COMMENT Ӏ JULY 2025
EUREKA! THE EVOLUTION OF ENGINEERING
The world of lifting never ceases to amaze me. Lifting machines have existed since at least the sixth century BC yet mankind is still developing, evolving, and honing the concept. The earliest evidence of the use of cranes comes from ancient Greece. Archaeologists have found holes in stone blocks indicating the use of lifting devices dating back to circa 515 BC. These early cranes would have used a wooden boom and a winch powered by humans or animals, replacing the earlier method of using ramps to lift heavy objects. Fast-forward over 2,500 years and
we're seeing the latest generation of cranes being powered by batteries. Archimedes would have been amazed! Read our interview with Mammoet, one of the world’s largest buyers of new cranes, on page 28 for perspective on where we're currently at in the progression of electric lifting. Pascal Eeken, improvement and innovation manager at Mammoet outlines the company's current use of electric cranes and its ambitions for the future. Because the development of electric mobile cranes is such a significant milestone in the history of lifting it deserves further exploration; hence we have a second electric crane feature in this issue (page 32) looking at latest developments across the sector. The electric revolution is not confined
This promotional image for Tadano's eGR-1000XLL-1electric rough terrain crane reminds me of the sci-fi film The Matrix. In that film a man discovers reality is a simulation and joins a rebellion against its controllers. The controllers are intelligent machines that use humans as an energy source. Interestingly early cranes may have used humans to power them, too!
to any particular crane type any more and the feature encompasses all terrain hybrids, fully electric city cranes, rough terrains, mobile tower cranes, city cranes, truck cranes and crawler cranes. In the same way that the ancient
Greeks used their cranes to help build striking structures, today's crane technology is being used to construct incredible high-rise buildings. This is an area we explore in our high-rise construction feature starting on page 10.
MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE
Arabian Machinery & Heavy Equipment Company (AMHEC) 22
Atlantic Coast Cranes Big 5 Construct Saudi CATL
Da-Tek Engineering
Danfoss Power Solutions Grove
Herpertz Liebherr
Link-Belt Cranes
41 14 36 41 36
24, 33 36, 39 26, 32 19
Mammoet Manitowoc
28 11, 24, 33
Mantención, Proyectos y Montajes 22 Marchetti Mercedes Michelin OMEC
Petrolift Potain
PV-E Crane Raimondi Cranes
39 34 42 24 24 11
FC, 12
Rexroth Sany
T3 Projects Tadano
Terex Tower Cranes
Terex Rough Terrain Cranes Theo Pouw Groep
39 Wolffkran XCMG Group 36 20, 34
Sanycranes.services/UCM Holland 36, 39 Spierings
41 26 22 11 18 20 14
20, 34
Both past and present reflect mankind's ambition to shape the built environment in extraordinary ways. Away from the excitement of electric cranes and the heady heights of high-rise we also take a look at the unsung heroes of lifting: the rugged rough terrain crane. An overview of latest developments in this sector starts on page 18. Enjoy!
Christian Shelton, Editor
Christian.Shelton@
btmi.com
CRANES TODAY 7
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