The reflex reaction when considering lifting in the Middle East is to think ‘oil.’ Certainly many cranes are being used for that purpose but some truly astonishing infrastructure and high-rise projects characterise the region as well. Manufacturers are, of course, keen to supply cranes for the jobs.
China is one country making a determined effort to increase its penetration and market share in the Middle East. In August 2023 Xuzhou Construction Machinery Group (XCMG) officially opened its Saudi Arabia subsidiary company in Riyadh. In August 2024, after just a year of operation, it completed a bulk delivery of its flagship XCA160H cranes, in customised special paint schemes, to the Middle East market.
XCMG describes the despatch as ‘strategic’ and as ‘reinforcing global leadership.’ The despatch ‘underscores XCMG’s deep understanding of regional requirements’ it claims. ‘This delivery is part of our broader strategy to strengthen its presence in key international markets.’
TAILORED ALL TERRAIN
The XCA160H is a highperformance all-terrain crane that has been tailored specifically to the Middle Eastern market.
The machines have been engineered with advanced features designed to withstand the extreme temperatures and working environments of the region. They have enhanced cooling systems, dust-proofing, and specialised coatings to protect against sandstorms and high heat, with the aim of ensuring reliable operation throughout the year.
A distinctive special livery reflects the client’s corporate identity – but, as XCMG points out, it also enhances its own brand visibility on construction sites across the region.
“We are profoundly gratified to present these custom-crafted cranes to our esteemed partners in the Middle East,” said a senior XCMG executive. “This endeavour underscores our unwavering dedication to delivering premium products [that are] tailored to the specific requirements of international markets. We eagerly anticipate deepening our engagement with the region and nurturing enduring collaborations with our esteemed clients.”
Another Chinese manufacturer, Zoomlion, has also just enjoyed a bulk delivery to the UAE where a customer has placed an order for over 50 units.
The order primarily comprises rough terrain cranes, but also includes its showcase 1600 tonne capacity ZCC18000 crawler crane. Zoomlion says once the ZCC18000 arrives in the region it will be the largest crawler in the UAE. This, it claims, is ‘a true testament to our unmatched strength and the trust of our customers in the region’.
Zoomlion has been actively visiting the region over July and August as part of its Global Service Tour – where 14 teams of service engineers have been going to key markets around the globe.
Zoomlion also held a recent product launch event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which, it claims, is leading to contracts worth over 32 million USD (with approximately half of this going to concrete machinery contracts).
The event showcased a range of new products specifically designed for the local market, including construction cranes, tower cranes, concrete machinery, and earthmoving machinery. These products were optimised for Saudi Arabia’s high temperatures and unique conditions. Zoomlion says the launch represents a significant milestone for it in the Saudi market.
SANY’S STRATEGIC EXPANSION
At the end of July Chinese manufacturer Sany announced the opening of a new branch in Abha, Saudi Arabia. Like Zoomlion, it says the expansion marks a ‘significant milestone’; for Sany, this ‘in its commitment to providing top-tier construction and heavy machinery products and services to customers in the region’ and the move is part of what it describes as a ‘strategic expansion in the Middle Eastern market’.
The new branch is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, says Sany, including an advanced service centre with the latest diagnostic and repair tools, an extensive stock of spare parts, and a team of highly trained technicians. As such the Riyadh Operation Center is equipped to handle a wide range of customer needs from maintenance to emergency repairs. It also has a showroom.
Sany says the new branch means it is now ‘better positioned to meet the growing demands of our clients in the southern region of Saudi Arabia’. “This facility is not just a hub for operations; it’s a bridge to closer partnerships with our clients in Saudi Arabia and the broader Middle East region,” says Mr, TAN, President of Sany Middle East.
One way it aims to meet its client’s needs is through what it describes as ‘enhanced after-sales support’. Sany says this includes free labour fees until the end of the warranty period, minimal service charges post-warranty, and what it claims as the largest stock of spare parts in the Middle East at competitive prices. Sany also points to the accessibility of the new branch – a strategic decision designed to help provide fast service and support.
MULTIPLE BULK ORDERS
Chinese companies are far from alone in actively seeking to increase their participation in this booming, and lucrative, market.
In the first quarter of the year Saudi Liebherr Co., Liebherr’s Saudi Arabian subsidiary, cemented the largest order in the history of its business. It was from the Saudi company Arabian Machinery & Heavy Equipment Co. (AMHEC) and was for no fewer than 55 new Liebherr all-terrain cranes. The cranes are of lifting capacities from 100 to 800 tonnes and range from five axles up to nine. The nine-axle machine, the LTM 1750 – 9.1 (which has 800t capacity), in particularly notable.
“We already have numerous cranes with a lifting capacity between 50 and 500 tonnes,” explains Abdullah Al-Suwaiket, chief executive officer at AMHEC. “We are now proud to complete our fleet with a nine-axle crane so that we can fulfil orders for our customers.”
AMHEC uses its cranes throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for industrial lifting jobs and many other applications. “We serve a wide variety of tasks in Saudi Arabia,” he says. “To take account of these different areas of application, and the requirements of its major customers, AMHEC ordered its cranes with the maximum possible number of driven axles, and with the ‘emergency package’ for the highest level of safety.”
AMHEC is not the only Saudibased company making a bulk order from Liebherr. Crane and heavy haulage company Arabian Consolidated Trading (ACT) placed a major order in December 2023. It was for 18 new cranes with lifting capacities ranging from 100 to 150 tonnes. Long-term partnership, safety, and after-sales service were, says ACT, key factors in the purchase decision.
RETURN ON INVESTMENT
ACT bought its first crane from Liebherr back in 1987 and now operates over 190 of the company’s machines. The new order is for three LRT 1100-2.1 rough-terrain cranes and 15 all-terrain cranes – of which seven are LTM 1120-4.1s and eight are LTM 1150-5.3s. “The LRT rough terrain cranes convinced us with their simplicity,” says CEO Mohammed Hassan Al Naimi. “They are self-explanatory and at the same time very safe to use.”
The 120-tonne LTM 1120-4.1 crane is the most powerful fouraxle crane on the market and has the longest boom in its class, says Liebherr.
Al Naimi explains the reasoning behind the purchase of the LTM 1150-5.3 machines: “An important factor for us there is the longer 66-metre telescopic boom compared to the LTM 1160-5.2. The 150-tonne crane is the perfect addition to our fleet.
One of the main application areas for the new cranes will be refineries, where high safety standards are required. “With Liebherr cranes, we can be sure of generating a good return on our investment,” Al Naimi says. “That is, of course, important to us.”
And in July this year Liebherr announced that Al Askar Group had placed an order for 26 used all-terrain cranes with lifting capacities between 50 and 110 tonnes. The smallest of the 26 mobile cranes is an LTM 1050-3.1, the largest is an LTM 1110-5.1.
As agreed with Al Askar, all the cranes will be fully refurbished in Germany and painted in brilliant white, before delivery to Saudi Arabia. Mohammed Al Askar explains: “These relatively new used cranes are equivalent to new cranes once they have been refurbished. Their performance data and technical features are up-to-date. We look forward to having all 26 LTM mobile cranes in our fleet by the end of the year… The value retention and durability of Liebherr mobile cranes is an important factor.”
Al Askar will use its cranes mainly for general industrial jobs.
FACTORY FIRST
Wolffkran is doing more than sell its cranes in bulk to Saudi Arabia; it will soon be building them there.
In February it announced plans for a new joint venture with Saudi-based Zamil Group, one of the largest investment holding companies, with the aim of opening a Wolffkran production facility in Saudi Arabia.
This will be the first tower crane manufacturing plant in the entire Middle East, Wolffkran says, and will supply Wolff cranes not only to the Saudi Arabian market but to the entire MENA region.
There is more: the JV plans also to build up a rental fleet of 300 Wolff tower cranes to hire out to contractors.
Wolffkran currently has two production sites – Plant Heilbronn and Plant Luckau – both in Germany. The plans were unveiled during the Private Sector Forum in February 2024 in Riyadh. The forum was hosted by the Public Investment Fund as a platform for industry leaders and investors to discuss and collaborate on key issues and opportunities within the private sector.
Zamil Group was established in 1920 by Sheikh Abdullah Zamil. The long-established family business based in Khobar has a wide local network and many years of experience in the construction, real estate, and steel construction sectors. With the tower crane division the company is adding another line of business to its portfolio. Originally a small trading company, it has grown significantly over the past few decades, expanding into various industries and playing a key role in the development of Saudi Arabia’s economy in sectors such as petrochemicals, steel fabrication and air conditioning. Today it is one of the largest private sector companies in the Middle East.
“Saudi Arabia is currently experiencing a construction boom and we are proud to be pioneering this dynamic market with local tower crane production,” said Duncan Salt, CEO of Wolffkran, at the signing of the contract in Riyadh.
The two partners are currently looking for a suitable location for the state-of-the-art production facility, which will produce around 150 luffing jib and trolley cranes per year exclusively for the MENA region. “We will continue to manufacture for our core markets in Europe and the USA at our two established sites in Germany. The new production facility will operate completely independently of the German sites,” says Salt.
“We have already received numerous inquiries from local construction companies for major projects,” adds Dr. Mohamed Abouelezz, head of business development and product management at Wolffkran. “Whether Riyadh in the centre, Dammam in the east, or the newly emerging Neom region in the northwest, the order books in the entire region are full and the first rental cranes are already on their way.”
This, too, is a strategic expansion: Wolffkran has been active in the Arabian Peninsula together with Roots Group Arabia Co. since 2009. At the end of 2023, Wolffkran founded Wolffkran for Equipment in Riyadh, a branch that will primarily focus on the service and rental of Wolff cranes.
Wolffkran and the Zamil Group intend to invest about one billion Saudi riyals (around 250 million euros) in the joint venture. A company name for the new joint venture are to be found soon, Wolffkran says.
QATAR MEGAPROJECTS
In March Tadano announced a significant delivery of seven truck cranes to Qatar. Galfar Al Misnad Engineering and Contracting is the buyer.
The procurement includes one Tadano GT-300EL (30 tonnes lifting capacity), five Tadano GT-600EL (60 tonnes), and one Tadano GT-750EL (which has a capacity of 75 tonnes).
Galfar Al Misnad is a prominent conglomerate in the construction industry renowned for its execution of mega projects which span railways, stadiums, energy centres, infrastructure, and massive oil and gas ventures.
Three such projects were the rationale behind the latest order.
Satish G. Pillai, executive director at Galfar Al Misnad, highlighted them: “Galfar was awarded three prestigious projects from Qatar Energy,” he said. “To efficiently execute these projects for them we opted for a package of seven Tadano truck cranes.”
The cranes are intended to significantly improve Galfar Al Misnad’s business operations. “With these brand-new cranes, apart from our ongoing projects, we anticipate deploying them for future endeavours, thereby bolstering our capabilities and reinforcing our commitment to excellence in project delivery.”
The deployment of the seven Tadano truck cranes is already underway, with immediate integration into projects in the oil and gas sector.
Manitowoc’s Grove is another brand that can point to a very large bulk order. In February this year Kuwait-headquartered Integrated Logistics Company (ILC) received 31 Grove all-terrain cranes. In 2023 it received 20 GMK4100L-2 all terrains. This makes it the largest owner of this model in the Middle East.
The company added, at the same time, ten GMK6300L-1 cranes, and its first GMK5250XL-1.
All the new cranes will be based at the company’s branches in Kuwait and Qatar. Oil and gas operations will be their main assignments. The abilities of the GMK4100L-2 make it wellsuited for tasks at refineries, says Manitowoc: refinery work typically requires access to tight spaces, so the compact size of the GMK4100L-2 is a major asset. It has an overall length of just 13.21 m and width of 2.55 m, even when carrying up to 21.2 tonnes of counterweight. Combined with the standard 8x6x8 axle arrangement this allows operators to work with ease while taking full advantage of its compact operating radius, says Manitowoc. The crane may be used on major construction projects as well.
The 300 tonne, six-axle GMK6300L-1 also offers load charts that fit for refinery work. It is just over four metres longer than the GMK4100L-1, at 17.6 m and three metres wide. It has a seven-section Megaform boom; with this extended to 80 m it can handle 14 t at a radius of up to 28 m. At its maximum, the crane can handle 1.7 t at 74 m radius. For construction work, where loads must be elevated even higher, its hydraulically adjustable 37 m fly jib boosts reaches 120 m.
The 250 tonne capacity Grove GMK5250XL-1 has a 78.5 metre five-axle boom. For extra reach there’s a 17.8 metre bi-fold swingaway extension that can be lengthened to 33.8 metres with additional inserts for a maximum overall lift height of 109 metres. The load chart includes the ability to lift 9.9 tonnes out to a 22 metres radius with main boom fully extended.
“We are seeing stronger demand in the region and we’re aiming for even bigger successes in future,” says Sudheesh Mohan, Manitowoc’s regional sales manager for the Middle East.
SEVENTIETH SALE
Raimondi is another tower crane manufacturer expanding its presence in the region and September 2024 saw it sell its 70th machine in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Deployed across different provinces they are supporting projects in healthcare, hospitality, residential, education, and critical infrastructure development.
“The tower crane sector is experiencing a surge of demand in Saudi, fuelled by the economic diversification efforts outlined in Vision 2030,” says Wael Hasan, general manager, Raimondi Middle East. “The Kingdom, positioned as a hub for construction innovation and growth, is a valuable market with advanced planning.
“This newest milestone is a great moment for us; we’re looking at the next several years in Saudi as very favourable for the heavy machinery segment.”
Five of Raimondi’s LR231 luffing jib cranes are at work on one of Dubai most renowned projects: a new residential high-rise at the intersection of Downtown Dubai and Business Bay. The building spans 1,423 million square feet and 1,030 units across two towers and is set to become a prominent addition to the city’s skyline. The LR213 cranes have been chosen for their 14 tonne maximum lifting capacity and flexibility.
“By renting these five Raimondi LR213s we continue to prove our strong flow of commercial activity and active involvement in the development of the region,” says Hasan. “Participating in this high-profile project underscores our fleet reliability and efficiency, while reflecting our commitment to providing solutions that cater to complex urban construction projects.”
Installed in Q2 of 2024, the LR213s are all currently freestanding at 45m with jib lengths ranging between 44.5m and 55m. Based on site progression, four of the five luffers will be externally climbed to reach heights of 145m and 190m. Equipped with a 55kW hoisting winch with a drum capacity of 880m, the cranes lift at a maximum speed up to 104 metres per minute.
“The LR213 has been selected to meet the specific requirements of the project’s contractor while avoiding collision and overfly of surrounding properties, making it ideal for high-rise construction in densely populated areas,” says Hasan. The same model has helped in the development of similar projects across the UAE.
The 14 tonne model offers great lifting capacities and flexibility, facilitating the efficient handling of heavy materials and components, streamlining the construction process and enhancing site safety.
The cranes were installed with meticulous planning. “Considering the congested site location we carefully evaluated each stage of the installation process, from components arriving onsite at night to early morning installations. The positioning of each machine has been studied to reduce contractor’s costs with each LR213 supporting the installation, and subsequently dismantling, of the others,” Hasan concluded. The LR213s will remain onsite for around 18 to 22 months.
Meanwhile three Raimondi MRT159 flat-top tower cranes are at work constructing a 25-storey residential building in one of the Dubai’s fastest growing districts, Jumeriah Village Circle. Installed in March, the cranes will remain onsite for around 18 months.
Erected with jib lengths ranging between 38m and 44m, the MRT159s are currently freestanding at heights of 51m, 45m, and 42m. With a maximum lifting capacity of 8t, the machines are equipped with a 45kW hoisting gear, lifting at a maximum speed of 136m/min and have a drum capacity of 840m.
Erected within a day, one of the key characteristics of the MRT159 is ease of installation; the model arrives onsite with all parts preassembled, ropes passed and rope connections installed, all of which facilitated field procedures.
“Based on site progression, each machine will be climbed in three stages to reach the final heights of 102m, 105m, and 111m; these operations will be carried out by our team,” says Hasan.
As countries across the Middle East push forward with energy and construction megaprojects aligned with national visions the demand for high-performance cranes is increasing, promising a bright future for the sector. Manufacturers around the world are capitalising on this opportunity with their strategic expansion efforts underscoring the importance of the Middle East market within the global construction industry.
AL FARIS CARRIES OUT TANDEM LIFT OF LONG PIPES
Al Faris is one of the leading lifting and special transport specialists in the region. Among recent projects has been a tandem lift at Dammam Port in KSA. Al Faris Group completed a tandem lift of long pipe piles each with a maximum weight of 70 tonnes ad 56 metres long. Two 500t heavy-duty cranes, the LTM1750 and LTM11200, were used for the operation. Tandem lifting is a complex process that requires precise planning and coordination, especially when handling long pipe piles like these.
At the Umm Al Quwain fabrication yard in the UAE Al Faris used its 400-tonne crawler crane to lift deck accommodation blocks weighing up to 110 tonnes. And at Jebel Ali port it relocated and installed a 100-tonne Carousel foundation using two 18-axle SPMTs and two mobile cranes, with capacities of 700-tonnes and 800-tonnes, each with luffing jibs.
ZAHID APPOINTED AS SAUDI DISTRIBUTOR FOR TEREX ROUGH TERRAIN CRANES
In February Terex Rough Terrain Cranes announced Zahid Tractor & Heavy Machinery Co. (Zahid Tractor) as its authorised distributor for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Effective immediately, Zahid Tractor will offer Terex Rough Terrain Cranes’ complete portfolio of and provide local parts, service, and technical support.
Zahid Tractor was established in 1967 and has evolved into three core business units – construction machinery, commercial vehicles and rental.
Today, the company serves several industries, including construction and infrastructure, industrial, logistics and warehousing, agriculture, transportation, petroleum, mining, and quarry and aggregates.
The announcement of the collaboration between Terex Rough Terrain Cranes and Zahid Tractor took place at a ceremony conducted at Zahid’s head office in Jeddah.
Ajit S. Nair, head of sales, Middle East & Asia, Terex Rough Terrain Cranes said, “Saudi Arabia is a very important market for us. We have been a leading brand of cranes in the Middle East region and specifically in Saudi Arabia for many decades now, with numerous cranes working at various jobsites throughout the Kingdom.
“Terex Rough Terrain Cranes is a global brand, renowned for its product quality and reliability. It was important to have a distributor in Saudi Arabia that has outstanding credibility in customer care.
“We have found that with Zahid and are delighted to welcome them to the growing network of Terex Rough Terrain Cranes distributors.”
