Waterland Trading of the Netherlands has placed an order for 15 units of the AF 38, the new mobile tower crane that comprises an Arcomet self-erector on a three-axle Tadano Faun chassis.
The cranes will be delivered over the course of 18 months from April 2004. The first unit will be displayed, and ceremoniously handed over, at the Bauma exhibition in Germany.
The AF 38 is the first mobile tower crane model from this Arcomet-Faun joint venture and follows Arcomet’s acquisition of Mobile Tower Cranes (formerly Gis Munsters) in mid 2001.
Waterland Trading is the Tadano Faun distributor for the Benelux countries and has also now signed up as exclusive Benelux distributor for the AF 38. Tadano’s worldwide dealers will get a pre-Bauma presentation of the new model and given the opportunity to sign up.
The AF 38 lifts 1.8t at the end of its 38m jib and a maximum of 6t out to 12.5m. Height under hook is 23m with horizontal jib or 43.5m when luffed to 30°. Maximum line speed is 60m/min and maximum trolley speed is 45m/min, both proportional.
As an option, the operator’s cabin can climb up and down the mast, to be locked into place in any position.
The three-axle carrier (6x4x6) is custom-made by Faun it is considerably lower to the ground than a standard Faun all terrain crane carrier and has crab steering as an option. The engine is a Mercedes-Benz OM 926 LA, generating 240kW at 2,200rpm, and the transmission is ZF-AS-tronic 12 AS 2302. Outrigger base is 7.7m long by 6.5m wide. The crane, which is erected using hydraulic cylinders, is built by Arcomet.
The AF 38 is being marketed midway between Spierings’ smallest model, the three-axle SK 377-AT3 that lifts 1.9t at 33m, and Liebherr’s four-axle MK 80 that lifts 1.7t at 42m. Arcomet managing director Dirk Theyskens says that it is priced between these two as well. He says that the list price of the AF 38 is 1450,000, compared to 1480,000 for the MK 80 and 1395,000 for the SK-377.
