SELF ERECTING CRANES Ӏ SECTOR REPORT
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metres and capacities up to 4.4 tonnes (though a larger one is coming – again see later.) What is different about the CSE? “It is basically moving from electro-mechanical cranes to electrical cranes,” says Castenello. “One customer described it as like moving from a traditional phone to a smartphone, and I love the analogy. It describes it well: it
is in fact a new technology. It will, of course, fit in with the new EU machinery regulations, which are coming into force at the end of this year but at the same time it is also bringing a lot of extra value features for our customers.” Self-erecting cranes come in
many different shapes. Some, like Terex’s CSE and other models, have
telescopic masts; others, including offerings from Saez and Potain unfold themselves in the middle. Is this because they are a fairly new form of crane yet to evolve to a standardised best-adapted design? “I don’t think you can properly call them new,” continues Castenello. “Terex has been producing thousands of self f
potain goes faR in FaRgo: Dietrich ConstructionMakes a statement
Potain, makers of the Igo and Hup range of self-erecting cranes, see framing as a major application of self erectors in the US. A project in downtown Fargo, North Dakota, is an example. Like many downtowns across the United States Fargo is experiencing
a renaissance: rehabilitation and new building of multi-storey structures that offer commercial shops at ground level and residential living space on the upper fl oors has been going on for some years. Local contractor Dietrich Construction’s latest presence on these
construction sites has the company performing framing and rough carpentry. The work includes erecting wood wall panels and truss systems across an entire site which stretches between two streets. Dietrich Construction lifts the materials to the upper levels with its
Potain Hup 40-30 self-erecting tower crane. At one point it had two units on site, working in tandem on each side of the project. Construction is scheduled to take several months and will complete in two phases. “On our fi rst downtown site, we quickly realised that our
conventional methods of using larger mobile cranes would not work in this environment,” said Nick Dietrich, a second-generation partner in Dietrich Construction. “The streets and alleyways are tight, and it’s essential to keep them open. It was apparent that we needed a crane with a small footprint that also had the required reach and capacity to be able to pick the load and place it anywhere on the site.” Dietrich contacted local Potain dealer General Equipment &
Supplies. He and Matt Kern, the company’s vice president sales, initially decided that renting a 4.4 USt capacity Potain Hup 40-30 with 131 ft of maximum reach was the right choice. The telescopic mast allows the crane to erect in narrow and compact spaces when working next to buildings. A simple click of a button lets operators raise the mast to the desired height. “At full pick it will move 2,200 lbs (1 t), so it gives us plenty of
capacity,” Dietrich said. “Right away it made a positive impact, so we decided to purchase the crane and make it a permanent part of our fl eet. It obviously gets the job done, but it also improves the work environment because we can use it to stand up walls while our guys secure them into place. This means they don’t have to hang on and nail the wall at the same time, reducing a potential hazard.” The fully electric crane has 100% remote control operation, so
operators can move the load from virtually anywhere on-site and keep it in sight at all times with no blind picks. “It’s simple and easy,” said operator Nick Loegering. “I can walk
around and be next to, or right near, the pick at all times. I’m mainly lifting prefabricated wall panels and trusses with a maximum weight of about 900 lbs (400kg), so it has more than enough capacity. Setup each day is done by turning on the generator that supplies the power,
fl ipping a switch on the machine, syncing it up and going to work. It takes about a minute.” Kern said site setup is easy, too, taking three truck loads. The
crane is towed behind one, and the counterweights are on the other two. With a forklift and rigging, two workers can have it ready to go in four to six hours. “In these urban environments where space is limited it often is the only choice,” said Kern. “A few years ago, we saw that with the rebuilding in downtown Fargo there was a need for taller cranes, and the Hup 40-30 is a perfect fi t.” Others are taking notice of Dietrich Construction’s use of the
cranes. “The visibility of it has been another positive for us,” Dietrich added. “Other contractors see it and contact us about doing jobs for them. For a company like us that doesn’t really advertise, that’s great. It’s a real statement piece.”
44 CRANES TODAY
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