Over the previous four-year cycle, the company has increased the export ratio of mobile cranes from 30% in 2004 to 47% in its 2007 financial year. At the same time, the mobile crane business has grown to 60% of Tadano’s total business in its 2007 year. Now the company plans to promote its truck loader cranes and aerial work platform businesses to balance the mobile cranes business. “These last four years in which we have concentrated on globalising our mobile cranes, we have had a following wind from the market,” Tadano says. “Our figures have been getting better, but we don’t say that there has been growth, just a following wind.” Tadano says that the company is planning to work on specific geographical markets, and also expand the product range.
At the show, Tadano’s 90 US ton capacity GT 900 truck crane carries 20,000 lbs (9t) more counterweight than its 80 US ton older sibling, which was launched in 2002. The crane also rests on a new carrier made at Faun in Germany.
The 35 US ton capacity Tadano TM-35100 boom truck mounts a new rough-terrain formed boom on a four-axle Kenworth or Sterling commercial chassis. It is the company’s largest boom truck, and the manufacturer is planning to make a 45-50 US ton machine. As exhibited, the crane had one axle in front and three at the back. Carrier wheels can be modified to suit local road regulations: a three-axle machine, or a dual axle in front and back.
The boom comes from Tadano’s 25t rough terrain crane, the GR-250N, a crane launched for the Japanese export market in 2007, but not yet exported. The crane has right-hand steering for the Japan and Korea market; an export version would have left-hand steering.
Tadano is planning to launch a few new mobile cranes later this year to deal with new emissions regulations in Japan.
