Link-Belt to distribute Faun ATs

Link-Belt Construction Equipment and Tadano have signed a supply agreement for Link-Belt to buy Tadano Faun's German-built all-terrain cranes for sales in the North America market.

The first crane to be supplied in this agreement will be the five-axle 110t-rated Tadano Faun ATF 100-5. Link-Belt, which has tested the crane to SAE standards, is badging it as the ATC-3130, rated at 130 US ton. It will be shown on the Link-Belt stand at the Conexpo show in Las Vegas this month and deliveries will begin in May.

The supply agreement provides for a complete line of all-terrain cranes to be sold under the Link-Belt brand name, with additional models being added in the near future.

Signing of this supply agreement is the first milestone in the development of the strategic global alliance that was announced in May 2001 by the three Japanese manufacturers Sumitomo (Link-Belt's parent company), Tadano and Hitachi.

That announcement also stated that Tadano Faun would supply telescopic components to Link-Belt. However, the new style of boom adopted by Link-Belt for its latest rough terrain model, the 100 US ton rated RTC-80100 (featured on last month's cover), was not supplied by Faun, Link-Belt says, but was designed and produced at its own facility in Lexington, Kentucky.

Tadano America will continue to sell Tadano Faun ATs in the USA.

Along with the Faun-built ATC-3130 and the RTC-80100, Link-Belt will also exhibit at Conexpo the first model in a new line of truck cranes with improved off-road ability. The HTT series, 'hydraulic truck terrain,' differs from Link-Belt's HTC telescopic truck cranes in that the carrier has rear drive/steer planetary axles with cross axle differentials to improve manoeuvrability Three HTT models are offered: the HTT-8660, rated at 60 US ton; the HTT-8670, rated at 70 US ton; and a long boom version of the HTT-8670. A regular HTT-8670 will be at Conexpo.

The other three cranes on Link-Belt's stand at the show will be lattice boom crawlers: the 50 US ton (45t) LS-108H II; the 110 US ton (100t) LS-218H II with a new luffing attachment; and the LS-308H II, also rated at 110 US ton (100t) but designed for duty cycle work.