NEWS | SOUTH AFRICA
CONDRA TO SUPPLY SECOND OVERHEAD CRANE TO TONGAAT HULETT
C
ondra will supply a second overhead crane to Tongaat Hulett for its Maidstone sugar mill in KwaZulu-Natal, South
Africa. The new crane, a 23-metre-span double girder electric overhead travelling crane, will feature a 25-ton main hoist and an 8-ton auxiliary hoist. It is set to work alongside the existing millhouse crane and a 10-ton Condra crane, which was commissioned in March 2024 for use in the bagasse sugarcane store. Maidstone is one of four sugar mills
operated by Tongaat Hulett, which specialises in agriculture and agri- processing. The 10-ton crane currently in the bagasse store is used to move and position conveyors that feed fibrous raw residue, or bagasse, into the mill’s secondary processing system. Bagasse, a byproduct left after extracting juice from
sugarcane, is processed into biofuel, paper pulp, and building materials. The crane will be integral to the
operation and maintenance of the millhouse. Condra was able to meet Tongaat Hulett’s precise technical requirements due to its modular crane designs, which allow for a customized solution rather than relying on off-the-shelf machines, often imported, as is common in the industry. The modular design enables Condra to assemble the crane from a wide range of components, with only the girders being manufactured from scratch. This flexibility allowed Condra to
precisely tailor the crane to meet the specific needs of the Maidstone mill, particularly the necessary hoist reeving arrangements for accurate load positioning over lifting heights of 12 metres for the main
hoist and 12.2 metres for the auxiliary hoist. A standout feature of the crane will be
its air-conditioned control cabin, which includes a docking station for remote control. This setup will allow operators to control the crane remotely from the floor, an overseeing office, or dock the control unit within the cabin itself. The cabin will also have digital read-outs from hoist loadcells and a backup pendant control for additional flexibility. The crane will be equipped with an
ultrasonic anti-collision system to prevent accidental contact with the existing millhouse crane. Other features include frequency drives on the long travel, cross travel, and hoists, full-length walkways with fiberglass grating, IP65-rated brakes and control panels, stainless steel fasteners, floodlights, safety lights, and a siren. The crane will also have full seam welds with rounded edges, lifting lugs, and a special paint finish to ensure durability and safety. Condra has previously supplied a
monorail hoist and crawl to Tongaat Hulett’s Zimbabwe mill. The delivery of the new 25/8-ton crane is scheduled for April 2025, with installation and commissioning to be handled by the authorised agent, Natal Cranes & Hoists.
Typical double-girder overhead crane
under manufacture in Condra’s Germiston factory
Typical control cabin under fabrication. 12 | March 2025 |
www.hoistmagazine.com
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