NOVEMBER 2022 Ӏ CRANE HISTORY


ANNIVERSARY


j licensed to market and mount


its crane uppers on Allen-designed European truck carriers. However, the move that caused the greatest ripples occurred in 1975 when Clark Equipment Company and Richards & Wallington of the UK, the world’s largest crane rental company, each invested 45% of the equity in a new British crane manufacturing company named Crown Cranes, staffed notoriously by ex-Coles executives. This bold initiative however ran out of steam and into receivership within two-years. The first oil price shock of late 1973 created a dramatic increase in crane demand from the OPEC countries, contributing significantly to a major increase in world demand. Very quickly these countries became major crane markets as they raced to develop modern industrial and urban infrastructures with their new- found wealth. These markets really took off in


1975 and US crane makers were the first into them, augmented by through their existing ties with the oil companies. Grove proceeded to win a 250-plus rough terrain crane order from Saudi Arabia’s Aramco in 1975 (again with the invaluable participation of Bob Gleason). Indeed the oil boom that spread


through all of the OPEC countries during the mid-1970s created a huge new market for the world’s crane makers. Through the 1970s demand


for cranes continued to increase, reaching some 2,500 large telescopic cranes shipped to the oil- producing countries of the Middle East and Africa. Though Europe’s crane makers did quite well, it was American rough terrains and Japanese truck cranes which won the lion’s share of demand. Demand in Iran soared taking


400 hydraulic cranes in 1976, followed by Saudi Arabia with some 250, and Iraq with 280.


50 CRANES TODAY


The WS-150M


from P&H for the UK market on the cover of our November 1979 issue. That year P&H had suffered big losses in Iran due to the overthrow of the Shah


give. The UK crane industry was hardest hit with manufacturers such as Hydrocon, Cosmos and Smith going out of business and Coles and Jones closing some plants. In France, Italy and Germany there were also limited casualties and product changes, too. During the 1970s, Japan’s crane makers began adding rough terrain cranes to their lines and in the late 1970s, manufacturers in Germany and elsewhere in Europe introduced the first all terrain cranes. Telescopic crane demand


In total that year some 850 tele truck cranes and almost 600 rough terrains were sold in the Middle East and North and West Africa. Business in these markets was also strong for the lattice crane builders with almost 600 of mainly US-built crawler cranes as well as a similar volume of large tower cranes supplied to the region – led by Liebherr and Potain. P&H seemed to have greatly benefitted from its deep ties and investment in Iran until 1979 with the overthrow of the Shah, they suffered huge losses. By the early 1980s crane demand in these markets had contracted markedly.


LATE SEVENTIES


The domestic demand in North America rose to peak levels in 1978 and 1979 returning to the 4,000-unit level. At the same time, Japanese domestic demand reached new heights of 2,500 telescopics as the decade came to a close. Europe was a different story.


From a peak of over 4,000 telescopics sold in 1974, demand fell steadily to about 3,000 units in 1978/79. However, demand in Germany strengthened during these years in contrast to that in the UK and France. With numerous local manufacturers active in each of the large European markets, as well as all of the major US and Japanese manufacturers, something had to


peaked in 1977 and 1979, at around the 14,000-unit level, as demand for lattice cranes became more and more limited to the larger-size classes where telescopics were not yet fully developed. By the mid-late 1970s Japan became the world’s largest market for telescopic truck cranes and the world’s largest supplier. 1991 was the best year to date for Japan’s mobile crane makers. Kato sold around 3,500 cranes (of over five- tonnes capacity) and had revenues of about Y104 billion ($810m), while Tadano notched up sales of Y142,6 billion ($1.01 billion). At the same time the Japanese


had developed new hydraulic lattice boom designs, ditching the original mechanical crane technology they had licensed from the Americans. These cleaner, quieter cranes


were easier to operate and soon found ready markets not just at home but around the world just as the originators back in the US went out of business, stuck with outdated technology.


ROAD REGULATIONS During the 1970s and 1980s enforcement of European road regulations became stricter, demanding lower road-weights and smaller dimensions. This challenged all manufacturers but especially the US companies to modify truck cranes into


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