Features Archive

Big changes
16 March 2020 The last ten years have been very challenging for large crawler manufacturers, reports Stuart Anderson, president of Chortsey Barr. But, these tough conditions have prompted innovation, offering users more flexibility.

Lifting from below
16 March 2020 While the use of cranes underground may be limited, when they are used, specific adaptations are often required. Ian Vallely spoke to tunnelling experts about their requirements, and crane companies who’ve met these demands.

Fast growth
16 March 2020 Mini crane manufacturer Hoeflon has changed multiple premises in its 14-year history, as demand for its cranes kept exceeding the capacity of its facilities. Sotiris Kanaris met export manager David Fokker at the company’s new headquarters.

Design for purpose
16 March 2020 Sotiris Kanaris visits Nooteboom’s manufacturing plant and talks to Harm van de Logt, sales manager for Benelux, about the company’s products for the crane industry.

Game changer
16 March 2020 After years of development, Mammoet’s Focus is currently being fabricated. Sotiris Kanaris visited the company’s office in Schiedam, the Netherlands, and talked to Jacques Stoof, global director market development and innovation, about the new crane.

Folding to fit
16 March 2020 Will North visited PM’s facility in Castelfranco, Italy, and spoke to Giuseppe Ceraolo, product manager, about global demand for articulated cranes, Manitex’s acquisition of the Italian company, and Tadano’s subsequent investment in the US firm.

On land and water
16 March 2020 In Gothenburg, a Skanska MT Højgaard joint venture used a floating sheerleg and land-based crawler in tandem to lift sections of the new Hisingsbron, or Hisingen bridge.

Bring the light
07 February 2020 As countries around the world look for low carbon energy generation, the traditional power sources of coal and gas may be losing favour but that’s not to say they are on the literal or metaphorical scrap heap yet. Keren Fallwell reports.

Trading places
07 February 2020 There are often good business reasons to consider buying second-hand rather than new cranes, although the market remains steady at best and sluggish at worst, reports Ian Vallely.

The new 'small'
07 February 2020 Drawing on the exclusive data collected by his firm Chortsey Barr Associates, Stuart Anderson explains the history of small all terrains, and current sales in the 55-60t capacity class.

The way ahead
07 February 2020 In December, Will North visited Manitowoc’s Shady Grove, Pennsylvania plant, and learned how the company is working to deliver new cranes in a rapid development cycle.

Lifting with a view
07 February 2020 A Liebherr LTM 1130-5.1 mobile crane was used to erect a container village in the Swiss Alps for the workers and specialists involved in a dam wall construction project.

Carrying the weight of the world
10 January 2020 One of the most anticipated events of the year will be the Expo 2020, which will take place in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The event will open in October and run for 173 days, during which attendees will have the chance to explore 192 country pavilions.

Beyond Oil
10 January 2020 Think Middle East, and you think oil. But many other sectors in the region need lifting gear, as Julian Champkin discovers.

A real alternative?
10 January 2020 Telehandlers are increasingly being used on construction sites, sometimes doing jobs previously performed by small mobile cranes. Their continuous technological evolution is playing a part in it. Sotiris Kanaris reports.

How low can you go?
10 January 2020 Julian Champkin talks to manufaturers about the competing advantages of flat-tops and hammerheads, and the emerging new class of low-tops.

Miner player
10 January 2020 From an apprenticeship in Doncaster’s coal mines, to CEO of one of the world’s leading tower crane manufacturers, Duncan Salt’s career shows the opportunity offered by the crane industry. Will North spoke to him at the company’s HQ in Switzerland.

Shuffling the deck
10 January 2020 ConExpo has dealt a new hand to visitors and exhibitors at this year’s show: the outdoor Gold and Silver lots attendees are used to are being replaced by a new lot, in a new location.

Powering the future
10 January 2020 Two Liebherr LR 11350 crawler cranes were used to erect the prototype of the most powerful offshore wind turbine in the world in the Dutch port of Rotterdam.

Convergent evolution
13 December 2019 At ConExpo in 2017, Faymonville announced it would acquire Cometto. With the three-year anniversary of the deal coming up in 2020, Will North spoke to Cometto head of sales Giovanni Monti about the integration of the Italian company.