Favelle Favco Cranes (USA) Inc, the US subsidiary of Malaysia’s Muhibbah Engineering, is hoping to market its new range of crawler cranes through the worldwide distribution network of Caterpillar.

Although it is the world’s biggest construction machinery manufacturer, Caterpillar has had little involvement in the crane industry to date. However, Favelle Favco’s new 50t lattice boom crawler is based on a modified Caterpillar excavator, using upper and lower power units. The base will be shown on Caterpillar’s own stand at Conexpo this month, while a full crane will be shown by Favelle Favco alongside a pair of telescopic boom crawlers with 28 US ton and 38 US ton capacities.

Daniel Davis, president of Favelle Favco Cranes (USA), confirmed his aspirations to exploit the Caterpillar tie-up to attack the rental market. “We hope to use the Caterpillar network, if they want to sell cranes,” he said.

Davis said that he hoped to sell between 100 and 150 units in the first year – “if we’re lucky”. The first crawler crane off the line, a 28 US ton tele-crawler, has already been sold to Laney Directional Drilling of Houston, Texas.

Over the next two years Favelle Favco plans to add larger lattice boom crawlers to its range produced at its 7ha facility in the Port of Harlingen, Texas. Models of capacities 75t, 125t and 150t are planned, bringing Davis into competition with his former employer, Manitowoc, for whom he worked in the Singapore office before setting up Favelle Favco Cranes (USA) in September 1997.

As well as the new range of crawlers, Favelle Favco Cranes (USA) is also building offshore and tower cranes and this month delivers the first five of a 12 crane order for 38t Favelle Favco pedestal cranes to Mexican state oil company Pemex. The other seven are scheduled for delivery next year.