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Written by: D.Ann Shiffler04 November 2020
Despite the economic slowdown caused by the Covid-19 crisis, the utilization rate of the tower crane fleet remains stable
As the days of 2020 get shorter and shorter, the crane industry continues to feel the adverse effects of the global pandemic that began to affect North America in early March. Since construction is considered an "essential business" in most states, the crane, rigging and specialized transportation sectors slowed down but did not stop work. The tower crane industry seems to maintain its position in most markets.
Despite the uncertainty and economic weakness caused by the pandemic, the tower crane market continues to perform. Morrow Equipment's tower cranes work at Link at Douglas Station in South Florida.
Sam Moyer, general manager of ALL Erection's tower crane division, said that if a crane is rented at the beginning of the pandemic, it will most likely wait until the work is completed. This creates a buffer.
He said: "The pandemic has obviously created a lot of uncertainty, but I want to say that the market has proven to be surprisingly resilient." "We are still working at a steady rate. If anything, the plan changes that some of our customers have experienced It actually stabilizes our usage because it extends some start dates. It also gives us a clearer picture of where we stand at the beginning of the new year. We know what will happen next, and everything looks strong. "
Although the utilization rate has been stable, Moyer said that planned purchases have become more selective and tailored to customer needs. Throughout the summer, ALL purchased two new self-supporting tower cranes to solve smaller commercial projects and multi-family residential projects. The third purchase is a high-speed boom tower crane, which is suitable for high-rise buildings in the city center.
"We build relationships with customers and listen to their feedback, and then choose equipment accordingly," he said. "Our plan is based on the needs they see and the type of work they are pursuing."
The challenge ahead is to prepare for the needs.
He said: "We believe that people have a suppressed desire to build. At some point, the floodgates will open." "Will it happen within a quarter? Or will it be built slowly throughout the next year? We need to pay close attention to it. The pulse of the industry in order to respond when customers need us. This is the most important thing, and we are ready to provide the equipment they need when they need it."
Peter Juhren, president and chief operating officer of Morrow Equipment, said that the second half of 2020 may be the weakest quarter of the year.
He said: “Mainly due to the tightening of Covid and the credit market, the market has weakened.” “Although the slowdown is not serious, the impact is showing, and this state will remain in the fourth quarter of 2020 and the first quarter of 2021. "
He said that the US election will affect future predictions.
Morrow owns, leases and distributes Liebherr tower cranes and has ordered cranes.
"We are now buying on demand," Juhren said. "We look forward to the growth of the tower crane market segment and strategic target area in 2021, which will require new acquisitions."
Juhren said rent is a challenge.
"Because the company focuses more on utilization rather than return on investment, interest rates are falling," he said. "This has an impact on rental rates, which intensifies regional competition. All-inclusive packaging (turnkey) is also driving the market, and the company is absorbing these costs to gain market share."
Bill Carbeau, vice president of business development at Comansa America, said that his company has experienced a wait model for new purchases.
He said: "Covid has caused a lot of uncertainty, so people have been waiting." "But now that the election is close enough, people want to wait and see the results. Due to the chaos of the college football game, we cancelled the order. , And a customer decided not to buy because he was afraid of the possible outcome of the election."
On the other hand, Comansa America's leasing department continues to add cranes at a moderate rate, Carbeau said.
"Purchasing follows demand as truthfully as possible," he said. "We are lucky, our market is very busy."
Among the many challenges brought about by the Covid-19 crisis, Carbeau missed the interaction with customers.
"Currently, it is difficult to reach potential customers due to travel restrictions," he said. "The first time I planned a business trip was last week."
Since ConExpo in March, he has not been on a business trip.
Dennis "Whitey" Lebsack, director of business development at RMS Cranes, said that the project is being postponed until 2021 and is proceeding as planned.
Although RMS will buy new cranes when needed, Lebsack said: "The main focus is to keep our inventory sufficient, suitable for our market, and work properly. The biggest challenge is to get developers to cut new jobs that have been recorded."
Todd Yager, president of Wolffkran's US operations, said his company is responding to 2021 with "worry and caution." However, new tower cranes are on sale.
"Our dealers are pushing for this," he said. "We work closely with them to anticipate and meet their tower crane demand. The biggest challenge is economic uncertainty, price pressure, Covid-19 and how it will affect the demand for high-rise office and residential buildings."
Below is an overview of the latest tower crane products on the market.
The company stated that Comansa has launched several new flat-top tower crane models in 2020, all of which belong to the popular 2100 series. Comansa's modular design makes it easy to adapt the development process to new models. In 2020, Comansa launched 21LC600-20T and 25T, as well as 21LC650-20T and 25T models. All are equipped with award-winning cube cabins and available quick settings for quick setup during installation.
The 21LC1400 and 21LC1050 models are specially designed for prefabricated volumetric PPVC that requires high capacity and precise lifting. They are also required for large-scale civilian and mining applications. The boom length of both models is up to 85 meters, can be extended to 90 meters, and has a variety of anti-boom lengths to maximize lifting capacity.
All Comansa tower cranes have pin-connected modular tower sections, cantilever and anti-cantilever components, so no re-torque is required. All models have automatic trolley winding and switching function, which can increase the tip capacity of the forearm when needed.
The latest models of FM GRU include FM 2052 LK. The 37 Kw motor is specially designed for working in crowded construction sites, and it takes only 1.6 minutes to reach the vertical position of the forearm. The crane has a special hoisting winch that allows the operator to choose between two speed ranges, and can choose to super decelerate. The company said that the system can optimize the speed according to the load.
The new cab is designed to improve the operator's field of vision and be able to intuitively follow the hook in every position. The crane has an advanced safety system. Due to the additional luffing limit switch, it can avoid the contact/collision between the load and the cab/operator. The crane has dual redundant sensors, easy to set up, automatic super-lifting system, anti-collision and partitioning device, and flat hook system.
Last spring, Jaso launched its largest tower crane J800.48. It follows the same low-top design principles of the company, and the short top is only a small part of the real hammerhead.
Compared with tower cranes, there is virtually no difference in headroom between flat top and Jaso low top, because the flat top design requires a deeper boom to compensate for the overhang height, so that the boom has the strength of a hammer, the company said.
The new J800.48 is designed to carry loads of 18 to 21 metric tons at 40 meters, with a maximum boom of 60 meters. With its shorter boom, it can work in PPVC type buildings with typical loads of 35 to 40 metric tons.
There is a 23-meter-long overhang, which can be easily used as a whole when installing the first two boom sections.
The rest of the jib is almost entirely provided at 2.5-meter intervals. The smallest swing radius can be achieved by using four modular anti-arm configurations. The radius of the back arm ranges from 18.6 to 28 meters.
The capacity for twin rope winding is 48 metric tons or 24 metric tons for single rope winding. The tip load capacity of the 80-meter boom is 5.1 metric tons. The standard hoist is a 110kW hoist motor, and the optional 132kW can provide a maximum linear speed of 150 m/min. The hoisting winch has a Lebus drum specially designed for Jaso, which can provide a maximum hook height of 455 meters (single rope) or 227 meters (double rope).
Favelle Favco Cranes is replacing its popular M760E diesel hydraulic tower crane with the new model M900F-ST. Favco M760E has played an important role in many high-rise building projects in New York City, such as the World Trade Center, Hudson Yards and Vanderbilt One.
The new M900F-ST model was launched at the end of 2019, and since then, the company has secured multiple orders for this new machine.
M900F-ST is a heavy-duty version of M760E. The maximum capacity of the M900F-ST is exactly the same as that of the M760E, at 141,000 pounds, but the load chart is much better. The arm length of the M900F-ST is 180 feet, and its tip load is more than 40% higher than that of the M760E. The arm length of the M900F-ST is 210 feet, and its tip load is nearly 50% higher than that of the M760E.
Similar to the M760E, the M900F-ST runs on a 540 horsepower Caterpillar T4 engine. The main winch has a carrying capacity of 70,400 pounds, and the flying winch has a carrying capacity of 26,400 pounds. The lifting speed of M900F-ST is equivalent to that of M760E. In the past two years, Favelle Favco has reconfigured the counterweights on its cranes to reduce the tail swing radius. The tail radius of the M900F-ST is 25 feet. This is 4 feet shorter than the traditional M760E. M900F-ST is also equipped with the latest Favelle Favco internal Linec electronic crane control system, which contains the latest software. Favelle Favco offers the M900F-ST in diesel-hydraulic, all-electric or electro-hydraulic versions.
Potain's MRH 175 tower crane made its debut at ConExpo 2020 earlier this year. The target of this crane is one of the busiest areas in the built environment: high-rise buildings.
MRH 175 is the latest product in the Potain hydraulic boom crane series, which has been continuously developed since the MRH 125 was launched one and a half years ago.
Manitowoc has always been a champion of this type of crane and has delivered dozens of models to a range of markets. According to the company, combining the advantages of Potain MR jib cranes and MDT jib cranes, contractors found that they are particularly easy to assemble and disassemble on crowded sites, making them ideal for urban projects, high-rise buildings, or construction sites with limited space.
The maximum lifting capacity of the MRH 175 is 11 tons, and the maximum boom length is 180 feet. When working with a complete 180-foot boom, the tip capacity is 1.65 tons, and if equipped with a 164-foot boom, it is 3 tons. When using the high-performance 90HPL25 hoist, the maximum linear speed is 705 feet per minute.
The crane's unique design, fixed jib and roofless structure facilitate its quick installation and disassembly, and make its transportation more compact, requiring only four standard containers. The component weight is less than 8.5 tons, and there is a back arm/arm foot package.
The roofless design also means less space is required on the site where multiple cranes fly over the construction site, and the hydraulic design means no wire ropes are required. This also means that the installation requires a smaller auxiliary crane, because there is no need to assemble the cat head.
Potain's hydraulic luffing design has a shorter back arm and deactivation radius than the rope luffing alternative. The company stated that this frees up valuable space on the job site, and the out-of-service radius provided by the MRH 175 is only 33.5 feet, regardless of arm length.
The 6.5 ft K mast section provides an independent height of up to 206 feet, and the crane is also compatible with the 5.2 ft K mast section. On the lifting drum, the 90HPL25 winch can provide 3,136 feet of rope, allowing users to choose 1,568 feet (two-drop configuration with a maximum load of 5.5 tons) or 784 feet (11 tons) four-drop configuration-maximum capacity in tons . Manitowoc said that it is very effective to luff the crane from horizontal to vertical, in less than two minutes.
Liebherr's latest model is 125 K. The company stated that it has a radius of 180 feet and a maximum hook height of 215 feet, making it the largest fast-erecting crane on the market. The initial hook height of 125 K is 97 feet. Five tower sections can be inserted to achieve a total hook height of 136 feet. The 30-degree tilt arm position can achieve a hook height of 215 feet.
The crane has a maximum load capacity of 17,600 pounds and a boom radius of 180 feet. Thanks to its Load-Plus function, it can lift 2,800 pounds. It has five radius options, ranging from 114 to 180 feet. With a gyration radius of 10 feet, the Liebherr 125 K fast-erecting crane can be installed in tight spaces. The variable radius of gyration can be extended to 13 feet. On-site lighting can now use LED floodlights to ensure better on-site lighting.
Liebherr's external K crane cab can also be used for 125 K. In the past, large fast-erecting cranes could only be transported by semi-trailers. But the 125 K can also be towed by a conventional truck using the Liebherr axle system LiTRAX as a trailer.
Liebherr also presented its 340 EC-B flat top series at ConExpo. Three of the eight units are equipped with fiber ropes, which the company claims have four times the service life of steel ropes and enable fiber rope cranes to work with higher load capacities.
The first 8 devices of the new series have a maximum load capacity range of 13,200 to 35,200 pounds, and a maximum boom head load capacity range of 3,500 to 13,200 pounds, and work within the maximum radius. At full jib length, these devices are the largest of their kind. The two largest cranes in the series, 340 EC-B 12 and 370 EC-B 12 Fiber, each have a range of up to 255 feet.
As part of the new series, Liebherr has also developed a new tower system for 125 EC-B 6, the 12 EC 125. The 12 EC tower system has two lifting capacities: 12 EC 100 and 12 EC 125 . The first eight cranes of the new EC-B series are 125 EC-B 6, 220 EC-B 10, 220 EC-B 12, 240 EC-B 10 Fibre, 240 EC-B 12 Fibre, 340 EC-B 12, 340 EC-B 16 and 370 EC-B 12 Fibre.
The newly launched EDL 150 from ENG Cranes has a lifting capacity of 10 tons and is the first hydraulic horn with the shortest radius on the market. Its 4.1-meter double-patented anti-arm system makes it unique among similar products and can be installed on complex urban construction sites where there is not much space and other such cranes cannot be installed.
EDL 15 can be used as a luffing crane or as a traditional flat tube crane. ENG Cranes also launched a new production line, which includes EDL 110-8 tons, EDL 150-10 tons and EDL 210-12 tons.
The company stated that, due to its impressive performance and compact design, WOLFF 166 B has quickly developed into Wolffkran's best-selling crane. This year, Wolffkran launched the American version of WOLFF 166 B, which complies with American electrical standards and structural component requirements.
Unlike cranes equipped with winch-driven luffing devices, WOLFF 166 B US is equipped with a compact hydraulic luffing mechanism, eliminating the need for traditional tower tops and luffing ropes, making transportation and assembly more efficient. The hydraulic design also allows for a smaller deactivation boom position, which is important for construction sites in the city center.
WOLFF 166 B US is equipped with a powerful 60 kW and provides a maximum load capacity of 26,460 pounds in two lowering operations. It achieves a top-notch load capacity of 7,270 pounds with a 164-foot boom. The fast line speed of up to 377 feet per minute and the luffing movement from maximum to minimum boom radius in only 90 seconds make it an ideal choice for high-volume on-site concrete work. It can be erected at a stand-alone tower height of 306 feet, with a maximum hook path of 1,640 feet.
Saez has launched a new flat-top TLS 75 14T SR, which will be available in late November. Saez also introduced the new flat-top TLS 80 20T and the TLS 80 32T version specially designed for the US market.
Raimondi LR372 jib crane
LR372 is the latest crane in the Raimondi crane series. LR372 is equipped with Raimondi's next-generation high-performance winch. It is a 370-ton-meter-class luffing tower crane with a maximum boom length of 60 meters and a maximum lifting weight of 20,000 kg in a two-drop configuration.
At the maximum radius, the LR372 can lift 3,795 kg using the Ultralift mode, making this Raimondi the most powerful luffing crane to date. A very important feature of LR372 is that it can be installed on two different types of towers: for the internal climbing system, the new 2-meter-wide GR5H tower, or the 2.3-meter-wide GR6 tower series (GR6B, GR6 and data According to the company, including GR6L), it is used in standard, external and internal climb configurations.
Wilbert WT 555L e.tronic
The GR6L tower can be installed on built-in legs or on the 8 x 8 inch add-on on the new 6 x 6 m pillar cross base with or without walking system. The GR5H tower can be installed on embedded elements and 6 x 6 m pillar cross bases.
The luffing movement of LR372 uses a new 75 kW winch and is equipped with a standard emergency brake. Under full load, it takes about 2.1 minutes to raise the jib from 14.5 degrees to 85 degrees. LR372 can reach a maximum lifting speed of approximately 256 meters per minute.
The new Wilbert WT 555L e.tronic is very suitable for use in narrow urban construction sites.
The crane has a maximum radius of 61.5 meters, a lifting weight of 6.2 tons, a working speed of 100 meters per minute, 2 tons, and a full load of 20 meters per minute, 32 tons. The machine adopts a complex modular system design, with an independent hook height of up to 100 meters, with standard tower elements, more than 130 meters, with a newly designed reinforced tower element, the maximum boom length can reach 61.5 The standard boom length is 6 meters and 12 meters, the lifting capacity can reach 32 tons, and the jib end load is 6.2 tons.
It adopts newly developed control and drive technology, stepless acceleration in the entire speed range, rapid acceleration and deceleration of the load, and no vibration of the hoisting rope. The machine is equipped with new auxiliary systems such as wind start control, brake matching, anti-sway and position modes to ensure maximum safety and precise crane operation.