Tinode, Blessington, Ireland-headquartered crane rental firm Allen Crane Hire has taken delivery of a Tadano AC 4.100L-1. With its 80-metre-long boom it will be mainly used for erecting and disassembling tower cranes.
“Our new AC 4.100L-1 will first and foremost be for my daughter Sophie [Allen],” said company owner Robbie Allen. “But to tell you the truth, when I take a look at it, I’m pretty tempted to take it out for a spin myself!”
The crane was handed over by Tadano Ireland Team Anthony Mullin and Ed Taylor.
New talent
Sophie Allen has worked with her father Robbie and her uncle Alan since she was young. Now aged 22 she is one of the youngest female crane operators in Ireland and has been CSCS-certified since 2022.
“I’ve been in this profession for almost 30 years and Sophie’s the first female crane operator I’ve briefed,” said Anthony Mullin, Tadano Ireland, “And let me tell you, I was really impressed – she’s confident, incredibly skilled in operating cranes, and a true expert at load calculations and load-securing techniques – just an absolute generational talent,”
He hopes that Sophie will serve as a role model for other women and inspire them to join the industry, a sentiment that she shares. Sophie Allen speaks highly of him in return: “Tony is an expert through and through and takes the time to share his vast knowledge with palpable excitement,” she says, thanking him, Graham Lawlor, Colin Fitzsimons, and the Allen Cranes team for the crane training she has received – an experience that she has enjoyed every single day.
The secret to success: the best cranes and operators
Robbie Allen believes that providing his employees with the best possible training is crucial: “In the past few years, we’ve invested massively in tower cranes with top-of-the-line quality and reliability so that we can provide our customers with the results they deserve. Combining that with the best crane operators out there, has been the key to our success and what has enabled us to be in the incredibly strong position in which we find ourselves today.”
