Ever since the rise of the all terrain concept, starting in the 1980s and taking firm root in the 1990s, truck cranes have been largely pushed to the sidelines in Europe. Although some crane buyers occasionally air the opinion that the specification of all terrains is beyond that which they usually require, the all-wheel drive/steer ATs that can go through bogs and tackle steep gradients have taken over, even though most of them spend their entire lives on either made roads or temporary sheeted roadways.
However, there appear to be signs of a revival in the truck crane concept.
One of the surprises of last year’s Intermat show in Paris was the debut of the Terex TC 60 truck crane from Terex PPM. Perhaps here was a machine to satisfy those crane buyers who believe that for most routine applications the dominant all terrain concept is over-specified and overly expensive to run. Perhaps here was the successor to the well-regarded Kato and Tadano truck cranes that were the workhorses
of rental fleets in the UK, Scandinavia and elsewhere.
The 60t-capacity TC 60, along with its little brother the TC 40, uses the upper of an all terrain crane mounted on a purpose-built truck chassis. As with the PPM all terrains, each is available in standard or long boom versions.
Terex regards its new PPM truck cranes as a niche product that is unlikely to take any sales away from its dominant all terrain product line. Although the prototype was first shown more than a year ago, deliveries of the TC 60 have only now begun. By April, Terex had sold about twenty units, out of a planned production run in the range of thirty to fifty, depending on demand. Orders have come from France, Germany, the UK and elsewhere, mostly in long boom versions, from rental companies and house builders.
While the TC 60 lacks the off-road ability of an all terrain, its carrier is designed to travel long distances on the road, with lower axle loads. It has one axle at the front and three at the rear, all with twin tyres. It is more comfortable to drive and, with less wear on the tyres and other components, has lower operating costs. In many countries it is subject to different highway regulations to all terrain cranes.
Some potential customers may be surprised to hear that the purchase price for the Terex PPM truck cranes is no less than an equivalent all terrain. Mark Evans, UK regional sales manager for Terex, explains that this is because it has the same cab and superstructure as an AT, and the carrier has the same amount of material and labour going into it. The tyres are smaller, but there are twice as many of them. Therefore the TC 60 and TC 40 are not budget options, although the cost of ownership may be lower. Instead they are specifically for those wanting to cover long distances on the highway at greater speed and in more comfort.
The pricing strategy may count against the success of these models. “If the price is the same [as an AT], we won’t be buying them,” says Andy Honeywell, managing director of UK rental company Marsh Plant. “What’s the point?”
Honeywell says that truck cranes cannot command the same rental rate as an all terrain. The lower running costs are offset by lower earnings. “We now have to pick and choose jobs where we can get a truck crane in. Most sites these days are very tight,” he says, adding that the superior manoeuvrability of an AT is an essential benefit. “We can get a 50t AT into most places a 25t truck crane would go,” he says. “ATs will always get a bit more [rental rate] because you can sell the idea they can get in where truck cranes can’t.”
Not everyone has the same experience, however. Johan Michielsens, general manager of Belgian rental company Michielsens, says that his company was unable to sustain a price list for ATs and a price list for truck cranes. Rental customers now get ATs at truck crane prices, he says.
New entrants
This year’s Bauma saw the tentative entry of US manufacturer Link-Belt in the European market, exhibiting an HTT 8690 truck crane at Bauma and then taking it to the SED exhibition in the UK. Link-Belt continues to have great success with its truck cranes in North America, particularly in the 60 to 90 US ton classes. The HTT 8690 is rated at 90 US ton capacity (82t) and differs from standard truck cranes (which Link-Belt designates as HTC models) by having all-wheel steer. Four steering modes—independent front, independent rear, combination, and crab—give this crane the manoeuvrability of an AT and a turning radius of less than 9m. The HTT designation stands for Hydraulic Truck Terrain, indicating that it is something of a hybrid all terrain model.
Speaking at Bauma 2007, Rick Curnutte, product manager for telescopic cranes, explained that the firm is initially working with German organisation TUEV to seek CE certification for this crane, and for a 65 US ton (59t) rough terrain, the RTC-8065 II. “It’s a long process, so we’re starting with out two newest models. We’ll take what we have learnt with TUEV, and then CE certify all of our telescopic truck cranes, rough terrains, and lattice truck cranes.”
Kelly Fiechter, telescopic cranes product specialist, said, “We see a need for simpler machines, that are easier to maintain. We see a need for truck cranes. Big customers, with diverse international workforces, need these simpler cranes.” Senior project engineer Daniel Harrington, added, “By this time next year, both cranes will be CE-certified. We’ll also have to work on distribution and maintenance.” Curnutte said that the company would be working on this at the same time as getting the cranes certified.
With the state of exchange rates and market demand, Link-Belt’s timing now seems good. However, while its products are well proven in North America, it remains to be seen whether European buyers will be able to get their hands on a Link-Belt crane any quicker than European manufacturers can supply them. Waiting lists are no shorter in the USA currently. For those stymied by availability from western manufacturers, truck cranes from China may prove another option. Terex brought to Bauma a four-axle crane TC50 (formerly the LT 1050) truck crane from its recently acquired Chinese operation, Terex Changjiang (see article, p 23). Terex says that this 60t-rated model is one of the best-selling cranes in China. The five-section boom extends to a height of 41m and the turning radius is 12m.
Truck mounts
An alternative to a truck crane for those wanting a mobile crane that can travel the highways at faster speeds than ATs is a truck-mounted crane. Where the truck crane is mounted on a purpose-built carrier, the truck-mounted crane uses the carrier or a standard commercial vehicle. In Europe, this is likely to mean trucks from manufacturers such as Scania, MAN, Volvo, Iveco or Mercedes.
Both Liebherr and Tadano Faun have been offering truck-mounted cranes for several years, although neither has promoted them as vigorously as all terrains. A cynic might suggest this is because the crane manufacturer makes less profit on a product with the carrier supplied by another company. A more favourable interpretation is that the modest demand has not justified much fanfare. However, with sales rising, this seems to be changing.
Despite it being the home of the AT, there has always been a certain demand in Germany for truck-mounted cranes. Rental company Allkran Hellmich, for example, was instrumental in the development in 2000 of the Sennebogen HPC 35 and HPC 40 truck cranes, rated at 35t and 40t capacity respectively.
More recently, Liebherr renewed its truck-mounted range last year, replacing the LTF 30 and LTF 40 with the LTF 1035-3.1 (35t) and LTF 1045-4.1 (45t), with a 15% increase in boom lengths. The LTF 1035-3.1 uses a three-axle truck carrier and has a 30m telescopic boom. The LTF 1045-4.1 uses a four-axle truck carrier and has a 35m telescopic boom.
The basic design of the LTF 1035-3.1 is from the LTM 1030-2.1 and the basic design of the LTF 1045-4.1 is from the LTM 1040-2.1. They both use the same fly jib as their corresponding AT model. Key differences include an upper engine on the LTF models, and changes to the counterweight.
Liebherr plans to produce more than 60 units a year of the LTF cranes. The uppers are mounted on chassis supplied by customers. While most sales have been to German rental companies such as Krösche, Wasel, Neeb, Wiesbauer and Knaak, there have also been sales to Austria (Felbermayr, Prangl, Trost), the UK (Alpha Crane Hire, Quinn Crane Hire, McNally), and elsewhere.
This year Tadano Faun has upgraded its two-model HK truck-mounted series. The 40t capacity HK 40, shown at Bauma, replaces the 35t HK 35 and 35L. Its main boom telescopes out to a maximum of 35.2m in just 105 seconds. A 9-metre extension, off-settable at 0/20/40°, is also available. The upper is powered by a four-cylinder 88kW Mercedes Benz engine. The HK 40 superstructure can be fitted to a three- or four-axle truck chassis. The 60t Tadano Faun HK 60 replaces the HK 50 and 50L and has a 40.2m boom.
Marchetti has previewed a 80t capacity truck-mounted crane at Bauma. The crane’s six-section 40m boom uses a single cylinder to telescope and pin individual boom sections, a design which offers more capacity and a lighter boom, according to export manager Marcello Maestri. He expects the first unit of this MTK 1006 to be finished by July. Its 80t maximum capacity is only over the rear–. it can lift a maximum of 65.5t in 270 degrees at a radius of 3m. Marchetti also plans to finish a similar model with conventional boom and 8m/14.5m fly jib, the MTK 60, by December.
While truck-mounted cranes may be another economical taxi crane option, as with the truck cranes, the purchase price is not significantly lower than a comparable AT and sometimes more expensive.
Tadano Faun reports that truck-mounted cranes are growing in popularity beyond Germany, with sales in the Netherlands to companies such as Mammoet, while Liebherr has sold LTF models to Denmark’s largest crane owner, BMS.
Italy
There is also significant demand for truck-mounted cranes in Italy, which is largely satisfied by domestic producers, such as Ormig. Ormig’s model 804AC is rated at 80t capacity and has a fully hydraulic six-section boom that offers a maximum lifting height of 48m. Ormig says that the specification of this crane makes it performance competitive with a 50t or 60t AT but has the major advantage of a GVW of 32t, and so does not need a permit in Italy. At 2.5m wide and 3.4m high, it can also get into places that a comparable AT cannot.
While Italy is the best market for this model, Ormig has had a few export sales, including to Franz Bracht of Germany, which uses it as an assist crane for assembling counterweight on big crawlers.
Italy is also home to several producers of truck cranes, including SCM and CAMS Bencini. SCM offers truck cranes of 30t, 60t and 100t capacities with boom lengths of 25m, 32m and 42m respectively.
There is also a comparatively strong market for recovery cranes in Italy. Telescopic truck-mounted cranes made by Cormach, better known for its knuckle boom loader cranes, are targeted at highway maintenance contractors in the vehicle recovery market. Typically, these cranes have shorter booms than models aimed at general industry and construction and the booms are stowed over the rear rather than over the cab. The outriggers are less wide and the vehicles have special winches. Similar vehicles are also used in military applications.Trucks vs truck-mounts
Liebherr, Tadano Faun and Sennebogen offer truck-mounted cranes, while Terex PPM offers truck cranes and now Link-Belt is offering truck cranes in Europe. To date, however, Tadano’s Japanese Global series of truck cranes, a big hit in Australia and the Middle East, have not been made available in a CE version.
Opinion varies as to which type of crane is preferable. Terex says that by designing a purpose built carrier for a well-proven superstructure from an all terrain meant that there was no loss in crane performance. Had it used a commercial truck as the base, the superstructure would have had to be redesigned and lifting performance would have been sacrificed.
The opposing view is that a commercial truck is a well-proven vehicle. According to Johan Michielsens, the maintenance costs of truck-mounted cranes are also lower. They also have lower axle loads, and lower fuel costs since standard trucks consume less fuel than an AT crane. While a truck crane might generally have a single engine for the carrier and the crane operations, truck-mounted cranes will have two engines, which further adds to fuel economy. In short, the result is a better vehicle but a less good crane.
There are also manufacturing issues: it may not be the best use of resources to set up a production line for truck crane carriers to make perhaps twenty or thirty units a year when worldwide AT production is currently running close to 3,000 units a year and is still not enough to meet demand.
Terex TC 60 Terex TC 60 Liebherr Wiesbauer Ormig 804 Ormig 804 Faun HK 40, in Aumer colours Faun HK 40
