Brun’s new machine was delivered in October 2017 by the country’s authorised dealer, Probst Maveg. The SCX800A-3’s first assignment is a drainage project in the town of Zug, close to the shore of Lake Zug, which started in April 2017 and will be completed by June 2018. Brun’s main task is the foundation engineering work for the construction of five shafts, including the concrete ones. It is working with two other companies as a consortium on this project, local contractor Büwe and German company Sonntag.

The new shafts will be used as access points for a micro-tunnelling machine to bore 1.6m and 2m holes for pipes over a distance of 1.8km. Rainwater will be drained into the lake through the 2m pipeline, while water taken from a point 300m offshore through the 1.6m pipeline will be heated to supply local residences.

The SCX800A-3 is being used as a support machine and for installing the sheet piling, which will be used to keep water out of shafts throughout the construction process. Around 5,000m² of sheet piling is being laid into the ground in 26m lengths and most of this will be removed after the concrete shafts have been built.

Daniel Fanger, Brun’s director for special foundation works and a member of the board, said: “As our biggest crane, the SCX800A-3 gives us more flexibility than the rest of the fleet, due to the greater distance between the machine and the sheet piles, and the stronger load chart.

“The vibration involved in this job makes it a tough one, especially on the electronics. However, with the customary durability of the new Hitachi Sumitomo, we are counting on a long lifespan. The size of the machine also offers ease of assembly and transportation, and the counterweight can be adapted to any journey.”