The order consists of 10 SCX700 models, three SCX900-2s, 14 SCX1200-2s and 13 SCX2500-2s.

Al Jaber Heavy Lift & Transport LLC, with its headquarters in Abu Dhabi, is specialised in the transportation and handling of heavy goods. Al Jaber, founded in 1970, is a group company of 25 companies and divisions.

The delivery of the cranes started in November 2005, with all 40 cranes expected to be delivered by the end of this year. These cranes will be utilised for Al Jaber’s operations in the Middle East region.

Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) NV is scheduled to deliver more than 70 units of crawler cranes to the Middle East during the coming year, including this order from Al-Jaber.

With no expectation of an imminent decline in global oil prices, economic booms in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE are likely to continue for the next couple of years.

Daniele Rigo, export manager of Verona, Italy-based mobile crane manufacturer Autogru Rigo SpA has recently returned from the Middle East having sold 20 units – the largest order his company has received – to Al Jaber.

Rigo met Al Jaber managing director Kamal Ghais at Samoter 2005 before speaking with plant manager David Wood and general manager Alexander Mullins.

Wood visited the Rigo factory earlier this year where, unsurprisingly, he was interested in the RTs. Rigo was subsequently invited to the Al Jaber facility where the deal took place.

Al Jaber ordered two RT 200 models (25t), one RT 350 (30t), two RT 400 (35t), an RTT 904 (a 100t capacity all-terrain crane), and 14 units of its new RT 500/2. Rigo says the first six of these units are almost ready for delivery.

The new RT 500 has a 35m full power boom. The original had a 30m boom, which was not enough for Al Jaber’s needs. “Therefore,” said Rigo, “we agreed to create a new four-section boom to suit its request.”

The new cranes – designated RT 500/2 – will also have a 16m telescopic extension, spark-arrestor stainless steel muffler, and air conditioning, and sport new six in line Euro 3 Iveco NEF type diesel engines developing 230hp at 2,300rpm.