Kobelco’s 7200 takes on the 888

Europe is fast becoming the battleground where the leading North American and Japanese crawler crane manufacturers meet head to head. Kobelco, the largest manufacturer of crawler cranes in the world, has recently launched its new 200t capacity 7200 and is mounting an all-out attack on the established North American market-leader in that capacity – the Manitowoc 888.

The 888 is the biggest selling 200t-capacity crane in the western world. Launched in 1995 at the Bauma trade show in Munich, Germany, the 888 has proved to be Manitowoc’s fastest-selling crane, reaching the 200th shipment more quickly than the manufacturer’s previous best – the 4100W.

Both Manitowoc and Kobelco sell most of their cranes in their respective domestic markets. But with the Japanese market having shrunk, Kobelco now needs to redouble its export efforts, firstly in Europe and then North America. The 7200 is not yet available on Manitowoc’s home turf in North America until sometime next year. When it is launched there, it will be designated CK2000.

In the battle of the 200 tonners, the Kobelco machine should have the advantage. Having just come to market, the 7200 has the benefit of four years of technological development as well as having the luxury of benchmarking against the 888. However, it would appear that in many areas the two machines are quite evenly matched.

When launched, the 888 was a new generation, modern machine so there is little difference between transmissions and drives, says John Sheppard-Jones, managing director of Manitowoc Europe. “We see the main advantage of the Manitowoc is the build quality and the number of proven machines in the market, resulting in high resale value. The 888 also has various boom combinations and attachments as well as interchangeability with other Manitowoc models.” Of the 200 model 888s that have been sold, only 10% have found their way into Europe. Within four months of completion of design, 11 units of the 7200 have been built and sold worldwide, including seven in Europe, making it the most popular 200t crawler crane in Europe this year. Baldwins Industrial Services in the UK has taken six units and one has gone to Van Oorschot Cranes in the Netherlands. Outside Europe, three 7200s are at work in Japan, and one is in Hong Kong with Gammon Construction.

“Kobelco is the largest manufacturer of crawler cranes in the world and with the 7200 we are confident we have produced another clear winner‚ which like its stable-mate the popular 7150, will become an industry standard,” says Tsutomu Kimura, managing director of Kobelco Construction Machinery (Europe). “We expect to produce between 20 and 30 units of this model per year and we are confident that the 7200 is fast on its way to becoming the most popular 200t crawler crane in the world.” Weighing about 200t, and fitted with a heavy-lift boom which can be extended from 15.2m to 64m – in 3m, 6m and 9m sections – the 7200 has a maximum lifting capacity of 200t at 4.5m radius. Two alternative light-boom configurations are available, up to 88.4m long or to 76.3m with a jib extension of 30.5m giving a maximum lift height of 100m.

Manitowoc has two versions of the 888. The Series-1 machine weighs in at 154t and has a shorter maximum boom length of 79.2m. Maximum lift capacity is 196.8t at 4.6m. The Series-2 model weighs 190t, has a similar maximum boom length of 88.4m, and can lift 208.6t at the same 4.6m radius. Maximum boom and fixed jib lengths are 64m + 24.4m and 76.2m + 24.4m respectively.

With its maximum boom, luffing jib and fixed jib the Series-2 machine has a 131.1m maximum reach. One advantage of the 888’s 22E and 22EL boom is that it can use inserts from the No.22 boom used worldwide on the Manitowoc 4100W and 4000W.

Looking at the standard lifting performance of the 7200 with a 76.3m main boom (light boom 1) compared with the Manitowoc 888 Series-2 fitted with an 88.4m long 22EL boom, each machine has its advantages. At close radius, the Manitowoc tends to have a slight advantage which increases with boom length.

For example, fitted with a 21.3m boom, the 888 can lift 174.9t at 5.5m radius, compared to the 7200’s 162t. With 76.2m of boom and working at 15m radius, the 888 can lift 38.9t against the 7200’s 26.5t – nearly 50% more.

At medium radii for each boom length, performance is similar. However as the load moves away, it is the Kobelco that gains the upper hand. Again comparing the 21.3m boom length, the 7200 can lift 46t at 18m, while the 888 can manage just 41.9t. This performance gain by the Kobelco increases so that when using 76.2m of boom at 58m radius, the Kobelco can lift 6.2t against the 888’s 2.4t – 258% more.

Manitowoc has many capacity enhancing attachments. When fitted with a Ringer (invented and patented by Manitowoc) the 888 has a maximum capacity of 600t and has a maximum boom length of 130m.

At the heart of the 888 is a 246kW Cummins M11 diesel. Closed loop hydraulic power transmission allows each function to be operated independently at variable speed. The hydraulic system has six pumps – one for each hoisting drum, one for the boom hoist, one for swing and one for each crawler. From an operator’s viewpoint, the rubber cushion mounted cab is a fully enclosed module with acoustic insulation. Modulating electronic-over-hydraulic controls provide infinite speed response directly proportional to control lever movement. Controls include Manitowoc’s EPIC system, with microprocessor-driven control logic, pump control, on-board diagnostics and service information.

Power for the 7200 comes from a 12 litre, six-cylinder Mitsubishi turbocharged diesel, developing 220kW – 26kW less than the 888. This engine drives a multiple pump system with four variable-displacement piston pumps for all main crane and propulsion circuits, plus two supplementary gear pumps for control systems and auxiliary circuits.

Two fundamental aspects of the 7200’s design were to create a structure to give class-beating lifting performance together with easy transport and set-up. Its new main frame and undercarriage design concentrates the centre of gravity extremely low down and also enables each of the major assemblies to be dismantled into units weighing no more than 35t, and of a size which fits easily into standard containers. With its self-jacking undercarriage and hydraulically actuated pins for main boom and crawler-frame, the machine can be set up in three hours by a team of four people. Another feature which greatly assists setting up is the swing-away cab which by the simple removal of two pins, enables the cab to be swung forward on its centrally mounted arm, reducing the overall width of the upper structure from 3.76m to 3.2m. There is no need to disconnect any cab controls or instrumentation for this operation. This kind of self-assembly is a technology pioneered by Manitowoc. Lessons have clearly been learnt.

For Dirk Benschop, managing director of Kobelco distributor HD Cranes in Moerdigk, Holland, the lifting chart is the 7200’s “biggest selling feature”. He says: “At a short radius the 888 is not beaten but as the radius increases the 7200’s advantage increases. Also, as world leader of crawler cranes, Kobelco’s size and total crane capacity means that delivery times are far superior to the competition. We had a recent order for 5 units quoted delivery in 6 weeks.

“I think the Kobelco 7200 is the best crane ever produced,” Benschop adds. “There is not a single item on the crane that needs changing.” The 888, however, remains the most popular 200t crane in Europe, in terms of total units sold. “The EPIC microprocessor system gives the operator extremely fine control, designs are rugged and there is usually plenty of performance in hand,” says Manitowoc’s Sheppard-Jones.

“The self-erect system is the best in the industry and is as fast as any other machine. And the machine can also be broken down into easily transportable pieces. We have been in Europe for 30 years and therefore have a very strong after sales network – a very important factor in the purchase decision.” There are so many factors which affect purchase decisions, including performance, price, service back-up, reliability, longevity and resale values. Each customer has his own priorities.

So which is best? The established Manitowoc 888 clearly has many fans but Kobelco’s 7200 and other models in its range are making strong inroads into Europe. Currency fluctuation certainly makes a huge difference when dealing with purchase figures of around $1.2m. At the moment the new Kobelco 7200 package seems to be impressing the European buyers. Richard Baldwin, chairman of Baldwins, explains why he chose the 7200: “They have duties that far out-lift the nearest competitor and they are remarkably easy to set up and user-friendly to operate. They are the state of the art in 200 tonne crawler cranes.” No doubt Manitowoc will hit back with a vengeance.