Crawler crane completes Brazilian steel plant work

Work at the 52-year-old Usiminas steel plant, located in the mountains in Cubatão, included the installation of a new 104m chimney tower, new lattice steel structures, and maintenance on a dome-shaped roof.

Centro Técnico de Manutenção Industrial (CTM), overseeing the project, hired the Manitowoc 18000 from Guindastes Tatuapé.

The crane was rigged with 91.4m of boom and was required to operate in restricted space, with steel mill piping structures leaving 22m of room in which to manoeuvre. The 10m tail swing of the crane enabled it to navigate the limited space while still providing sufficient capacity.

"The crane performed flawlessly due to its compact footprint and robust body, which kept the lifts stabilized and precise," said Marcelo Monteiro, sales manager at Guindastes Tatuapé.