Hanson Aggregates takes delivery next month of a Sennebogen 680HD, and 80t-rated grabbing crane.
The machine will be used at Hanson’s deep water wharf at Victoria Deep, Greenwich on the river Thames, discharging a variety o bulk cargoes. This is the largest deepwater wharf on the river and is a new venture for Hanson.
‘Previously we used to bring a lot of material through the Medway ports, but this wharf will allow us to bring in ships with capacities of up to 15,000t,’ said Colin Atkinson, London manager for Hanson Aggregates.
The 680HD was unveiled at Bauma earlier this year, but this is the first unit in this configuration as all Sennebogen cranes are custom-built to suit end-user requirements. This machine has 160kN winches, a 200kW Deutz engine, a 28.9m boom and a clamshell bucket with capacities from 3.5 to 8 cubic metres. It also features a hydraulically elevating, high level cab that can be raised from 2.5m to a height of 8m to give the operator a view into the hold of vessels being unloaded, and clear of any dust that certain cargoes might generate.
With dock cranes, cycle speed is critical but this was not Hanson’s only criteria. Said Atkinson: ‘Both the performance and the build quality were excellent. We were also very impressed with the cab’s ability to lift to 8m as well as the fixtures and fittings within the cab itself. Overall, the machine is good value for money and the right machine for the job.’ The crane was sold through Sennebogen’s UK distributor EH Hassell.
