
road-going trailers in Australia; and •V arious alternate lift and shift systems. “We have a national presence with one of the largest Heavy Lift & Shift fleets in Australia and a team that possesses extensive engineering and logistical capabilities, together with operational personnel that includes factory-trained crane technicians and operators,” Smith said. “The Heavy Lift & Shift fleet is complemented by Tutt Bryant’s general hire fleet, which covers access, compaction, earthmoving and other categories such as lighting towers, site accommodation, generators, pumps, and roadside equipment. “We are always reviewing new products in the market,
looking for the market edge and the value add to our end customers. “We are also looking for quality and support with the equipment we own, and we pride ourselves on great equipment that can be relied on to get the job done with little to no down time.” According to Smith, Tutt Bryant has historically been uniquely placed to overcome engineering and operational challenges, which is why the company has been called on to operate on some of the country’s most significant projects, especially in the past 12 months alone. In NSW, Tutt Bryant have a 150-tonne capacity lattice boom crawler crane undertaking an 18-month dam upgrade, which took months of engineering, planning, manufacturing, September 2018 CAL / 41
TOP 50 PROFILE Tutt Bryant
and trial fitment, before the project was executed. “Narrowing the stance of the crane by 2 metres and removing 30 tonnes of selfweight had its own challenges especially trying to maintain the crane load chart at 150-tonne, and there were also the difficulties of mobilising the crane in such difficult terrain,” Smith said.
An SBL1100-tonne gantry during the decommissioning of the Holden Automotive Factory.
42 / CAL September 2018
Another project that Tutt Bryant worked on recently was the Perth Swan River Pedestrian Bridge, which connected East Perth to Perth’s new sporting stadium. “Tutt Bryant had several crawler cranes on site and undertook all the engineering lift studies for all major lifts undertaken by the Manitowoc MLC650 (700-tonne) crawler
crane, which is the first and only crane of this type in Australia,” Smith added. They also had a 400-tonne Manitowoc M16000 Crawler Crane set up at the base of a dam in WA, where they performed a major upgrade to the main water intake pipe that supplies drinking water to Perth and surrounds. “The crane was built in
a dry rock creek bed using a combination of 300-tonne all-terrains, 275-tonne crawler cranes and a bunch of self-propelled modular transporters. The project was planned for over six months with detailed lift studies, as well as transportation and assembly studies,” Smith said. Finally, the company has been busy with its 1100-tonne gantry systems, decommissioning the Holden Automotive Factory in Adelaide, while its self-propelled modular transporters have also been in WA refurbishing aircraft hangers in a defence facility in the state. “These hangers were 55 metres in length, 16 metres wide and 12 metres high, and we used the 1100-tonne gantry to raise the new sheds to height once sheeted, so that the columns could be pre-fitted prior to placement within the operational confines of the facility,” Smith continued. “The self-propelled modular transporters removed the old ones using the hydraulic suspension of the trailer and temporary supports to the underside of the roof. This concept meant that we did not impede the facility and flights coming in and out of it. “We were able to reduce weeks from the original schedule and lower the overall spend on the project, which was a great example of how Tutt Bryant is able to work closely with our clients to deliver successful project outcomes, while realising efficiencies and cost savings.”
Australian Crane & Machinery Pty Ltd is the sole distributor and only Oceania representative for KOBELCO Cranes Sales, Service and Genuine Spare Parts. QLD Branch (07) 3868 3786 SA Branch (08) 8262 7205 Head Office (03) 9357 7524 Please contact our Australian and New Zealand Sales Manager / Justin Potter on +61 (0) 439 265 852 sales@australiancrane.com.au www.australiancrane.com.au
TOP 50 PROFILE Melrose The new Melrose premises bring the business together in one location, allow for growth and have been purposemodified to suit the needs of the business.
TCC-1400 lifting to the Western Deck structure at the Lendlease One Sydney Harbour Project, Barangaroo
FROM A HALF TO A WHOLE LOT Gregg Melrose looks at the rise of Melrose Cranes, and some major works the company has undertaken that have made a lasting improvement to the country’s infrastructure. GREGG MELROSE MANAGED various family-owned businesses for Sydney companies from 1987 to 1998 inclusive (Glenrelle Cranes, Mobile Crane Company, Wilson Mobile Cranes).by June 1998, Wilsons was the third largest mobile crane company. The owners sold to Brambles, a listed company. All staff were offered employment at Brambles on a continuing basis but Gregg decided to go it alone and built his own crane company. Melrose Industries Pty Ltd was formed and purchased a 50 per cent share in a 50-tonne Kato mobile crane with Mark Muir of Melmar Cranes. Gregg then convinced two companies – Davis Cranes and Wheeler Cranes – to amalgamate and become Wheeler Hydraulic Cranes Pty Ltd. Gregg provided them with consulting services as General Manager; and the 50-tonne Kato became a subcontract crane to the new company. In 2000, the then 44 / CAL September 2018
owners actioned their plan to retire. Gregg’s brother and accountant, Tony, was introduced and the underlying shares in Wheeler Hydraulic Cranes Pty Ltd were purchased by the Melrose brothers, with each holding 50 per cent. Soon afterwards, the company name changed to Melrose Cranes & Rigging Pty Ltd (MCR) and the business moved to 2550 square metres premises at 16 Foundry Road, Seven Hills. This gave the company room for growth. Various smaller crane operators were contracted to become “internal subcontractors” to MCR to speed growth of the fleet and pitch the company into larger works. The fleet grew steadily until, in 2003, an adjoining site leased for a much-needed expansion, giving the company 5100 square metres in the heart of the Seven Hills industrial precinct, with access to major roads and freeways in all directions. By 2007, the shareholders
made a bold move in acquiring a 450-tonne Grove AT crane and pursuing larger contract work, including windfarms, to keep it busy. This was the largest road registered crane in Eastern Australia, and positioned the company for rapid growth. Additional (5000 square metres) premises were leased at Mulgrave Road to house the crane, support vehicles and related crane equipment. The projected growth occurred, but in 2009 the crane was destroyed by fire and the company lost its standing as a preferred supplier as well as contracts that included building windfarms. The following two years were financially difficult but the business not only survived but slowly rebuilt, to the extent that by 2014 a further yard (4500 square metres at 57 Station Road) was leased to absorb the overload. With the current infrastructure boom in NSW, growth was unprecedented and
caused operational pressures and dislocation. In 2016, a decision was made to find an alternative yard large enough to house the whole operation and deliver major efficiency gains, cost reductions, improved staff morale and a corporate headquarters befitting the status of the company. The 20,000 square metre premises at 129 Station Road, Seven Hills delivers all that and has been specifically tailored and rebuilt to house the company and its growing needs. As Gregg said: “The growth continues!”
The entrance celebrates the 20th anniversary of the business
PROJECT 1 – BARANGAROO MCR took delivery of the first 127-tonne Link-Belt TCC-1400 tele boom crawler crane in the country earlier this year. GM – Projects Mick Melrose outlined its role on infrastructure projects and building projects at Barangaroo. “Upon delivery, the TCC1400 is proving a very popular machine with our crews and the Sydney Tier 1 construction sector. “Westconnex M5, Bexley hired the crane immediately to assist in feeding the structural elements within the shaft. “The TCC 1400 was perfect for the site due to the limited set up area and site constraints on delivery vehicle access and egress. “Upon completion, the crane then went to Lendlease at One Sydney Harbour Project, Barangaroo. “The crane again was a great fit for the site due to its compact size, mobility and excellent lift capacity. “The crane then moved into the Lendlease Crown Resort Project at Barangaroo. “Due to its quick mobilisation time, the crane is working from multiple lift areas to assist the site in the North Western Deck structure and constructing the jump form. “This in turn is allowing the tower cranes to operate on critical path areas on the site.” Summing up, he said: “The crane is proving to be an excellent addition to our fleet for both short- and long-term hire.”
PROJECT 2 – SYDNEY METRO NORTHWEST RAIL LINK MCR is heavily involved in the construction of the 36-kilometre Sydney Metro Northwest Rail Link from Cudgegong Road at Rouse Hill to Chatswood. Gregg Melrose said: “We provide a variety of cranes for all sections along the entire corridor, covering above ground, on ground, rail station and tunnel work. Our 450-tonne GMK7450 crane performed maintenance and support on the ISJV’s Segment Lifting Unit that constructed most of the 12-kilometre elevated rail line.” (pictured right) Gregg outlined another area where MCR is supporting this project. “The 400-tonne Grove GMK6400 crane is shown set up on four custom-engineered 6 metre x 3 metre steel mats for the JHCPB JV,” he said. “These are used to spread the crane’s ground bearing load over unsuitable areas. One of our 100-tonne Liebherr LTM1100-5.2 cranes is assisting with the placement of structural steel frames in all rail station excavations.” Summarising the high level of MCR involvement, Gregg said simply: “Sydney continues to grow.” 450-tonne Grove supporting the ISJV’s Segment Lifting Unit in building the elevated rail line
400t Grove set up on steel mats
September 2018 CAL / 45
IN FOCUS Tadano
We have proved to the market through our investment that this is a key market for global development and we know that while having more products is one thing, it’s not enough unless we can support these new products. network and now have a dedicated product support division that’s separate from parts and services, with that team’s focus driven by Nathan Regester to improve customer training and contact and to ensure our customers have the best delivery of new equipment and clear points of contact. CAL: Tadano’s acquisition of Perth-based AML Equipment was the first step in piecing together the foundations of the ‘One Tadano’ strategy. What has followed? ANTHONY GROSSER: During the acquisition and continuing since that time, we have established a market leading support network. Our branches in NSW and Victoria are now fully-functioned support networks with factory trained technicians. In South Australia we have appointed RMB Service Group to further strengthen the existing network. Likewise in the Northern Territory and Townsville with RGM Maintenance, Gaamben Crane and Earthmoving in regional NSW and Allcrane as our distributor in New Zealand. We have established a strong parts network with Brisbane and Perth operating as our head parts facilities with critical and service parts held at all depots throughout the Tadano network. This strong local network combined with Tadano’s global parts network ensures we have the capacity to minimise any downtime incurred by parts requirements. And a system that monitors usage and adapts our parts holding will help ensure we adapt and meet market requirements. CAL: Often machines work in remote environments, such as in mining or on wind farms. Some of your competitors have a track record of providing rapid support even in these circumstances. How does Tadano propose to meet this challenge?
CUSTOMER SUPPORT AT THE CENTRE OF ‘ONE TADANO’ STRATEGY The recent launch of Tadano Oceania’s ‘One Tadano’ strategy is about more than an expanded range of products. According to general manager Anthony Grosser, the centrepiece of ‘One Tadano’ is the rolling out of an industry-leading service, support and parts network.
CAL: With five new machines launched so far this year, and more to come, Tadano clearly has ambitious growth plans for the region. But do you have the network in place to offer crane buyers confidence you will support them through the life of the crane? ANTHONY GROSSER: Tadano Oceania has invested heavily in the Oceania market and its support network with an increase in parts holding and
46 / CAL September 2018
continued training for our product support technicians only the start. We have proved to the market through our investment that this is a key market for global development and we know that while having more products is one thing, it’s not enough unless we can support these new products. To deliver on that promise we have restructured our support
ANTHONY GROSSER: Given that this remote service operation was a key part of AML’s operation, that experience has been added to Tadano Oceania’s already strong remote service experience. As the general manager of Tadano Oceania’s operations, with more than 15 years experience in remote Western Australia, we know better than anyone what is needed in these environments. We have more than 15 service vehicles in the field backed up by the strategic appointment of service agents in regions such as rural NSW, Townsville and a satellite workshop in Port Hedland. Adding to these services is Tadano’s Hellonet Telematic system that allows us to track the machine and remotely log in to see operating condition and faults. This system is proving itself to be very beneficial to our clients as it allows them to monitor the crane location, hours, distance travelled, operating condition and service history which is a critical tool for assessing machine life for the 10-year major inspection. We have also introduced Tadano’s datalogger which is currently an option on the majority of Tadano machines, allowing the customer to see all lifting data live. CAL: Can you tell us what’s next from Tadano? What new machines are coming? Any more acquisitions in the works? ANTHONY GROSSER: The element of surprise is always good. Tadano HQ is working on a range of new products – some of which will be released at BAUMA next year. For now though Tadano Oceania’s main priority is to continue to improve and develop our systems to ensure we are always evolving and striving to supply our customers industry leading support. September 2018 CAL / 47
IN FOCUS ACM / Zoomlion
A PARTNERSHIP BUILT ON HIGHER STANDARDS FOR CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT Australian Crane & Machinery and Zoomlion have announced an exclusive joint venture and dealership agreement, which will see the two companies working on product development and improvement for western market customers and remote access services. By Jan Arreza. AUSTRALIAN CRANE & Machinery (ACM) is a manufacturer and distributor to the crane and elevated work platform industries in Australia, New Zealand and Oceania regions. They design, manufacture, assemble, sell and supply mobile cranes, elevated work platforms, specialised lifting equipment and associated spares, including after sales service and maintenance. Zoomlion Heavy Industry
Science & Technology Development Company was founded in 1992 and has grown to become one of the largest global manufacturers of construction equipment – exporting to over 70 countries worldwide. They are mainly engaged in developing and manufacturing major hightech equipment in the areas of engineering and agriculture. “The Zoomlion-ACM JV will be very similar to a dealership model, with greater
An artist impression of Zoomlion-ACM JV’s soon-to-be opening Melbourne showroom, subject to final approvals.
48 / CAL September 2018
factory support and assistance in areas of spare parts, technical advice and finance packages,” said Benjamin Potter, ACM Group managing director. “Our JV model will ensure our cranes are designed for Australian road requirements and client expectations. It will also give us more access to the market by providing us with brand new rough terrains, allterrains and truck cranes. “As part of the Zoomlion-
ACM JV, we will also be introducing new gearboxes and engines to the Zoomlion product line-up so that we can ensure its reliability, comfort and serviceability will suit Oceania conditions. “With the Zoomlion-ACM JV, we are partnering with one of the world’s leading crane manufacturers to bring a greater product to our customers.” The new products being developed will be targeted
for the western market, specifically for the Australian and the Oceania region, and will be constructed to a new, higher standard of quality. It will use components from world-leading manufacturers including Mercedes-Benz, ZF, Cummins and Allison, ensuring a first-class product with great back-up support. The new cranes being developed include: 150-tonne, 5-axle all-terrain crane with 72-metre main boom; 60-tonne rough terrain with 43-metre main boom; 60-tonne truck crane with 45 metres of main boom; and 30-tonne truck crane with 33.5-metre main boom. ACM will be unveiling the new 150-tonne all-terrain crane at the upcoming Crane Industry Council of Australia (CICA) conference, which will be the first time it will be showcased to the Australian and the Oceania region’s crane industry. “With the new 150-tonne all-terrain, we offer a competitively-priced allterrain crane, which is highly
Zoomlion’s ZAT1500 all-terrain crane.
productive, reliable and serviceable, and comes with technically-enhanced rubbertyred wheels to better suit our local conditions,” Potter said. “Expect an increase in our product range and capacity, with more rough-terrain and all-terrain cranes being developed and released to the region’s market over time. We will also still be selling and
servicing all Kobelco cranes, as well as our own brand of elevated work platforms and used equipment sales. “ACM will also be opening its new factory in Derrimut, Melbourne very soon, and we will be producing and installing remote access and computer control systems on our entire fleet on the premises from January 2019. “We will be providing in-house finance with special rates, so clients can walk in to our soon-to-be-opened Melbourne showroom and roll out in their brand-new crane right away – which will be painted, sign written and commissioned on the premises.” As for the current state of the market, Potter has a positive outlook and believes that the country won’t see the foot come off the pedal for at least the next five years. “The crane industry is on a roll at the moment and it is driven largely by the current infrastructure construction boom, especially on the east
coast,” Potter said. “Although, there will be some difficulty in obtaining new cranes to meet demand, which will lock some operators out of certain markets. Lead times are being rumoured to be in the 12+ month category for large allterrains, which we’re hoping to rectify with the ZoomlionACM JV. “Also, following the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry, the leading banks have pulled the reins on current lending levels, which will make it harder for the everyday small crane hire company to obtain finance. “This is something we also hope to rectify by having the support of Zoomlion Financial Services, which will assist Zoomlion-ACM JV customers with obtaining finance for their new cranes. We want to increase healthy competition and diversity in the market.” September 2018 CAL / 49
IN FOCUS KCM / Manitowoc
Kobelco CKE-25000G crawler crane.
KOBELCO AND MANITOWOC END ITS GLOBAL ALLIANCE Construction equipment manufacturer Kobelco Construction Machinery (KCM), and global cranes and lifting solutions manufacturer Manitowoc, have announced that they will not renew their original equipment manufacturer supply agreement. By Jan Arreza. UNDER AN ORIGINAL equipment manufacturers (OEM) supply agreement, which began in November 2003, Kobelco Construction Machinery (KCM) supplied Manitowoc-branded latticeboom crawler crane models to Manitowoc’s worldwide distribution network, while 50 / CAL September 2018
Manitowoc supplied Kobelcobranded all-terrain crane models for marketing in Japan. With the market environment changing over the past few years, KCM and Manitowoc have been re-examining the agreement and discussing the future of their global alliance. Looking
ahead at the future market conditions, the companies have mutually decided to operate their businesses on their own. “Manitowoc has an outstanding reputation around the world and offered a strong distribution network in regions it serves
globally, and I can say that our partnership has been a very successful in bringing together two highly respected industry players,” said Kazuhide Naraki, president and CEO of KCM. “I strongly feel that both companies share the same approach – focusing on customers with care and
bringing to market reliable products, which have a high standard of quality and safety. We look forward to a new chapter in growing our businesses globally.” Barry Pennypacker, president and CEO of Manitowoc seconds the sentiment, saying Kobelco had been an excellent partner over the years and has provided their customers with a high standard of product quality and reliability. “As a world leader in lattice-boom crawler cranes, Manitowoc provided our customers with a comprehensive line through our alliance with KCM,” Pennypacker said. “After nearly 15 years, we have agreed to pursue separate ways developing our own products in the smaller capacity cranes to serve our respective customers. “With the implementation of The Manitowoc Way, we will continue to deliver new and innovative quality products, on time, ensuring that our customers continue to have the right product offerings.” Australian Crane & Machinery (ACM) has been Australia’s sole exclusive dealer since 2004, and according to its Kobelco crane division manager Justin Potter, it’s been a mutually agreed end to the global alliance, but they are looking forward to the future and continuing its relationship with Kobelco. “We are really happy to continue with Kobelco going forward, and we will always look after all Kobelco manufactured products, past and present,” Potter said. “We already re-signed our agreement with them earlier this year, so we will remain the sole exclusive dealership for
Kobelco in the country. We have been their exclusive dealer since 2004, and we’ll continue to offer the best service and backup support for all of our customers. “Kobelco cranes are renowned throughout the world for their reliability, ease of operation, product support and after sales backup. They are very durable and versatile with good lifting charts throughout all working ranges, are engineered for
“With the implementation of The Manitowoc Way, we will continue to deliver new and innovative quality products, on time, ensuring that our customers continue to have the right product offerings.”
safe and rapid assembly and disassembly, and are suitable for rapid transportability. “We manufacture a very reliable, and I’d argue, the world’s best crawler crane in its range, and I personally feel that Manitowoc will be at a loss not having an OEM agreement with Kobelco. “We will continue to hold our market share in that range worldwide, especially here in Australia and NZ, as they are very much the most preferred model. We currently have around 80-85 per cent of the market share.” Despite the global alliance ending on November 9, 2018, Kobelco and Manitowoc will continue to support each other’s existing customers and will continue to offer service parts for the next 10 years. ACM will continue to support and supply service and genuine spare parts for all Kobelco manufactured products, past and present, within Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and other
Oceanic regions. “It will be business as usual, and we will still supply spare parts for Manitowoc customers. They will continue receive great service and backup support from very experienced ACM team,” Potter said. “Looking towards the Oceanic market, although the crane and construction industries were in a bit of a downturn over the past few years, things are starting to come back very strongly, so there is definitely a light at the end of the tunnel and it’s not a train. “There is a lot of infrastructure work within major capital cities like Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, as well as a lot more investment in renewable energies. The coal and iron ore prices are starting to come back up too. I think that we are on our way to another boom period, which really started to kick off this year, and I believe will continue.”
ACM will continue to support and supply service and genuine spare parts for Kobelco products.
September 2018 CAL / 51
IN FOCUS Manitowoc
MANITOWOC HAS BIG PLANS FOR THE FUTURE The local Manitowoc perspective on the cessation of the supply agreement between Kobelco and Manitowoc was given to CAL by John Stewart, VP & General Manager, ANZ for Manitowoc Cranes. “THE AGREEMENT WITH Kobelco was very successful but we felt it was time for a change of direction for our smaller cranes, with the introduction of models built at our new crawler assembly line in Shady Grove in the US,” said John Stewart, VP & General Manager, ANZ for
Manitowoc Cranes. “For Australia, we will oversee deliveries of Kobelcobuilt Manitowoc 11000-1 and 12000-1 models through the first quarter of 2019. We plan on bringing in the new MLC100-1 in mid-2019. Most of the benefits we discussed during the launch
The first Grove GRT880 in New York delivers a return on investment for a dredging company
52 / CAL September 2018
of the MLC100-1 in the US will apply to customers here in Australia. These include ease of transportation and erection; strong load charts (including when walking with the load); reliability; and, of course, excellent return on investment for buyers. We will probably have a Manitowoc
MLC100-1 on display at CICA 2019.” In responding to a question about ongoing support for Kobelco-built, Manitowoc-branded cranes sold in Australasia, Stewart said: “Manitowoc will fully support these cranes and the customers who bought them.
We maintain a very good relationship with Kobelco and have contractual agreements in place to ensure the timely supply of parts. Manitowoc Australia has trained factory technicians. In addition, our network of dealers is fully trained to support our range of crawler cranes. We have plenty of parts in stock and the latest crane deliveries on the way. For now, it’s business as usual.” NOT JUST CRAWLERS The Manitowoc MLC1001 was unveiled at the company’s Crane Days event in Shady Grove, Pennsylvania (USA) in June this year, with the 100-tonne crane having
Manitowoc revealed the Grove 149t GRT9165 rough terrain crane at Crane Days 2018
a maximum boom length of 61 metres and features that allow fast set-up and pulldown. However there were other cranes at this event with relevance to the local market. “At the Crane Days event, we also presented several rough-terrain cranes and they will be very important for the Australian market too. The GRT8100 and its little brother the GRT880 are totally new cranes, and are direct replacements for the RT880E and RT890E, both of which were very popular in the mining sector,” Stewart explained. “The GRT8100 is a 100-tonne capacity crane with a 47-metre 5-section boom and features class-leading capabilities and Manitowoc’s Crane Control System. With a full complement of boom extension and insert options, the crane has best-in-class reach of up to 77 metres. The 80-tonne GRT880’s 40-metre main boom was designed using Grove’s formed boom technology, which uses laser welding as opposed to the traditional submerged-arc process.
“Both the GRT8100 and the GRT880 have benefited from the design phases undertaken at the Manitowoc Product Verification Center (PVC). This ensures component quality prior to crane production and dramatically improves reliability and quality. Our engineers for the RT and GMK all-terrain cranes, in the US and Germany respectively, combined the best of both product lines to produce the GRT8100 and GRT880 cranes. “The new GRT9165 epitomises this combined effort, using many components from our very successful GMK all-terrain crane line. The GRT9165 offers the longest reach and highest capacity of any model in Grove’s rough-terrain line-up. The GRT9165 is a 149-tonne capacity crane that features a 62.5-metre 6-section, pinned boom. It has a host of features that will help companies increase efficiency while maintaining a low total cost of ownership.” When asked about Australian availability, Stewart
said: “We have staggered the release of the new line of GRT cranes. The GRT8100 and GRT880 are available now and are built at both our Shady Grove (US) and Niella Tanaro (Italy) factories. This flexibility can offer savings in transit times and additional volume to meet customer needs. The new GRT655L, which was shown at Conexpo, will be ready for Australia in early 2019. This unit is built only at our Shady Grove factory for now.” Truck cranes were also on display at the Shady Grove event. When questioned about whether these were targeted at the US or had potential for Australia, Stewart responded: “It’s an ongoing process of reviewing their potential for the Australian market. There is one truck crane – the larger TMS9100 – that we currently sell in low volumes… Manitowoc has established a firm foothold in Australia with this new product line-up that is perfectly suited for a recovering market. We are excited to bring these to the country.” September 2018 CAL / 53
RIGGING Trophy lift
PLANNING A TROPHY LIFT CAL contributor Stuart Edwards takes readers on a fun exercise, to look at how to best rig the original trophy distributed at the first Crane Industry Council of Australia National Conference in 1998.
is 3,423 g x 86.09 mm = 294,668.38 g.mm. Divide by their lever arm (294,668.38 g.mm / 46 mm = 6.4 kg. And thus the mystery of why these trophies need to be held so tightly is solved.
THE TRADITION OF annual awards being presented at the CICA national conference began in 1998. The idea was drawn from similar awards in the crane and rigging industries in other countries, with some cross-fertilisation from awards in other industries. Awards recognising excellence in lifting projects, and industry service through state and national industry bodies, and two icons of the past are remembered with trophies struck in their memory. In a short time the awards have become an integral part of the CICA national crane conference. The trophies for the first few years were of polished timber with engraved brass plates, which forms the basis of our technical article. Apparently these early trophies were heavy and needed a firm grip to hold onto them so we are going to look at the forces involved to hold one. MASS First off how heavy is one of these guys? This is as simple as volume (length x width x height) x density. Refer image on the right, and the calculation below. Brass: Volume = 85 mm x 175 mm x 25 mm = 371,875 mm3 Mass = 371,875 mm3 x 8.4 x 10-3 g/mm3 = 3123.75 grams Timber: Volume = 35 mm x 150 mm x 100 mm – (15 mm x 35 mm / 2 x 100 mm) = 498,750 mm3 Mass = 498,750 mm3 x 0.6 x 10-3 g/mm3 = 299.25 grams Total mass = 3123.75 grams + 299.25 grams = 3,423 grams Seems this trophy is heavy enough to be a replacement counterweight for a well know articulated crane… You might notice this is broken down in the table below further into subsections, more about this when we discuss calculating the centre of gravity.
Element
Total
1 2 3 4 5
Comments
Length Height Depth Factor (mm) (mm) (mm) 135 35 100 15 35 100 20 175 25 65 175 25 20 175 25
Dimensions taken from the sketch
54 / CAL September 2018
3 Volume (mm )
1 0.5 0.5 1 0.5
0.5 for a triangle because it is
472,500.00 26,250.00 43,750.00 284,375.00 43,750.00 = Length x Height x Depth x Factor
H
86,09 H 3
B/3 B
CENTRE OF GRAVITY The mass is only one part of the story. This trophy also has an offset centre of gravity. Working this out basically comes down to adding up mass x distance for
Density (g/mm3) 0.0006 0.0006 0.0084 0.0084 0.0084
From published density tables
ACCELERATION These forces will be increased by acceleration. Let’s say you are lifting it up at 1.2 G. The overall force on your fingers would be (3,423 g x 86.09 mm x 1.2) / 46 mm = 7.7 kg. Naturally these formulas can be used for a lot crane or rigging related tasks: the sky is the limit. (Ed. Note: subject to boom length).
each subsection from a base point to determine a moment for each (refer diagram for numbering of each subsection / element). Add up the total of the moments (for example 294,669.38 g.mm for the x
Mass Centroid (x) from Moment (x) Centroid (z) from 0,0 Moment (z) (g) 0,0 point (mm) point (mm) 283.50 67.50 19,136.25 17.50 4,961.25 15.75 140.00 2,205.00 11.67 183.75 367.50 48.33 17,762.50 93.33 34,300.00 2,388.75 87.50 209,015.63 122.50 292,621.88 367.50 126.67 46,550.00 151.67 55,737.50 3,423.00 86.09 294,669.38 113.29 387,804.37 = Volume x density
Taken from sketch. Overall centroid = Moment / mass
= Mass x centroid (x)
Taken from sketch. Overall centroid = Moment / mass
= Mass x centroid (z)
direction), then divide by overall mass (294,669.38 g.mm / 3,423 g) and voila you have the centre of gravity (= 86.09 mm from the end). Repeat and rinse for the z direction. It’s easiest to add this up in a table like the one below (a excel version can be obtained for free from info@ edwardsheavylift.com). Tip: For determining the centroid of segments as shown below, the centroid of a rectangle is always in the middle. The centroid of a triangle is always 1/3 the length of the triangle from the base. HAND GRIP Now comes the part where the above two items come together. Let’s say we hold it as pictured on the right. To determine the force acting on the fingers we need to take moments about the thumb position. For simplicity let’s say the thumb provides force to the end of the trophy so the centre of gravity is 86.09 mm away and the finger force acts 46 mm away from the end as pictured below. The moment the fingers need to counteract
46 September 2018 CAL / 55
CRANES IN ACTION Wind farm
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MT GELLIBRAND WIND FARM UP AND RUNNING BOOM Logistics (Boom) completed work on installing 44 turbines at owner/developer Acciona’s 132MW capacity Mt Gellibrand wind farm (25 kilometres east of Colac, VIC) in June this year, with commissioning ongoing in July and ramping up to full capacity in August.
THE 3MW NORDEX AW3000 wind turbines have a rotor diameter of 125 metres, and are installed on an 87.5 metres (hub height) 4-section steel tower. Boom undertook the full installation scope including: component offloads; component installation, and; electrical and mechanical fitment. In doing this, it
providing client Acciona Energy with a turbine ready for commissioning. Across the wind farm, Acciona established a total of 30 kilometres of internal roads to link the turbine sites, with this completed in October 2017. Footings for the turbines (over 15,000 square metres of concrete) were completed in the
Erecting the 500-tonne Liebherr with fly jib – progression of erected towers awaiting blades in the background showing the benefits of separating the work of the Demag crawler and 500-tonne Liebherr 56 / CAL September 2018
September 2018 CAL / 57
CRANES IN ACTION Wind farm
Erecting blades using a purpose-designed spreader bar
following month, after which turbine erection commenced. Component delivery commenced in October, with installation commencing in November. Boom’s heavy lift installation cranes for the project were: a 600-tonne Demag CC2800-1 Narrow Track lattice boom crawler crane rigged with 96 metres of main boom and a 12-metre wind jib offset at 10 degrees for lifting the tower sections, nacelle and hub; and a 500-tonne Liebherr LTM1500-8.1 AT crane in Y-guy configuration with the telescopic boom extended to 47.3 metres and a 63-metre luffing fly jib fitted for installing the three blades on each hub. These cranes were supported by a 130-tonne Grove GMK5130-1 AT crane, 220-tonne Grove GMK5220 AT crane and 90-tonne Grove RT890E RT crane. These cranes assisted in setting up, pulling down and 58 / CAL September 2018
tailing loads with the main installation cranes. Boom also completed all the component off-loads on the project across the various hardstands using two 200/220-tonne AT cranes, supported by both the 500-tonne LTM1500-8.1 and Boom’s 400-tonne Liebherr LTM1400-7.1 for offloading the 106-tonne nacelles. The tower sections (bottom
to top) comprised: 15.09 metres high, 61.6 tonnes; 21.07 metres, 56.8 tonnes; 24 metres, 49.5 tonnes, and; 25.34 metres, 39.6 tonnes. The nacelle weighed 106 tonnes, with rigging bring the total lift weight to 123 tonnes. The typical lift radius for the Demag in undertaking these lifts was up to 22 metres, with the crane running 40 tonnes on the Superlift tray
to provide lift safety not only in capacity but also in clearances. RESPONSE TO WEATHER CHALLENGES Boom, in seeking to increase efficiency and reduce the impact of inclement weather, adjusted its installation methodology shortly into the project. This change brought about
a significant increase in production for the CC28001, with this crane focusing on full tower installation, followed by the critical nacelle and hub lift. This allowed Boom to quickly move the CC28001 on to the next tower installation, while also allowing for the electrical installation to be completed ahead of the 500-tonne crane installing the blades. This meant that power supply was available for turning the gear on the rotor during the blade installation. This change, made possible only due to Boom having access to the LTM1500-8.1, allowed this crane to be redeployed to focus on blade installation. Its ability to
relocate quickly allowed Boom to take maximum advantage of ideal weather windows and install up to four sets of blades in a single week. The installation method of the AW3000 tower meant that Boom did not have to wait for grout to cure and thus could control its destiny in the installation time and tensioning of the tower sections. Typically the Demag would install four towers, a nacelle and hub in under two days; with Boom continuing to tension tower flanges while the crane was relocated to the next hardstand – an exercise that would typically take half a day, aided by the narrow track functionality of the crane and its ability to walk on the site roads fully rigged.
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
220-tonne Grove offloading a blade from transport
4 4
4
4 4 4
4
4
4 4
4 4
4
4
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Boom, in seeking to increase efficiency and reduce the impact of inclement weather, adjusted its installation methodology shortly into the project. This change brought about a significant increase in production.
The 500-tonne Liebherr used a specialised 22-metre spreader bar purposedesigned for installing the 15.6-tonne AW3000 blades (a 21.5-tonne load when rigging was taken into account). Blades were picked up at between 30 and 40 metre radius, and installed at a 32 metre radius. To enable blade installation, the nacelle must be able to yaw and rotate
the hub to allow sequential blades. This specialist turning equipment was installed by Boom’s team of technicians. As would be expected for a wind farm, strong winds impacted the lift program, particularly in May. The adoption of the 500-tonne Liebherr for blade installation allowed Boom to manage this and meet the commissioning requirements of Acciona.
CRANES IN ACTION Port of Melbourne
TAKING POWER TO LOY YANG Overdimensional Lift & Shift (ODLS) was contracted to receive and deliver a new 250-tonne Hitachi generator/stator from the ship’s hook at the Port of Melbourne to the Loy Yang B Power Station in Traralgon South - a travel distance of approximately 180 kilometres.
INSIDE CONSTRUCTIONHOUSE AD
OFFLOADING AND PREPARATION TO TRAVEL Dutch ocean transport specialist Spliethoff transported the generator/ stator to Melbourne on its vessel Heemskerkgracht and offloaded it in a dual lift with its two 180-tonne capacity NMF heavy lift cargo cranes onto ODLS’ 12-axle platform trailer. This trailer was used to take the cargo to a storage yard at the port, where it was held pending approval for travel to site. It was offloaded for storage using ODLS’ 500-tonne capacity SBL500 gantry lift system (the largest of two owned by ODLS). Once approvals were in
place, the cargo was loaded into the transport cradles and the beam set was built ready for transport through metropolitan Melbourne and on to the Latrobe Valley. ODLS used its 200-tonne Liebherr LTM12005.1 AT crane to assemble the trailer. Each beam comprised 6 x 12-tonne modules and with other equipment attached to the beams, the heaviest lifts approached 100 tonnes. The beam set was supported by 2 x 12-axle Nicolas platform trailers. Two pull and two push heavy haul (block truck) prime movers were required to move the trailer, with an additional
500-tonne gantry lift system setting up to remove the load from the platform trailer. September 2018 CAL / 61
CRANES IN ACTION Port Melbourne
U-turn on the South Gippsland Freeway at Hallam to bypass a bridge.
truck attached for traction as required. The combination was an impressive 130 metres in length, 7.2 metres wide and 5 metres high; with a gross on-road combination weight of 575 tonnes.
Cargo vessel Heemskerkgracht dual lifting the 250-tonne generator/stator at Port of Melbourne with its 180-tonne NML heavy lift cargo cranes 62 / CAL September 2018
THE JOURNEY TO LOY YANG Due to the size and weight of the load, the journey was completed over three nights to avoid inconvenience to the public and provide a safer environment for travel. Approximately 50 personnel were involved in the transport, escort and ancillary services required for the move. This included a crane truck used to place steel plate over culverts and the junction of bridge abutments and beams, where authorities deemed that this was necessary to protect road assets. Night one: This involved negotiating a route through Melbourne’s iconic inner suburbs of South Melbourne, Albert Park and St Kilda, including a visit to Luna Park. The involvement of Yarra Trams, VicRoads, the Department of Economic Development, Victorian Certified Pilots and the traffic management company was required to plan and implement this move, with crews required ahead of and behind the convoy to remove and replace traffic signals and other signs as the convoy wound its way through the suburbs. Contra flow travel was necessary on
some roads; and a U-turn was required on the South Gippsland Freeway at Hallam as the load made its way to the first night’s stop on the Princes Hwy at Officer South Road. Night two: Travel included bypassing culverts, additional contra flow travel on the Princes Freeway at Drouin and the use of a side track to avoid crossing the Buln Buln Road Bridge, which was deemed unsuitable for the load by the authorities. The night’s travel ended at the Yarragon weighbridge. Night three: The load travelled through Trafalgar and crossed over onto the eastbound carriageway of the Princes Freeway at Kenny’s Road before
®
proceeding under traffic control conditions through Moe to the Hearns Oak westbound on ramp, where it left the freeway to travel via designated route OD9 past the Morwell Open Cut Mine, Hazelwood Pondage and the obsolete Hazelwood Power Station to the Loy Yang B site. LOY YANG The beam set was dismantled on the following day using ODLS’s 200-tonne crane, and the SBL500 gantry was used to transfer the stator onto a 12-line platform for relocation to an onsite storage area for unloading by the gantry pending a decision on a suitable time to install it in the power station and commission it.
Placing the load onto a 12-line platform trailer for transport to a storage yard
CRANES IN ACTION Skye Road
4 file SPMT delivering a U trough to the LNL gantry for lifting to height.
the former involving lowering the rail under Camp Road and the latter requiring constructing a rail bridge over Skye Road. The method of construction for the Skye Road project meant that the rail line could remain open for much of the construction period. The twin bridges that replaced the level crossing comprised of 24 concrete U-trough beams each 31 metres long, 6.15 metres wide and weighing 280 tonnes. The component “L” beams were cast and stitched together by North-Vic Constructions in Kilmore to form a complete U trough. These were then loaded onto trailers using two six axle SPMTs. CASTING YARD TO SITE The transport and erection of U troughs took place over an intense work period in the second quarter of 2018. Twenty U troughs were stitched and transported as a whole, while Eight “L” beams were transported and stitched on site. ALE was responsible for transport, and used two 12-axle-line platform trailers (rows of 8 tyres) to support the beams at either end, with a dolly and up to four ballasted prime movers used. To minimise traffic disruption and bypass bridges that could not support the load, a 146 kilometre route involving the Hume Freeway, Metropolitan Ring Road, Greensborough Highway, Eastern Freeway, Eastlink, Peninsula Freeway and local connecting roads was devised by NWPA, VicRoads and other key transport stakeholders. Average travel speed was 20 kilometres per hour, and an overnight stopover point was used to ensure that transport curfews were not breached.
The twin bridges that replaced the level crossing comprised a 24 concrete U-trough beams each 31 metres long, 6.15 metres wide and weighing 280 tonnes.
LNL gantry loading a U trough onto 4 file SPMT with spacer for transport to the bridge structure.
WORLD FIRST ON SKYE ROAD LEVEL CROSSING REPLACEMENT PROJECT The Level Crossing Removal Authority (LXRA) was set up by the Victorian Government to manage a program of removing level crossings to improve road safety and traffic flow.
64 / CAL September 2018
THE SKYE/OVERTON ROAD project in Frankston is a good example of how innovative technologies have been adopted to fast track construction and reduce disruption to the public. The use of Self Propelled Modular Transporter’s (SPMT) and a Lift and Lock (LNL) gantry enabled the Skye Road team to minimise the number and duration of rail occupations required to install the bridges. The North West Program Alliance (NWPA) of John Holland, Kellogg Brown & Root, Metro Trains and the LXRA was awarded the $170 million contract to remove level crossings at Camp Road in Campbellfield and Skye Road in Frankston, with September 2018 CAL / 65
CRANES IN ACTION Skye Road
The single width 16 axle SPMT was used to transport U troughs from the storage trestles to the LNL gantry where they were elevated to a height above their final installation.
Travelling down the rail corridor.
ADVERTISERS HOUSE AD SITE STORAGE On arrival at Skye Rd the trailer suspension travel was used to place the U-troughs on purpose built trestles. ALE supplied two SPMT arrangements for use on site: a single width 16axle line spacer configuration unit (8 axle, spacer, 8 axle) for moving beams around site and a double width 14-axle line spacer configuration (8 axle, spacer, 6 axle) that carried a jacking system for erecting the U-beams. The single width 16 axle SPMT was used to transport U troughs from the storage trestles to the LNL gantry where they were elevated to a height above their final installation. L BEAM HANDLING ON SITE The LNL gantry was used to lift the L-beams off the transport and place them on temporary support blocks while the reinforcing was welded together, and then loaded onto the 16 axle single SPMT for transport to the stitching area. A curing time of five days was required before the stitched U-trough reached strength for erection.
and the SPMT travelled laterally to position the beam between the support piers, after which it was lowered into position through a combination of jacks and stroking of the axles to within a 10mm tolerance. The method of installation from below meant that there was sufficient clearance for around half of the U-beams
to be installed under live power lines – something that is believed to be a world first. In addition to the time savings this erection methodology offered, the Skye Rd team saw benefits in labour and material efficiencies generated by stitching in a constant more controlled environment and a reduced working at heights risk profile.
SPMT wheels turned through 90 degrees for installing the U-beam between the supporting piers.
ERECTION The double width 14 axle erection SPMT was configured for each individual U trough by installing spacer blocks and a jacking system. This SPMT then maneuvered under the LNL gantry with a U trough suspended above and, once lowered and secured, proceeded to carried the U-trough down adjacent the rail corridor until they reached the erection location. The SPMT wheels were turned through 90 degrees 66 / CAL September 2018
September 2018 CAL / 67
IN FOCUS Tyre management
BETTER MONITORING OF TYRES WILL MITIGATE SERIOUS RISKS LSM Technologies’ Peter Woodford tells Jan Arreza why operators should be adopting a risk management approach to develop a documented tyre management plan. WORKING WITH OFF-THEroad tyres for crane and earthmoving machinery can be potentially dangerous due to their large size and mass, magnitude of air or gas pressures, and the presence of combustible materials. And the uncontrolled release of this stored energy can have serious, even fatal consequences. To avoid this, operators should be adopting a risk management approach to develop a documented tyre management plan that is current and specific, with appropriate controls to manage the many risks, according to Peter Woodford, engineering and managing Truck tyre fire.
68 / CAL September 2018
director of LSM Technologies. Pressure in a tyre is critical to its load carrying capacity and fatigue life, said Woodford, and tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) are beneficial in keeping the tyre pressure within its stated pressure envelope. “With tyre pyrolysis, when the air inside a tyre starts to gas up with a volatile form of rubber from being overheated, it will start to create excess pressure on the tyre, which can then ignite and cause an explosion,” said Woodford. “If people really realised just how many crashes and fires have been caused through a lack of maintaining
tyre pressures, it would blow their minds. Thankfully, most passenger vehicles today are automatically fitted with a TPMS, due to it being mandated around the world, just like seatbelts are,” said Woodford. A TPMS consists of pressure and temperature sensors fitted to the tyre that communicate wirelessly with a data collection device in the operator’s cab. The operator can view the temperature and pressure of each tyre on a display in real-time, while data is continuously logged for analysis. Such systems may also incorporate alarms or alerts to warn the driver when pressure and temperature
deviates from the operational range. Remote monitoring and recording may also be available. Woodford said that a good tyre management plan clearly defines the selection, operation, maintenance and disposal of tyres, rims and wheel assemblies. The management of these items requires an integrated risk-based strategy from key departments including management, production, maintenance, supply, occupational health and safety, and the environment. Taking a risk-based approach towards tyre management includes: • Identifying hazards; • Examining information on tyre and rim failures; • Understanding the influence of the operational environment on tyre life and safety assessing and selecting tyres, wheels or rims; • Assessing and preparing storage and work areas; • Selecting and implementing tyre-handling facilities, including plant, tools, equipment, and safety systems of work; • Monitoring and implementing component inspection, maintenance and repair; • Maintaining records; • Understanding mechanisms of tyre fires and explosions;
Incorrect tyre pressure can have serious consequences.
In some cases, things could get fatal unless operators keep on top of their tyres.
• Providing appropriate emergency response capability; and • Ensuring people are competent for the tasks they are assigned. Woodford noted that a common issue one would face has to do with tyre pyrolysis, which is the decomposition of carbonaceous material inside the tyre. Other common causes of over-temperature of tyres include: • A combination of exceeded tyre specifications (speed/load); • Under-pressurisation; • Over use and/or locked brakes; and • A combination of all of the above. Heating of the rubber (inner liner) releases gaseous volatile organic compounds into the air chamber of the tyre and under certain temperature, pressure and concentration conditions, this volatile mix of air and fuel can become an explosive mixture and achieve auto-ignition. Rapid spontaneous combustion typically results in large catastrophic failures with destructive outcomes. Such events can propel debris hundreds of metres and are potentially lethal to any workers in the vicinity, including people in vehicles. Sources of heating that could result in a pyrolysis explosion, according to Woodford, include: • Heating of stuck or ‘frozen’ wheel fasteners; • Welding or grinding of wheel components; • Vehicle coming into contact with high voltage electrical conductors (e.g. engine bay fires, hydraulic fires, electric fires, grass fires in parking area); • Overheating brakes (e.g. due to brake overuse, misuse or
dragging); • Overheating of electric wheel motors; • Gross under-inflation of tyres; • Heat separation (i.e. separation of rubber layers in a tyre, leading to further heating from rubbing friction); and • Overloading or over-speeding of the vehicle (e.g. exceeding its tonne kilometre per hour or load-speed rating). Tyre pyrolysis may be mitigated by: • Ensuring the air in the tyre does not reach auto-ignition temperature; • Reducing the oxygen concentration in the tyre so there is insufficient oxygen to support combustion (e.g. use nitrogen for tyre inflation); • Using a suitable liquid tyre additive; • Monitoring the vehicle’s speed and load using on-board data acquisition and recording systems to help manage driver behaviour to stay within the TKPH rating; and • Using a TPMS to monitor tyre pressure and temperature in real time to detect extreme air pressure or temperature anomalies. The appropriate tyre inflation pressure settings should be determined in conjunction with the tyre manufacture for each application on site, and will depend on the tyre specifications, vehicle type and operation parameters. Woodford said low inflation pressures can damage a tyre in a number of ways, including: • Heat separation caused by over work; • Irregular wear of the tread caused by excessive tread movement; • Separation caused by excessive sidewall distortion; • Friction and chafing caused by distortion of the bead area or slipping of the bead; and • Separation of plies due to high stress between plies. Such damage can cause the tyre to burst suddenly and violently, which is why pressures should be systematically recorded so that leaking or damaged tyres can be identified and changed before they fail catastrophically. It’s for reasons like this that Woodford said TPMS is being increasingly adopted around the world. “While the systems are not mandated yet for industry vehicle tyres, they are being incorporated in many industry guidelines and standards.”
The specialist crew at LSM Technologies can help operators with questions in this space. September 2018 CAL / 69
JUST IN Palfinger
PALFINGER LAUNCH FIRST CRAWLER CRANE Palfinger’s first crawler crane can propel itself on its own stabilisers.
Hydraulic loader crane manufacturer Palfinger has launched its first crane mounted on a crawler chassis at the IAA Commercial Vehicles exhibition in September in Hannover, Germany. WITH THE CRAWLER CRANE PCC, Palfinger offers customers a powerful and flexible lifting solution for situations where a truck would normally have to suffice. “On difficult terrain – for example, when constructing power lines or cable lifts – helicopter transport is normally the only alternative to a truck-mounted crane,” said Michael Hagenauer, Head of Product Division Crawler Cranes, citing one of the typical areas where the new model series is used. “With the PCC, such jobs can be completed safely, efficiently and inexpensively.” The crawler crane operates well on difficult terrain and, steep gradients and being around 40 centimetres narrower than a conventional truck, it offers new lifting potential in confined areas 70 / CAL September 2018
where an extra centimetre can make all the difference. With a knuckle boom that can be angled upwards, high lifting power and compact dimensions, the PCC is well suited for use in urban areas as well as in the industrial and indoor sector. The crawler allows the crane to be quickly repositioned on construction sites as and when necessary. Another advantage is that the crawler and crane can be controlled, transported and operated separately, which is particularly useful in situations where weight restrictions apply. The crane module can also propel itself on its own stabilisers without the crawler – a process also known as “shifting”. According to Palfinger, it is the first crane manufacturer to offer the crane and crawler from a single source. The
three modules (crawler, crane and counterweight) are perfectly matched and can be individually combined and operated optimally for a diverse array of tasks. The PCC has compact dimensions needing a width clearance of between 2 and to 2.2 metres and – minus the crawler – a passenger height of 2.2 to 2.5 metres. Shifting allows the system to be moved through extremely low and confined spaces or be loaded into a container. The crawler chassis is perfect for off-road use, has high ground clearance and can climb gradients of up to 60 per cent. When the crane is used off-road, depending on the support width, slope gradients of 8° to 20° can be levelled out due to the long and particularly robust support feet. This ensures ultra-high lifting capacities
and universal usability, even on difficult terrain. The Palfinger Crawler Crane PCC is available in three models: the PCC 57.002 has a maximum reach of 29.5 metres, a maximum lifting height of 32 metres and a maximum lifting capacity of 17.9 tonnes. The slightly more powerful model, the PCC 71.002, has a reach of 31.6 metres, a maximum lifting height of 34 metres and a maximum lifting capacity of 19.1 tonnes. The most powerful model is the PCC 115.002, which has a reach of 33.3 metres, a maximum lifting height of 35.8 metres and a lifting capacity of up to 30 tonnes. Numerous pieces of additional equipment such as workman baskets, vacuum lifters, pipe manipulators and grippers are available for all models. Models PCC 71.002 and PCC 115.002 are available; model PCC 57.002 will be in spring 2019. For further information www.palfinger.com.au
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