Terex-Demag opened the doors of its Zweibrücken, Germany factory to more than 1,000 customers to show – and sell – some of its new equipment over a week in September. The company claims that it sold more than 30 machines (including five used cranes) at the event, which marks the first anniversary of the Demag acquisition by Terex.

Wind turbine erectors are the key target market for the re-worked version of the AC 500-1 with Sideways Superlift (SSL). The 500t capacity AC 500-2 SSL has a new superstructure that increases lifting capacities when the boom is in a high angle. The Sideways Superlift attachment itself is unchanged. With 38m main boom, adapter and 42m luffing fly jib, for example, the new crane can lift 68t, which is 7t more than before. The advantage over the old model increases with hook height.

Also on show was the new five-axle AC 160-1, first shown at Intermat in May. Demag has taken orders for 10 units and had delivered the first four by the end of October. The crane now includes as standard an outrigger pressure monitor, work area limiter and the IC-1 control system. The control system was demonstrated on an AC 160-1 automatically jibbing down and telescoping in the boom while keeping the hook block at the same height.

First seen on the AC 60 at Bauma 2001, the IC-1 control system is now standard on the AC 200-1, CC 1500, CC 2800-1 and the TC 2800-1 lattice-boom truck crane. A TC 2800-1, which is rated at 600t, was shown at the open house in the yellow livery of Austrian crane hire firm Prangl, which is planning to use it for windmill erection.

Also shown was the standard five-axle AC 200-1 with two variants – a six-axle AC 200-1 P and a seven-axle AC 200-1 TP. The seventh axle is a removable tag axle that is fully integrated into the braking and steering systems. Two units have been ordered, at a 7% price premium over the six-axle version.

The 600t capacity crawler, the CC 2800-1, showed off a new hydraulic ram ballast wagon extender. Although the device does not increase the capacity of the crane, it does make it easier to change the load radius. The IC-1 control system computes a load chart for the in-between radii, which is useful if the crane has to slew and jib up to avoid an obstacle. It will be an option on all crawlers with the IC-1 control system.

Other crawlers shown include the CC 1500 and the Japanese-made CC 280, supplied under the licence agreement with IHI.

Explaining what Demag had brought, Terex Corporation president and CEO Ron DeFeo said recently: “From an operational perspective, Demag has transformed Terex Cranes into a truly global company, solidifying our manufacturing footprint in Europe and providing the international diversification that has allowed us to withstand the depressed market conditions that we are facing in North America. From a financial perspective, Demag has generated significant free cash flow during its first year of Terex ownership.” In the first nine months of 2003 Terex Cranes had sales of $737.5m compared to $443.0m in the first nine months of 2002. With North American sales down 30% year on year, the increase is directly attributable to the acquisition of Demag.

“The Demag acquisition has been successful on many fronts,” said Terex Cranes president Fil Filipov. “First of all are the financial returns. Demag has generated significant cash flow from working capital reductions during the first year of our ownership. Second, we have grown market share on the strength of new product introductions. Third, Demag has allowed us to strategically realign our crane group to manufacture and compete more efficiently on a global scale.”