Features Archive
Archive of features from the global cranes industryFeatures By Date
November 2020
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Simple can be beautiful
Julian Champkin looks at the knuckleboom market and finds that though sophistication can be sought-after, and increasing size brings new roles, there is still a demand for the basic and simple.
On the comeback trail
Fibre ropes of one kind or another have been used for millennia before iron took over. Steel wire has enjoyed a monopoly in some sectors for almost two centuries. But is fibre about to mount a historic comeback? Simon Hastelow reports.
Past and future
Alexander Jost, managing director of tower crane manufacturer Jost Cranes, talks to Sotiris Kanaris about the company’s past, present and future.
Focus on technology
BKL has grown to become one of the largest crane rental companies in Europe. CEO Jörg Hegestweiler talks to Sotiris Kanaris about the company’s strategy and trends in the German market.
A change for the better
Sotiris Kanaris talks to Jens Ennen—CEO at Tadano Demag GmbH and Tadano Faun GmbH—about the two companies’ restructuring program and strategy. Tadano Demag’s Frank Schröder, director product management all terrain cranes, and Vincent Stenger, product manager telecrawlers, discuss the latest product innovations.
New player
Italian aerial work platform and earth moving equipment manufacturer Palazzani Industrie has officially entered the crane market, with the launch of the RPG spider crane range.
October 2020
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It's all about self
The self-erecting crane has long been familiar in Europe, often used for low-rise building projects. But in the US, boomtrucks and other cranes occupy that niche. Julian Champkin asks why the self-erector has not penetrated that market.
Crane, camera, action
Crane mounted camera systems are no longer considered to be purely an operator aid; they have just about become the default minimum standard for many contractors and crane rental companies. Contractors are embracing the technology to boost productivity, using analytics to monitor and document crane operations. Simon Hastelow reports.
Cranes got game
Cranes of different capacities and types have been deployed for stadium projects around the world over the past year. Sotiris Kanaris reports.
Moving swiftly
In the March issue of the magazine, we covered part of the construction of the Hisingsbron vertical-lift bridge in Gothenburg, Sweden, by the Skanska MT Højgaard joint venture. The article at the time focused on the lifting of bridge sections.
September 2020
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Winners and losers
Lattice boom crawler manufacturers have recently updated and enhanced their portfolio, but for classes that competition from telecrawlers is lower. Sotiris Kanaris focuses on the market for capacities of 300t and lower.
Tread Softly
Ground can give way and the results can be catastrophic. It is not only soft ground that needs mats or outrigger pads before it can support the weight of a crane lifting a load. Julian Champkin investigates.
Time and Money
Stuart Anderson, president of Chortsey Barr Associates, analyses the challenges crane companies face to comply with Covid-19 safety guidelines and finds that certain crane types offer lower contamination possibilities than others.
Survey: Impact On Rental
Cranes Today asked crane rental companies from around the world how their business has been impacted by Covid-19 and their expectations for the next six months.
Superior lifts
Superior Cranes of Rockingham, North Carolina, has used its brand new 1,250t (1,375USt) Demag CC 6800-1 for a challenging job at a petrochemical plant in Virginia.
August 2020
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The strongest of all
The market for all terrains with capacities of 400t or higher is served by a small number of players, who continuously enhance and update their offering. Sotiris Kanaris reports.
Northern Lifts
From lifting trees to installing wind turbines, from city centres to mountain tops, crane companies in Scandinavia have been busy in recent months. Sotiris Kanaris reports.
Minis get big ideas
Mini and spider cranes are increasingly being used for glazing and cladding jobs, previously served by larger, more expensive machines. Julian Champkin reports.
The Strong, Silent Type
German company Krandienst Kunze sent its Liebherr MK 88 Plus mobile construction crane to Dresden’s old town district to replace parts of a shopping centre’s glass roof.
July 2020
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Turning point
With a number of new entrants, the small market for hydraulic luffers has become crowded in the last few years. Is the evolution of this market posing a threat to traditional luffers? Sotiris Kanaris reports.
