Several conference attendees played golf before the educational portion of the conference kicked
CRAC AGM comes to Charlottetown
The 2019 conference featured interesting and relevant topics for the Canadian crane industry
BY JAY KOBLUN
few days of crane talk, a celebrity hosted dinner, tours, golf and a lot of relationship building would best describe the 2019 Crane Rental Association of Canada (CRAC) conference. Top if off with being held in beautiful Charlottetown, P.E.I. and you’ve got yourself one great show.
The CRAC conference took place from June 5 to 8 and kicked off with a board of directors meeting, followed by golf at the Links at Crowbush Cove and a tour of the Confederation Bridge. The tour included a full experience of crossing the bridge in both directions and photo opportunities at all the best lookout spots.
Cranes on film
From Hollywood to the History channel, cranes give T.V. and movies a lift
BY MATT JONES
Cranes play a crucial role in many movie and television productions by assisting with camera shots and the construction of sets and other functions. But cranes have taken a starring role in some productions as well, either as the driving force behind a frenetic chase scene or playing a functional role in a reality television series. Key players in the companies involved spoke with Crane & Hoist Canada about what was involved in those moments.
THE CHAMPION OF MOVIE CRANE SCENES
BY ANDREW SNOOK
Heavy lifters in Canada’s wind energy sector are offering optimistic outlooks for the opportunities that lie ahead within the renewable energy sector.
Tyler Hannah, the America’s group manager for onshore wind at Mammoet Wind Equipment Services, sees tons of opportunities across the country for growth in the wind industry to positively impact the heavy lifting industry in all the provinces.
Over 40 years of operating in California, Champion Cranes president Mike Konle, has provided cranes for a bevy of movie, television and advertising scenes. Being located near Universal Studios, Warner Bros. and Sony put his business in an ideal location to provide cranes for everything from elaborate pranks on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show to helping stars like Tom Cruise and Angelina Jolie make daring leaps from buildings.
off. Credit: Walt Malone.
A glimpse at some of Champion Crane’s behind-the-scenes work, as they helped shoot the plane crash scene in Sully.
What do you expect from a new Demag crane? Most certainly that it does everything a little better than its successful predecessor. That’s why you should definitely get to know the new Demag® CC 2800-2 crawler crane! Its optimized transportability, its maximum system length of 192 meters, its lifting capacity of up to 600 tonnes and the powerful drive train of the Demag® CC 3800-1 make it the first choice for many projects. See for yourself.
www.craneandhoistcanada.com
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Crane & Hoist Canada is published six times a year by Annex Business Media. Reference to named products or technologies does not imply endorsement by the publisher. A subscription to Crane & Hoist Canada (six issues) is $37 + Tax per year in Canada. For subscriptions in the USA the price is $37 USD. Send cheque or VISA/ Mastercard number to Subscription Department, Crane & Hoist Canada, 111 Gordon Baker Rd., Suite 400, Toronto ON M2H 3R1. Fax orders to 416-510-6875. Or subscribe online at www.craneandhoistcanada.com
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CONEXPO-CON/AGG’s value to Las Vegas
Although it is well known that CONEXPO-CON/AGG is a massive trade show that takes place every three years at the Las Vegas Convention Center, some readers may be unaware of just how large the show truly is. To help understand the size and scope of the trade show, I spoke with Chris Meyer, vice-president of global business sales for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), shortly before the 2017 event, who happily ran me through the show numbers. I thought this would be an interesting set of facts to share with the 2020 show fast approaching.
Of the 128,000 attendees at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2017, about 21 per cent were foreign visitors from all over the world; with Canada likely taking the No. 1 spot for international visitors at this particular show, according to Meyer.
The trade show requires a massive amount of space for the thousands of exhibits on display. Exhibitors in 2017 took over the entire 191-acre exhibit space, which includes all the outdoor lots and the entire Las Vegas Convention Center, which offers just under 2 million square feet of indoor exhibit space.
“It’s the largest trade show in North America,” Meyer said, adding that the LVCVA get two sets of attendee numbers from show organizers: the estimated attendance before the show and the verified attendance afterwards. The varified attendance for CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2017 was almost 128,000 visitors.
So what does that add up to in dollars spent in the City of Lights? Meyer said direct visitor spending was approximately US$120.4 million - a pretty nice haul for a one-week show.
The massive show takes approximately 28 days from start to finish to set up and requires thousands of people working at any given time. The meetings industry is a significant employer for the city with 66,500 local jobs and provides approximately US$9 billion worth of economic impact annually. CONEXPO-CON/AGG is one of more than 22,000 events that take place in Las Vegas every year.
“Nobody does more meetings, conventions or tradeshows than Las Vegas in the world,” Meyer said.
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Some of the features for the 2020 show include:
• 2,800 exhibitors;
• 2,500,000 square feet of exhibit space;
• 150 education sessions;
• The Tech Experience returns with two locations;
• The show campus has expanded with the new Festival Grounds for a total of 10 areas to explore;
• Plenty of show shuttles and hotel shuttles will run during the event, plus information stands and staff will help attendees easily navigate the show campus;
• CONEXPO-CON/AGG and IFPE make it easy to prepare with an interactive online exhibitor directory and a show mobile app that will continuously synch to your online customizable show planner.
For more information on CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020, visit www.conexpoconagg.com.
Andrew Snook, editor, Crane & Hoist Canada.
Shawmut Equipment expands operations in Atlantic Canada
Shawmut Equipment of Canada recently opened the doors of its new facility located in the Halifax, N.S. area, where its customer base and business volume has been constantly expanding.
The facility was specifically designed by Shawmut to transform the newly constructed building into an industry-leading space where its factory trained technicians and knowledgeable parts and service staff can quickly and efficiently support all customer needs.
The new state-of-the-art facility provides vast yard space, multiple repair bays equipped with the latest diagnostic equipment and two 10-ton overhead cranes, a large parts warehouse, and expansive office space.
The full-service location will act as the new Canadian headquarters, offering crane and utility equipment sales, rentals, parts and service support. The central location and proximity to the Halifax airport will allow for quick technician dispatch, as well as expedited shipping times for parts orders.
The new Canadian headquarters is located in the East Hants Business Park in Elmsdale, N.S. Due to the large geographical area that Shawmut Equipment of Canada covers, the company will additionally continue to serve customers out of its Saint John, N.B. location.
Shawmut Equipment represents the Manitowoc Crane Group, including Manitowoc crawler cranes, Grove mobile hydraulic cranes, GMK all terrain cranes, National boom trucks, Potain self-erecting cranes, as well as a variety of utility equipment.
Source: Shawmut Equipment of Canada.
Tadano officially acquires Demag mobile cranes
Tadano Ltd. completed its $215 million acquisition of the Demag Mobile Cranes business on August 1.
The transaction brings together two big players in the lifting equipment industry – each well known for safety, quality, innovation, and performance. The Tadano and Demag brands now leverage a long combined history of manufacturing and lifting experience.
“The Tadano Group’s strategy is to become the global leader in the lifting equipment industry and the premier choice with our customers. The Demag Mobile Cranes acquisition is one vital step toward achieving that goal,” says Koichi Tadano, president and CEO of Tadano. “It expands our penetration into many markets throughout the world, adds lattice boom crawler cranes to our overall product line, and enhances the capacity range of our all terrain cranes. By working together, we can better respond to our customers’ needs and give them greater added value than ever before.”
In addition to technological and manufacturing excellence, Demag’s mobile cranes give Tadano one of the most complete ranges of lifting equipment solutions available from a single manufacturer. It expands the product line with eight lattice boom crawler crane models with lift capacities from 400 to 3,200 t (440 to 3,525 U.S. tons).
Also, Demag’s 15 all terrain crane models enhance Tadano’s maximum lift capacity in-segment to 1,200t (1,320 U.S. tons). Post-acquisition, the Tadano Group’s total lifting equipment line now includes more than 80 models, including rough terrain cranes, all terrain cranes, lattice and telescopic boom crawler cranes, truck cranes, and more.
In seeking to lead the industry, Tadano will build synergy with the Demag line to increase efficiencies and drive innovation. Tadano will unite and further enhance the strengths of Demag and Tadano Faun GmbH (TFG), a pillar of the Tadano Group since 1990. With highly complementary offerings between the two brands’ all terrain product lines, Tadano Ltd. can leverage tremendous synergies throughout the value chain. Moving forward, Tadano and Demag will not only be building synergies and improving efficiencies, but also taking every effort to ensure a seamless product and business experience.
“Demag’s dedicated stakeholders, including customers, distributors and suppliers, among others, infuse the company with great value. As our journey with Demag begins, our most immediate goal is ensuring ‘Business as Usual’ for current Demag customers,” Tadano said. “We are committed to a seamless transition that allows these stakeholders to continue with their important business smoothly and successfully, while we continue on with the Tadano Group Vision of ‘Pursuing Further Excellence for the World and Future.’”
As a subsidiary of the Tadano Group, the Demag mobile cranes business’ legal entity name will be changed to Tadano Demag GmbH in the following weeks. Furthermore, as of August 1, Demag is now led by Jens Ennen, who brings a long and successful history of leadership in the mobile crane industry to his new role as CEO of Tadano Demag GmbH.
Source: Tadano.
CanWEA conference coming to Calgary
The wind energy industry is set to explore current and emerging opportunities to drive continued growth in the face of a rapidly advancing global energy transition when it gathers at Canada’s largest wind energy conference this Fall.
The Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA), in partnership with Hannover Fairs Canada, have unveiled the program for the 35th Annual CanWEA Conference and Exhibition to be held October 8 to 10, 2019 at the BMO Centre in Calgary.
Over three days, business executives, technical experts, decision makers, and government representatives will highlight the key issues facing wind energy today and identify the innovative trends that will guide the future of clean energy growth.
“Wind energy is a low-cost, clean, and reliable source of power that is well-positioned to drive Canada’s clean energy growth. The CanWEA Annual Conference & Exhibition provides an unparalleled opportunity for all members and stakeholders of the wind energy industry to focus on the opportunities and solutions that will ensure Canada remains competitive in a low-carbon global economy,” said Robert Hornung, president of CanWEA.
Plenary sessions will focus on the big picture of Canada’s evolving electricity system and growing wind energy industry; navigating changing market and policy dynamics in Alberta; disruptive technologies and rapid innovation that are impacting Canada’s electric utilities; and the role of wind energy in supporting grid reliability. Concurrent educational sessions will dig into a range of pressing industry topics, including the possibilities for repowering projects, boosting operational strategies, traditional knowledge and indigenous partnerships, wind and solar hybrid projects, the evolution of wind project siting, new revenue streams and the global transition to clean technology.
With more than 1,200 attendees representing a wide range of interests in wind energy, the conference tradeshow will provide exhibitors an unmatched opportunity to connect with North America’s foremost wind energy leaders and decision makers. With the plenary sessions adjacent to the tradeshow floor, it is the perfect venue for exhibitors to expand their network and generate leads, while earning recognition as a wind energy market participant.
Following on the heels of the impressive 2018 award winners, attendees can expect no less this year. Six prestigious CanWEA awards will be presented to visionary leaders and clean energy pioneers for their outstanding contributions to the Canadian wind industry, while CanWEA partner Women in Renewable Energy (WiRE) will present this year’s Wind Power Woman of Distinction Award.
Registration is now open for the 35th CanWEA Annual Conference and Exhibition and the program outline can be found at windenergyevent.ca.
Source:
CanWEA.
Constrained growth outlook means a missed opportunity for Canada’s oil sector
Canada’s oil sector is missing a significant opportunity to benefit from the global commodity price and finally receive fair market value for Canadian resources, according to the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers’ (CAPP) 2019 Crude Oil Forecast, Markets and Transportation report.
The report shows a constrained outlook for Canadian oil production over the forecast period from 2019 to 2035 and, although the country’s overall crude oil production is expected to grow over the coming years, that growth forecast is significantly reduced from previous expectations. Pipeline constraints, a lack of market diversity, and inefficient regulations are largely responsible for holding back Canada’s oil sector.
CAPP projects Canadian crude oil production will increase by 1.27 million barrels per day (b/d) to 5.86 million b/d by 2035. This represents a 1.44 per cent annual increase, a growth rate less than half of what was projected in CAPP’s 2014 outlook.
“We need pipeline capacity and more efficient regulatory policy to help bring investment back to the oil sector and drive growth. CAPP has been vocal in its concerns about the challenges facing Canada’s energy industry and our forecast demonstrates the impact these challenges are having on the overall economy,” said Tim McMillan, CAPP president and CEO.
This year, capital spending in the oil sands is set to decline for a fifth consecutive year to roughly $12 billion, approximately one-third of the investment seen in 2014. Conventional oil producers are expected to drill fewer wells in 2019 compared to either of the two previous years, and activity is not likely to improve without better market access via pipelines
Overall, capital investment across Canada’s oil and natural gas industry is forecast to fall to $37 billion in 2019 compared to $81 billion in 2014. With global demand for crude oil expected to grow through to 2040, Canada has the opportunity to reclaim over $40 billion of investment if it addresses the key challenges surrounding access to international markets and regulatory and fiscal policy both federally and provincially.
“Canadians are being left on the sidelines while global demand for oil and natural gas is rapidly growing. We are positioned to be a leading supplier of the most responsibly produced oil and natural gas on the planet but our lack of pipelines and inefficient regulatory reality means that other suppliers, with lesser environmental and social standards, are taking our market share,” McMillan said.
If those challenges are not met, any meaningful increase in oil production will not be achievable, reducing potential growth in Canada’s gross domestic product (GDP), business investment, exports, and jobs. CAPP’s Crude Oil Forecast, Markets and Transportation can be found at: https://www.capp.ca/publications-and-statistics/crude-oil-forecast.
Submitted by CAPP.
Mammoet to purchase ALE
Mammoet recently announced it has signed an agreement to acquire ALE. Both companies are specialists in engineered heavy lifting and transport for sectors such as the petrochemical industry, renewable energy, power generation, civil construction and the offshore industry.
“We are very happy with this agreement. Mammoet and ALE complement each other in geographical presence on all continents,” said Paul van Gelder, CEO of Mammoet. “Together, we have a well-balanced portfolio of activities worldwide. This enables us to improve our service proposition and create synergies, as we are able to mobilize equipment and personnel swiftly anywhere. Last but not least, Mammoet and ALE both have a strong legacy in innovations which, once combined, will enable us to grow as a technologically leading player.”
Mark Harries, group managing director of ALE said, “Mammoet and ALE share a strong ambition to be leading in the engineered heavy lifting and transport sector. Both companies have a strong track record and are renowned for their craftsmanship, innovations and fleet of equipment. We both have shaped the profession of heavy lifting and transport through numerous innovations in the past decades. The prospect of the two companies joining forces is very exciting.”
The closing of the transaction is subject to approval of the relevant competition authorities. Until that time, Mammoet and ALE will continue to operate strictly independently. ING acted as financial advisor to Mammoet. No further details will be given until after closing of the transaction.
Source: Mammoet.
High angle rescue team tower crane practice
BY JAY JOHNSON
Crane safety is important to several industries – including the fire service. Check out some cool photos of the Penticton, B.C., fire department’s high angle rescue team’s tower crane practice last year shot by Mike Biden.
Training took place on a permanently installed crane in the metal yard of Action Steel, a local business. The team trained for the rescue of a person from, on, or within a crane structure.
The rescue could be anyone from a crane operator with a medical emergency or an unauthorized thrill-seeker. The construction industry in Penticton has been very busy in recent years which has sparked an increase in crane sites around the city.
During the training, rescue scenarios are performed on a number of areas on the crane.
“We train on the jib, the outside of the mast and within the climber’s frame so that we can be ready for different types of incidents,” said Jay Johnson, high angle team member. The high angle rescue members go over brake shutoffs and general parts and pieces of the tower crane.
“It’s part of our job to be familiar with the different types of cranes within our response jurisdiction,” said Johnson.
There are 12 Penticton firefighters on the high angle rescue team.
CRANE
CRAC AGM comes to Charlottetown
On the way back, the group went for lunch at the Lobster Barn in the little village of Victoria-by-the-Sea, before heading back to the host hotel, the Delta Prince Edward.
The same night, before the educational portion of the conference started the next day, the group headed out for some live entertainment by Adam MacGregor & The Foes joined by Cynthia MacLeod on fiddle and Jon Matthews on acoustic and vocals.
“It felt like a really successful conference,” said Claire Bélanger-Parker, CRAC executive administrator. “It was nice to see old friends reconnecting, meeting new people and networking.”
Bélanger-Parker said a lot of thought went into selecting the speakers for the 2019 show.
“We tried to pick topics and speakers that were relevant to today’s crane industry,” she said. “We know there are some topics we could cover that will always be relevant – like safety and what’s new and trending – but this year we also wanted to bring in speakers to talk about some things you might not have expected.”
CRAC brought in speakers from industry players Liebherr, Manitowoc and Redlist LCC to give an update on their industry and the roles they see each of their companies playing in the near future.
Klaus Weckenmann spoke for Liebherr. Weckenmann is Liebherr’s product manager for telescopic cranes based in Germany.
Mark Hooper represented Manitowoc as vice-president of hydraulic and crawler sales in North America. And Tal Wagstaff, CEO of Redlist LLC, spoke for Redlist LLC.
The keynote address was given on June 7 by David Coletto, an expert on millennials, who was followed by
JP Gladu, president and CEO Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB).
Coletto, CEO of Abacus Data, shared many of the different reasons why millennials are the way they are; act the way they act; and followed up with ways employers can recruit, retain, and motivate them.
He addressed that trades and the crane industry seem to be having a difficult time bringing in young fresh workers who are committed to a new company; and that no matter how much employers may hope to live forever, they won’t. Coletto added that employers need to get involved in making their businesses places where millennials could see themselves thriving in, because they are the ones who will be the new managers and CEOs.
Later in the day, Coletto spoke again at a workshop, sticking with his emphasis on making your workplace millennial friendly. He had the group divide themselves by table, into three groups, and discuss various ideas he presented that all had to do with what millennials need to hear, and how they need to be treated to attract them to the modern crane industry.
“You may find yourselves having to cater, or compromise, with millennials today,” said Coletto. “And that’s just how it is today.”
Gladu followed Coletto with a similar theme of trying to create a workplace people will want to work in, but focused on the Indigenous populations.
Anishinaabe from Thunder Bay, Ont., Gladu is a member of Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek located on the eastern shores of Lake Nipigon, Ont. Gladu has more than two decades of experience in the natural resources sector. His career path includes work with Indigenous communities and
Brennen Schmidt, principal of the ALEUS Technology Group, spoke on cybersecurity and what that means to the Canadian crane industry. Credit: Walt Malone.
Klaus Weckenmann with Liebherr gave an update on what’s new with the company. Credit: Walt Malone.
After conference attendees toured the Confederation Bridge, the crew stopped at a seafood restaurant for lunch. Credit: Walt Malone.
There were many opportunities for networking and relationship building at the 2019 CRAC conference. Credit: Walt Malone.
Attendees mingle during one of the many social events organized by the CRAC. Credit: Walt Malone.
Chef Michael Seth prepared the food for the closing banquet and served oysters during the cocktail hour before dinner. Credit: Jay Koblun
An
“The future is quite literally wide open. With wind energy trending toward larger wind farms, more complex and higher capacity turbines, higher hub heights, new and emerging technologies, this will all change the realm of what is possible,” he says. “Opportunities – if not the necessity – for innovations in equipment, methodology, scope and philosophy will challenge all of the players, which will drive industry to truly chase the horizon. As Canadians, we are incredibly fortunate to live on so much land, with so many resources, and a robust and diverse energy sector. The real challenge will be to choose what opportunities to prioritize.”
Hannah says no province is limited in any real sense from a growth perspective.
“Some provinces will be in an installation or construction phase, meaning that the others will see increase in port and transport – road, rail, waterway – opportunities,” he says. “We feel that if we look at Canada as a whole, all provinces are winning in some way, meaning great opportunity at a national level.”
In addition to new installations, there will be significant opportunities for heavy lifting companies to take advantage of the maintenance of existing wind farms.
“The fleet of wind farms and turbines in Canada is starting to get to the age where the maintenance requirements increase,” says Meredith Sargent, vicepresident of Surespan Wind Energy Services, based in North Vancouver, B.C. “So as far as ongoing work in Canada goes, we have over 5,000 megawatts of wind energy
in Canada right now, and some of that fleet is 10 to 15 years old, so that creates another avenue of work for us.”
Sargent says work refitting existing turbines or lifting the turbines off the top of towers and replacing them is a good way to help smooth out her company’s workload.
Many of the opportunities to work on larger installation and maintenance projects in the short-term are expected to come from within the Prairies.
“I think that we have a pretty optimistic view of the opportunities in Canada for the new installation and maintenance over the next few years,” Sargent says. “Most of us have had a bit of a lull for the last year-and-a-half in terms of installation work.”
Outside of a handful of smaller projects in Ontario, there has not been a ton of work for heavy lifters in the wind industry over the past 18 months, according to Sargent. But she says things in the industry are headed in the right direction, with enough work to keep companies like her own busy throughout the rest of the lifting season for 2019; and further growth is expected in the coming years.
“The next two years after this one is more of an uplift in installation work available,” she says. “There’s a number of projects coming up from Alberta and Saskatchewan in 2020 and 2021.”
Will Ontario be a major player?
As far as Ontario goes, the province is still a question mark for how active it will be in the installation of new wind industry projects in the coming years.
“We don’t know whether Ontario is going to revisit a very dramatic decision in 2018 to cancel a whole bunch of proposed projects now that the cost of wind as an electricity source is continuing to drop; and showing that trend is going to continue,” Sargent says. “With Ontario’s public mainly complaining about the high cost of electricity, it may be that Ontario takes a second look at things.”
A maturing workforce
One of the advantages the wind energy sector has now, that it didn’t have much of 10 years ago, is a veteran workforce.
“I think as the industry has matured, the workforce has matured. We have second-generation labour,” Sargent says, adding that 10 years ago, the labour in Canada’s wind energy sector was largely new to the industry. “The labour pool was building with people that were learning the trade of wind technician.”
She says colleges across Canada played a major role in the maturing of the sector’s workforce, picking up on the demand for skilled workers in the industry and creating courses to bring people into the industry.
“They’ve done a great job realizing it’s an industry that can attract people,” Sargent says. “What we’re seeing now in our own workforce is a maturing of that workforce. People with 10 years of experience under their belt and new entrants that are trained by people with significant experience… the labour, from our perspective, has improved.”
Unlike many companies active in the construction sector, Surespan isn’t struggling with skilled labour shortage issues.
“We have a loyal group of operators that are specialized in the wind industry – we have our own cranes,” Sargent says. “We originally recruited a specialist and he’s trained our own group of loyal operators.”
Major hurdles
One major hurdle for tackling any upcoming larger projects across Canada is access to the necessary cranes, according to Sargent, who adds that most of the larger cranes required for the work are already busy south of the border.
“On the equipment side, the challenge is definitely cranes. The U.S., at the moment, is sucking cranes from the market, because across the heavy lift industry there’s a lot of activity, including wind construction and maintenance,” she says. “So what we’re finding the most significant challenge for sourcing in a new construction project in Canada is finding the right crane because there are only so many of these cranes; and rental houses don’t necessarily want to rent them out for three months.”
Another challenge that will add to the crane shortage for some installation companies is that some wind energy installations will require larger cranes than ever before.
“The height for wind turbines has increased significantly,” Sargent says, adding that some installations are now upwards of 131-metres-tall.
For Mammoet’s Hannah, the biggest hurdles for Canada’s wind industry, as a whole, is the viewing of renewables as an energy pipeline.
“If there is heavy construction in the Prairies and central provinces, for example, ports on the coastal and inland provinces will reap some opportunity for the works outside of their province. Heavily taxing, permitting, and generally being overly opportunistic on any part of the supply chain and works raises the cost of renewable energy,” he explains, adding that this is something the industry cannot afford to do, since renewables must compete on the same stage as other energy generation sectors. “Essentially, we must not be our own enemy.”
Attitude shift
The biggest boon for the wind energy sector is that there is a shift in how people and companies view the renewable energy sector.
“The technology and capacity that the manufacturers are currently putting on the market are both a reaction to, and result of this,” Hannah says. “In our opinion, this makes renewables very holistic by definition: interconnected and aware of the interconnection. Any of the new projects and/ or projects in the pipeline with the 4.X megawatt machines are the biggest boon. Simply, they are bigger, heavier, higher, and once installed: better.”
So what can industry members do to help grow the industry over the next five years? Challenge each other, Hannah says.
“Due to the holistic nature of the sector, the supply chain should be equally holistic,” he says. “We should be challenging each other with innovation and sustainable business practices. Working with the owners and manufacturers to lower the cost of renewable energy to keep the project pipeline robust should be paramount.”
Toronto tops crane count across North America
BY ANDREW SNOOK
Toronto has topped the Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB) Crane Index for the North America - January 2019 report surveying the number of active tower cranes in various cities. The study was released in August and surveys 13 major cities across the continent.
“We have 120 cranes in the downtown core, but we have 246 cranes in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area),” says Joe Pendlebury, senior vice-president for Rider Levett Bucknall who oversees the company’s Canadian offices.
Toronto easily took home the top spot with 120 active tower cranes. Seattle, Wash. and Los Angeles, Calif., were tied for second place with 49 active tower cranes.
Pendlebury says that 68 per cent of the cranes operating in the downtown core are being used for residential construction; while mixed-use construction (residential with office space) makes up an additional 14 per cent.
“The low availability rates are causing an increase to the enthusiasm for these guys to build office and residential space,” he says.
The report states that increased infrastructure spending is expected to trigger additional activity, with more than 400 high-rise buildings on the docket for development; and that the number of tower cranes operating in the downtown core, percentage-wise, is losing ground when compared to those being erected outside the downtown core across the GTA.
Calgary came in fourth on the RLB Crane Index report with 34 active tower cranes.
The report states that newly implemented standards governing urban density are responsible for increased tower crane operation in the city; and that high-rise, multi-family projects are “making an impact on the skyline.”
Other areas where tower cranes are currently active throughout Calgary include the downtown, the University District, East Village, and the Beltline area; where office, commercial, mixed-use, healthcare, and infrastructure construction are underway.
“There is some need to try and get more density within the downtown core,” Pendlebury explains. “So that’s encouraged higher towers to be built.”
Toronto and Calgary are currently the only two Canadian cities surveyed in the report. Additional cities that are included in the report include: Portland (30); Washington, D.C. (28); Chicago (27); New York (27); San Francisco (23); Denver (18); Boston (14); Honolulu (4); and Phoenix (3).
“I think the majority of the markets are up, so we’re in a good economy. In Toronto we’ve got another 400 projects on the books, and some in progress, so the future looks good,” Pendlebury says. “Cranes tend to show a boom – no pun intended – that things are growing and things aren’t shutting down… it’s kind of an easy indicator that the economy is good and the forecast is good.”
To review the full report, visit www.rlb.com.
Joe Pendlebury
ICUEE 2019 offering expanded education lineup
The Demo Expo features field classrooms, disaster simulation labs and more
ICUEE-The Demo Expo 2019 education programs offer attendees a variety of formats and topics to maximize their time onsite. Sessions include new disaster-readiness simulation labs, an expanded roster of show-floor field classrooms and new eat-and-learn workshops.
“ICUEE education sessions are a great way to conveniently ramp up the knowledge of your team,” said ICUEE show director John Rozum. “We’ve developed relevant programs and gathered leading experts to help you and your team stay informed and up to speed on the latest industry developments.”
As an added value, education participants earn Professional Development Hours credit. Attendees can also take advantage of industry certifications offered by the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO).
ICUEE, the International Construction and Utility Equipment Exposition will take place October 1-3, 2019 at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Ky. Register for ICUEE 2019 by August 23 for best rates. For more information and to register, visit www.icuee.com.
Your guide to ICUEE 2019 learning opportunities
New disaster simulation labs: When disasters and other crises occur, industry workers are often front-line responders. Desi Matel-Anderson, FEMA’s first and former chief innovation advisor, will lead the new Disaster Simulation Labs at ICUEE 2019.
Desi will help attendees explore needs and concepts to create tailored and innovative solutions to meet a variety of crisis needs. She uses a proprietary three-step design process to help organizations understand the core issues and needs that are not being optimally addressed in any given crisis, and become better prepared for sustainable resiliency
Expanded field classrooms: ICUEE uses ‘walking’ classrooms on the show floor to provide a hands-on overview of topics geared to those new to the industry (or those wanting a refresher).
Field classroom topics include aerial devices, electrical hazards and equipment, equipment hydraulics, fleet management, horizontal directional drilling, safety, trenching, underground detection and marking, and vacuum excavating.
New Eat and Learn workshops: Grab a bite to eat during these learning opportunities at Tuesday lunch, Wednesday breakfast and/or Wednesday lunch sessions. The topics include:
• Drone panel: Effective applications in utility industry;
• The business model for building and maintaining a smart utility infrastructure; and
• Workforce development: Generational story.
ICUEE comes once every two years and is known as The Demo Expo for its equipment test drives and interactive product demonstrations. It is the largest and leading event for utilities and utility and construction contractors seeking comprehensive insights into the latest industry technologies, innovations and trends, owned and produced by Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM). Submitted by Association of Equipment Manufacturers.
The 2017 International Construction and Utility Equipment Exposition (ICUEE) had the largest turnout in the show’s history with more than 28 acres of exhibits, 1,000 exhibitors and just under 18,000 registered attendees. Photos: AEM.
Ford F-150 diesel built tough
BY MARIO CYWINSKI
You know you are doing something right when you are the top selling anything for over 50 years. For Ford of Canada, they have had the top selling pickup truck in Canada for 53 years, with the F-Series. If that isn’t enough, the F-Series has been the top selling vehicle overall in Canada for the past nine years.
Having been at the top for so long, one would think that Ford wouldn’t make a lot of investment in the F-150. However, the opposite is true. Over the past few vehicle generations, Ford has put turbocharged engines (EcoBoost) in the vehicle, when the norm was to have powerful V-8s; it began using military grade aluminum for the body, when steel was the norm; it began to offer a plethora of safety and convenience features usually seen on luxury vehicles; and it continues to add new innovations to the F-150 on a yearly basis.
“The Ford F-150 lineup continues to delivers on its promise to give full-size truck customers even more value, functionality and smart technology innovations, with best-inclass towing, payload and fuel economy. The F-150 diesel strengthens even further Ford’s Built Ford Tough commitment to its hardworking truck customers and demonstrates how we listen to their demands for their new F-150 to be even tougher, even smarter and even more capable for work and play,” said Christine Hollander, communication manager, Ford of Canada.
Being a big fan of diesel engines, I always wondered why only the Super Duty was offered with a diesel, while its light-duty cousin didn’t offer one. Well, for the 2018 model year, the 3.0-litre Power Stroke V-6 diesel engine was added to the lineup. It comes with 250 horsepower and 440 lb-ft. of torque mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. It offers towing of 11,400 pounds and a payload of 1,940 pounds for retail, when properly equipped.
It is important to point out that today’s diesel engine are not the same as in past generations. They are a lot more advanced and still offer the main advantages of a diesel engine, torque and fuel economy.
“We know that competing diesels with electric cooling fans have to dial back on power under extreme heat and altitude, so we decided on a viscous-controlled mechanical fan that has the capacity to move much more air across the radiator and intercooler in extreme
conditions,” said David Ives, Ford diesel engine technical specialist. “This gives F-150 Power Stroke owners more power and more passing capability in harsh conditions.”
The 2019 F-150 is also a very safe vehicle, as shown by it achieving ‘good’ ratings in all tests from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
“F-150’s smart engineering, plus the innovative combination of its high-strength steel frame and high-strength, military-grade, aluminum alloy body continues to demonstrate enduring customer benefits – from repeated class-leading crash test performance to bestin-class towing and payload,” said Hau Thai-Tang, Ford executive vice-president, product development and purchasing.
The diesel engine is available on a wide variety of trim levels and package options. The F-150 is available in XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum, and Limited. It offers three cab sizes (regular, supercab and supercrew), and three truck bed lengths (5 ½”, 6 ½”, and 8”).
Mario Cywinski is the editor of Machinery and Equipment MRO magazine, a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada, and a judge for Canadian Truck King Challenge. He has over 10 years of editorial experience and over 15 years of automobile industry experience, as well as small business industry experience.
Cranes on film
One film stands out in particular, however, since the crane itself took centre stage. In Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, the villainous T-X, portrayed by Kristanna Loken, hijacks a massive Terex-Demag AC 160-2 mobile crane emblazoned with the Champion Cranes name and cuts a swath of destruction through Los Angeles in pursuit of Nick Stahl’s John Connor. The chase sees the crane smash through cars and buildings, including a sequence with Arnold Schwarzenegger’s T-800 dangling from the loose boom, before being dramatically flipped over when the hook snags on a manhole cover.
Konle says that he was approached about the scene by the film’s special effects team, which was looking to do a chase scene with a vehicle larger than a fire truck. The crew fell in love with the size of the AC 160-2 and decided to use that as the basis for a model; which they would shoot to capture the chase scene. However, Konle offered them the opportunity to make the scene much more real.
“I said, ‘How would you like to have a real crane to bash and crash instead of a model?’ We sold it to the Terminator crew and we bashed it and crashed it for three months. We rolled it over, we ripped the outriggers out of it, drove it on five wheels, drove it through walls and hit police cars. It was a spectacular scene for sure.”
While almost everything in many big-budget blockbusters is CGI these days, Konle says that only part of the scene is computer-generated – the hook dropping into the manhole cover and the crane flipping over afterwards. Other than that, everything was done with practical special effects and actually smashing the crane into cars and telephone poles and everything else. The building that the boom smashes through (see photo) was constructed specifically for the film.
“It wasn’t as tough as a real building or we would never have been able to do what we did to it,” says Konle. “But all the crashing into the cop cars, and that, was all real.”
Originally the crane was going to be altered by rebuilding all the controls on the passenger side for the stunt driver, so Loken could appear to be in the driver’s seat. After Konle informed the production team that this would cost in the range of $250,000, the only alterations to the crane ended up being a roll cage and five-point harness for the stunt driver and a fake steering wheel for Loken on the “wrong side.”
“She’s driving from the wrong side of the crane,” says Konle. “But to this day, I don’t know anybody that has noticed that I didn’t tell.”
After the shoot was completed, the crane was repaired and sold to a company in the Midwest. Konle says that it is still in use to this day.
Irving Equipment and The Curse of Oak Island Oak Island in Nova Scotia has been a source of mystery for many years, with theories of what may be hidden on the island ranging from Shakespearean manuscripts to the Ark of the Covenant. In 2014, a History network reality TV program, The Curse of Oak Island, began exploring the island and Irving Equipment have been providing support ever since.
“We’re involved in a couple of different ways,” says general manager David Irving. “Right now we’re there to assist the crew on site in their exploration efforts. Very different from the traditional projects we do where there’s a schedule and it’s all about productivity. We’re trying to accommodate them where we can – if they want to stop and dig and explore an artifact, we’re here to support them and get them access to the areas of the ground that they’re looking for.”
For a couple of early seasons of the program, the work was focused around the area known as the “Money Pit.” There, they drilled large diameter caissons and excavated so the show’s stars could sift through the contents. There, Irving Equipment utilized a couple of hundred-ton crawler cranes, including a Link-Belt.
In seasons five and six, more work was focused around the Smith’s Cove area, where a 300-ton Manitowoc 2250 crawler crane was used to drive a coffer dam into the ground. Back at the Money Pit, since a larger diameter oscillator was being used, a Liebherr HS 895 was utilized.
Irving says that while the actual operations being performed are typical for Irving Equipment’s work, it does take some adjustment for the crew.
“It’s a little bit out of the norm for our guys, you have to develop a comfort level with it,” Irving says. “There’s cameras and mics on everybody, our guys aren’t used to being in the spotlight like that. I think that’s a bit of an adjustment.”
The one technical challenge Irving identifies is simply trying to determine the right places to drill for excavations. Working alongside a seismic company the production contracted, Irving offer opinions on soil conditions and what the most effective equipment would be.
“We’ve been fortunate to develop a good relationship with the production team and that they’ve called on us now a few times,” Irving says. “I don’t know if we’ll make a habit of this, but if they’re in the neighborhood we’re happy to offer any support that we can.”
The “Terminator Crane” retired from its career in havoc and destruction and, after some repairs, re-entered the workforce. Konle says to this day it can still be seen on jobsites in the Dakotas.
In 2005, Champion helped with the filming of Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man’s Chest.
The T-3 chase scene used mostly practical effects – the building façade here is built so the crane’s boom can smash through with ease.
FAMOUS (AND INFAMOUS) CRANE SCENES IN MOVIES
The action packed crane chase in Terminator 3 was one of the most spectacular crane scenes in movies, but there have been many others over the years. Some are iconic and visually stunning. Others raise reams of logistic questions and may seem completely ridiculous.
Terminator 2: Judgement Day – Likely the most famous crane related scene in a film, though certainly more understated than many others on this list. After defeating the T-1000 by dropping it into a vat of molten metal, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s T-800 insists that he must be lowered into the same vat to prevent his parts from being salvaged, thus averting the future robot apocalypse. After a tearful good bye, the T-800 is lowered into the molten metal by way of an overhead crane.
The Adventures of Tin Tin – The mystery at the heart of this animated feature by Stephen Spielberg centres around a 17th century high-seas skirmish between Sir Francis Haddock and the dreaded pirate Red Rackham. In the film’s climax, their descendants, Captain Haddock and Sakharine, relive that battle in bombastic fashion, by engaging in a sword fight using the jibs of two massive dockside tower cranes.
The Amazing Spider-Man – When it appears that Spider-Man may be too injured to race to the climax and the villainous Lizard, a crane operator whose son Spidey saved earlier in the film comes to the rescue. In a stroke of luck (or perhaps plot convenience) he and his co-workers know every crane operator in New York, and they all position their cranes in such a way that Spider-Man can use them to quickly swing to the final battle.
The A-Team – This adaptation of the classic television series features many complex (even convoluted) plans, but the film’s climax may top them all. In order to outwit a crooked federal agent, the team performs a version of the classic cup-and-ball con game. However, they do so with two massive dockside tower cranes and a bevy of shipping container trailers. The crane movements utilized seem beyond the realm of possibility, particularly since there had been little indication that Bradley Cooper’s Face had any experience as a crane operator.
Skyscraper – In this action film, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s Will Sawyer uses a massive tower crane to gain access to the titular skyscraper. Of note, he rocks (no pun intended) the crane’s trolley back and forth to build up momentum so that the hook will fly out and smash an opening in the building. Like the A-Team, the crane manoeuvres seem suspect, particularly since again, there is no indication that Sawyer, a former marine and hostage negotiator, has any experience in crane operation.
Casino Royale – Daniel Craig’s first outing as James Bond features a trilling parkour styled chase scene around a construction site, which involves much climbing and jumping from a mobile crane and two tower cranes. Most of the action is fairly credible, likely helped by the fact that Bond’s target, bomb-maker Mollaka, is portrayed by parkour legend Sébastien Foucan. The one moment that raises questions from a crane perspective, however, is when Bond climbs onto the load of pipes being carried by a crane and hits a quick release lever that drops the load and causes the hook to retract. Such a mechanism seems like it would surely violate many workplace safety protocols.
“The Crane Rental Association of Canada is pleased to announce its 2019-2020 Board of Directors:”
RYAN BURTON – BIGFOOT CRANE COMPANY LTD. – Chairman
VERDEIJEN – MAMMOET CANADA – Vice-Chairman JOHN ROBERTS – STERLING CRANE - Secretary-Treasurer
SHELDON BAKER – CANADIAN CRANE RENTALS LTD. - Director
BERNIE BUETTNER –
CRANE & HEAVY HAUL SERVICES LTD. – Director BILL COX – Director BOB FAIRBANK - TNT CRANE & RIGGING CANADA INC. - Director
MILLER – IRVING EQUIPMENT LTD. - Director
SHANNON MOIR- RIENDEAU – MOIR CRANE SERVICE LTD. - Director
TONY NIESE – NELSON MANUFACTURING CO. -Director
RON OSTERMAN – SARENS CANADA INC. - Director JOSE PEREZ – BRODERSON MANUFACTURING CORP. - Director
MICHEL RIVERIN – GUAY INC. - Director
Stunt rehearsal for the Terex-Demag AC 160-2 prior to shooting Terminator 3. *ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHAMPION CRANES
Leveraging safety to legislate new safety rules
BY CHRIS MACHUT
Construction safety is increasingly an issue of crane safety.
The latter depends on the enactment of one law, uniting federal and state/provincial laws concerning the use of construction cranes. Changing the law also requires social change. That is to say, crane operators must promote the need for visual safety tools.
These tools include reliable and real-time crane cameras. These tools reveal what the naked eye alone cannot see. These tools allow crane operators to avoid the obstacles and obstructions that may otherwise endanger the lives and livelihoods of construction workers. Without a law mandating the use of these cameras, inconsistent rules may result in consistent problems. These problems include different safety standards among different jobsites.
According to Wayne R. Cohen, a professor at The George Washington University School of Law and a Washington, D.C. injury claims attorney, construction safety should be proactive, not reactive.
In other words, we cannot wait for accidents to happen; we must prevent them from happening in the first place. For example, two construction sites often have different safety rules. One site may use crane cameras, while the other does not. This scenario is common throughout the United States.
If a city or state does not require the installation and use of crane cameras, a site manager has no responsibility to go beyond what the law says he must do. He can refuse to use crane cameras, based on nothing more than a poor business decision. Since each site is its own independent business, the person in charge has final say.
The problem is, the law says little or nothing about what crane operators must have. Without a national law for crane safety, crane cameras will not be available and in use at every construction site.
The irony is that the safety features crane operators need are not unlike the rearview cameras automakers promote and preinstall.
In the United States, all new passenger cars, trucks, vans, and other vehicles weighing less than 10,000 pounds must be equipped with rearview monitoring technology.
This law is the product of public and legislative pressure, rather than an act of goodwill by the Big Three automakers. A closer look proves this point about resistance to change. Take, for instance, the campaign by General Motors (GM) to discredit Ralph Nader, author of Unsafe at Any Speed. GM tried to entrap and embarrass Nader. GM harassed him, too. Nader prevailed against these attacks at considerable cost to his personal life and professional reputation.
We should not, therefore, expect parliament to enact new construction safety laws overnight. If we want cities and provinces to adopt additional safety standards, we have to educate legislators about the urgency of this matter.
We have to be persistent in our efforts but patient about our expectations, because change is a process.
Absent a tragedy, the public tends to be silent about the machinations of parliament. In turn, silence breeds complacency. Not surprisingly, what legislators do not see or hear insulates them from knowing when or why to act. Our duty is to inform the public, thereby inspiring parliament to pass more stringent safety rules for the construction industry. We have the power to make this vision a reality.
Machut is the chief technology officer for Netarus.
Training personnel from top down
BY JUDY MELLOTT-GREEN
It has been my industry experience over the years that it is of critical importance for all applicable management – supervisors, foremen, HSE personnel – to attend and successfully complete the same safety training programs their shop workers attend. Training applicable supervisory personnel is beneficial to the company, as it provides them with the knowledge and experience that during their observations in the shops may easily prevent an accident or injury (i.e. unbalanced load, or damaged lifting or handling hardware, etc.).
Reasoning is that all electrical/energy powered equipment and tools, etc., have the potential of being involved in a serious injury accident or fatality.
The technology and design of most production equipment has significantly changed over the past 10-plus years. Therefore, it is of critical importance that all applicable above-mentioned personnel attend the same safety training programs as their workers.
Manufacturing, fabricating and assembly facilities have certified design processes that they follow for the products they are building and selling to their clients. Therefore, having these personnel trained could easily reduce unnecessary downtime, costly repairs, late deliveries, and in some cases, the loss of a client.
It is quite simple, beginning first by training from top down, applicable managers, supervisors, lead hands, foremen/women and HSE Personnel. The more “eyes on the loads” being handled/rigged, travelling through the shop, there is less chance of an incident or damaged load. On-time delivery and a happy customer is what it’s all about.
It is, at times, difficult for some people to see how important it is to have personnel observing how loads are being rigged or travelling. HSE and supervisors that are in the proximity of a load being lifted can see things that the operator and rigger aren’t aware of – for example: a sling that is not rigged properly, or that they are too close to a gas line. This may sound trivial, but it could easily prevent a serious accident.
It is extremely important to ensure that companies have copies of the most current federal applicable standards for all large powered equipment that if operated incorrectly, could result in a serious accident or fatality.
Maintenance logbooks are a provincial and federal requirement for most large powered equipment that requires a trained qualified ticketed operator. Logbooks contain dates, times and operator names; as well as manufacturer required pre-operational checks, operational checks and shutdowns of equipment; and are signed and dated by the operator at end of shift. In the in the event of an injury accident or fatality, these documents are required for legal investigative authorities to determine the cause of an incident.
Ensuring all the prementioned personnel have been trained will help ensure your product arrives on time to your clients. It sounds like a lot to do, but the benefits far outweigh the work involved. On-time deliveries, happy customers, and most importantly, a safer worksite with less costs.
Judy Mellott-Green has over 27 years experience working in the overhead crane industry and was the recipient of the 2016 CSA Award of Merit in recognition of exemplary goal-oriented leadership.
As president of the All Canadian Training Institute Inc. (ACTi) in Edmonton, Alta., Judy continues to participate on provincial, national and international safety committees to assist in improving standards and workers safety for those who utilize this type of equipment.
Chris
Chris Machut
SPX532 mini crane is more intuitive with higher performance
The Jekko mini crane “grows up” and takes a brand new direction in which concepts such as simplicity, immediacy, performance and efficiency come together in the same machine.
The new SPX532 incorporates important innovations such as a cutting-edge stabilizing system, a sophisticated electronic and hydraulic system, greater ease of use, increased lifting capacity, an updated design and a new and user friendly radio remote control.
“The new SPX532 project is the result of having listened to the precise needs of an increasingly large and continuously evolving market, that of special lifting,” said Jekko export manager Alberto Franceschini. “Our pioneering experience gained over 20 years in the mini crane sector, combined with comprehensive knowledge of the truck-mounted crane sector, has allowed Jekko to develop a product that combines sophisticated solutions used in the world of mobile cranes with the simplicity and sturdiness typical of truckmounted cranes.”
Important new features include the 1-tonne hydraulic jib, the maximum height of which, at 17.3 metres, can be compared to that of a higher category of crane, and an updated design with more sophisticated and resistant materials, so a column reinforced with two pistons and a sump that are no longer in fibreglass, but in steel. www.jekko-cranes.com
A1A Software announces award-winning lift plans
A1A Software LLC announces the winners of its 2018 Lift Plan of the Year Competition.
The awards program is for companies that use A1A Software’s 3D Lift Plan as a sales tool, for bid proposals, crane selection and setup, lift planning, and documentation. Project submissions were for jobs that were completed last year.
Six entries were selected as finalists, then voting was opened to the public.
“More than 1,000 crane industry professionals voted for the best lift plans,” said Tawnia Weiss, president of A1A Software. The competition focused on creative and practical use of 3D Lift plan to solve challenges of the jobs.
Riley Pettrone, a project manager for La Grange Crane Service, La Grange, Ill., received first place for his lift plan detailing a two-crane lift of a 120,000-lb. steel bridge section over the Calumet River. The project was conducted for Copenhaver Construction and the Illinois Department of Transportation.
Second place went to Brent Genseke, project manager for Rockford, Ill.-based Area Erectors; and Jose Sosa, while employed by Ed Bell Construction Co. in Dallas, received third place for his use of 3D Lift Plan on a Texas Department of Transportation state high improvement project.
The remaining finalists were: Matthew Brady, Extreme Steel Crane and Rigging Inc., Warrenton, Va., for replacement of limestone steps on the South Portico of the White House; Tom Robinson, Ohio-based PSC Crane and Rigging, for a hospital construction project; and Trapper Wyman, Mansfield Crane Service Corp., Mansfield, Pa., for removal of a reciprocating compressor skid from an oil and gas production facility.
More information about the award-winning project can be found at: https://lagrangecrane.com/projects/dueling-cranes-with-copenhaver.
Manitowoc pledges to help reconstruct Notre-Dame
Following the fire that caused large-scale damage to Notre-Dame de Paris, Potain –Manitowoc’s manufacturer of tower cranes – has pledged to support reconstruction efforts of the historic French cathedral.
Manitowoc will provide tower cranes and related services free of charge. The terms of this offer have now been officially presented to the authorities.
“It seemed natural to us that Potain, our tower crane brand that for more than 90 years has been involved in the construction of the most emblematic works of French architecture, is committed to rebuilding Notre Dame de Paris. Our cranes and technical expertise will be there to meet the challenge of a rapid reconstruction of the cathedral,” said Barry Pennypacker, president and CEO of The Manitowoc Company, Inc. www.manitowoccranes.com
Cropac
Equipment
adds several new Terex tower cranes
Cropac Equipment with locations throughout Atlantic and Eastern Canada continues to see a growing demand for tower cranes throughout its territory and recently invested in several new Terex tower cranes.
The order includes:
– Terex SK 415-20 hammerhead tower cranes
– Terex CTT 132-6, CTT 332-16 and CTT 472-20 flat top tower crane models
– Terex CTL 260-18 luffing jib tower cranes
Cropac business development manager James Graham said the company added a significant amount of tower cranes to its inventory in the last 12 months, and expects to add many more in the future.
“Our latest order of Terex tower cranes helps ensure that we always have the right crane for our customers when they need it. We do everything we can to be the best partner to their businesses,” he said.
The new Terex SK 415-20 hammerhead tower cranes that Cropac is adding have a maximum capacity of 20t (22 US-t) and a jib tip capacity of 2.5t (2.75 US-t). The SK 41520 has a maximum hoisting speed of 110 m/min (360 ft/min) and higher drum capacity of 520 metres (1,706 ft).
Konecranes launches TRUCONNECT retrofit
ICropac‘s new flat top towers range from 6-tonne (6.6 USt) to 20 tonne (22 Ust) in capacity, and feature an ergonomic cab to help crane operators work efficiently. Also, the CTL 26018 luffing jib tower crane is well suited for working in urban environments, and capable of lifting up to 18 tones (19.8 USt).
www.cropac.com
Talbert cuts ribbon on expanded North Carolina facility
Talbert Manufacturing hosted a ribbon cutting this past May, officially opening the 58,000-square-foot expansion of their Liberty, N.C. facility.
The 120,000-square-foot Liberty Trailers LLC will manufacture Talbert’s Tag-A-Long Series, Traveling Axle Series and Hydraulic Tail Series trailers. With the expansion, the manufacturer looks to increase dealer and customer support throughout North America with increased production capabilities and a support staff of 60 associates.
“In 1938, Austin Talbert set out to change the heavy-haul industry,” said Andrew Tanner, president of Talbert Manufacturing. “With the expansion of Liberty Trailers LLC, Talbert Manufacturing is closer than ever to realizing his vision of customer-driven design that meets the ever-changing needs of the hauling industry. We’re able to double our current output, allowing us meet the needs of our Tag-A-Long customers and dealers across the U.S. and Canada so we can continue growing together.” www.talbertmfg.com
Grove and Strongco celebrate six decades of dealer success in Canada
Grove and Strongco celebrated 60 years of doing business together during a special ceremony at bauma 2019 in Munich, Germany.
Strongco is a Grove, Manitowoc and National Crane dealer that has a strong presence in selling, renting and servicing equipment across Canada.
Dave Hull, vice-president of sales, Americas, for Manitowoc Cranes, presented the company with an award. Strongco representatives William Ostrander, vice-president of cranes and material handling, and Oliver Nachevski, vice-president and COO, joined Manitowoc’s booth at bauma to celebrate and accept the award.
Being proud of the 60-year partnership, Strongco’s Nachevski said, “Strongco is very proud, and we value our partnership with Manitowoc. We look forward to continuing to represent this premier group of crane products for many more years to come.”
n order to bring real-time data-driven remote monitoring to owners of Demag cranes, Konecranes has launched a TRUCONNECT retrofit. The retrofit will equip Demag cranes and hoists equipped with DMR SafeControl with the hardware needed for TRUCONNECT Remote Monitoring. Data collected by the device will be available on the yourKONECRANES website.
“Customers now will have access to condition, usage and operating information for their whole crane fleet – whether it’s Konecranes or Demag equipment – and Konecranes technicians can quickly install the retrofit with little interruption to the customer’s operations,” stated product manager for remote service Esa Kukkola.
As with many telematics systems, the data, collected in real time by crane control systems and sensors, can be used for maintenance planning and predicting component or equipment failure, which can be used to improve productivity and safety.
A TRUCONNECT factsheet on the Konecranes website says that users will have access to the following data: safety-related occurrences, such as brake service life, overtemperatures, attempted overloads and emergency stops; pareto analysis of critical alerts and faults; operating statistics, such as load spectrum, monitoring of hoist jogging, overloads, emergency stops, work cycles and running hours; and estimates of remaining Design Working Period (DWP) of selected components, such as the hoist, hoist brake, contactors and trolley (SMARTON).
The hardware is designed for fit Demag DR and DMR models, and data is transmitted over 3G/4G networks, meaning local WiFi is unnecessary. www.konecranes.com
Echoing his statements, Ostrander stated, “Manitowoc has been a key part of our success in Canada, and we’re proud to be associated with this market leader in cranes and lifting solutions. The products and support they provide us and our customers is the best in the industry.”
Manitowoc’s Hull added, “Their ability to provide strong crane sales, rentals and service across Canada has been instrumental in ensuring our cranes are dependable for our valued customer base. Strongco is an important partner for us, and we look forward to many more years of good business.” www.strongco.com
Falcon Equipment opens new branch in Alberta
Falcon Equipment has opened a new branch in Leduc, Alta. this August, and will be offering sales, service, rentals, and parts support for the majority of its core product lines.
Lane Babiak will be leading the charge at the new location and is thrilled to have a home base where he can connect with more customers. Along with Lane Babiak and the new team of mechanics, Mike Gallant, who is based out of Calgary, will continue to provide sales to our customers in Alberta.
For more information visit www.falconequip.com.
Kenworth Montréal celebrates remodelled dealership
A$2.6-million remodeling and renovation project at the Kenworth Montréal dealership in Saint-Laurent, Que. has been completed.
The two-story, 31,000 squarefoot building on three acres features large sliding doors that support the indoor showroom and Kenworth truck display. The driver’s lounge is inside the showroom and features innovative movable walls, which allows flexibility in room configuration and increased space for the dealership’s customer events.
With 20 service bays, Kenworth Montréal is one of the larger service facilities in all of Canada, and operates seven days a week with multiple shifts.
With the neighbouring PACCAR Parts Distribution Center also remodelled during the same time frame as the dealership, parts availability and a focus on customer uptime is proving to be the winning formula in optimizing the customer experience, said Mike Parent, Kenworth Montréal general manager.
Within Kenworth Montréal’s territory, customers looking for parts and service support will find two TRP stores (Vaudreuil-Dorian and Laval), which provide parts for all makes of trucks, a Kenworth parts store (Saint-Jerome) and the Lanoraie and Saint-Laurent facilities, which offer full parts and service operations.
Hiab to connect the majority of its equipment
Hiab, part of Cargotec, will connect the majority of its equipment as a standard feature from factory, starting in the second half of 2019. Customers will get equipment prepared for the future and enabled for the company’s connected services, such as HiConnect.
HiConnect lets Hiab customers receive insights to improve safety and utilization, as well as keeping track of service needs based on actual usage. Connectivity also enables a new level of service support, such as remote diagnostics and troubleshooting.
Advanced Hiab equipment has for several years had the ability to record usage and equipment status. This data has been captured in the equipment and only used in service instances by Hiab. With connectivity, all data can be accessed anytime, anywhere; enabling business-critical insights for Hiab customers.
As of the second half of 2019, connectivity will be standard on the majority of new Hiab equipment starting with HIAB loader cranes and closely followed by MULTILIFT hooklifts.
The aim is to connect all of Hiab load handling equipment, which has the technical capability, over the next few years from factory. Furthermore, present customers will get the option to retrofit connectivity for used equipment. The retrofit option is available to order now for a broad selection of Hiab products. www.hiab.com
Elliot Equipment Company new 1881TM BoomTruck
Elliot’s 1881TM BoomTruck features an 18-ton lifting capacity and a five-section 81’ telescopic boom. The TM stands for ‘tractor mount’ which allows for towing large trailers using a fifth wheel chassis.
Elliot Equipment Company specializes in manufacturing long-lasting and reliable personnel lifting equipment that can also lift materials, providing a versatile solution for a wide range of industries. All products are manufactured in U.S. and are available with a wide range of factory customization options. www.elliottequip.com
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
September 2019
September 10-12
CCA Fall Board Meeting Whitehorse, Yukon www.cca-aac.com
September 15
BCRB Fall Conference Whistler, B.C. www.roadbuilders.bc.ca
September 18-20
SC&RA Crane & Rigging Workshop Glendale, Ariz. www.scranet.org
October 2019
October 1-3
ICUEE 2019 Louisville, Ky. www.icuee.com
October 2-5
CONEXPO Latin America Santiago, Chile www.conexpolatinamerica.com
October 30 to November 1 Unmanned Systems Canada Ottawa, Ont. www.unmannedsystems.ca
Visit www.craneandhoistcanada.com for the
November 2019
November 21-22
SHCA Annual Fall Convention
Regina, Sask. www.saskheavy.ca
December 2019
December 5
BCRB AGM
Victoria B.C. www.roadbuilders.bc.ca
January 2020
January 8-11
SC&RA Board & Committee Meeting
Sheraton Hacienda Del Mar Cabo, Mex. www.scranet.org
February 2020
February 3-7
World of Concrete Las Vegas, Nev. www.worldofconcrete.com
February 18-21
SC&RA Specialized Transportation Symposium Sheraton Charlotte Hotel Charlotte, N.C. www.scranet.org
TEST DRIVE: Ford Ranger
BY HOWARD ELMER
For 28 years the Ford Ranger was a key player in the mid-size pickup truck market. Its size and price were an attractive alternative to the full-size trucks available in the decades from 1983 to 2011 –and, as it got older, its steadily dropping cost kept driving sales.
In 2010, I was attending an industry event in San Diego, Calif. when I saw a newspaper ad advertising a Ford Ranger sale at a local dealer. A new bare bones Ranger was going for US$9,999. I remember one of my colleagues remarking, “I could put one on my credit card at that price.” Maybe he should have.
The next year Ford ended the Ranger run and for the next seven years kept telling auto journalists that the F-150 served “all” the needs of truck buyers – there was longer a need for a midsize pickup. Well, they were almost right.
In the early part of this decade, one by one, each of the American manufacturers dropped production of their mid-size trucks. The only exceptions were the Japanese Toyota Tacoma and the Nissan Frontier. For a short time, they were the only mid-size pickups on the market and they sold well.
Then, after a short break, GM reconsidered and brought back its mid-size twins – the Colorado and Canyon – and sales took off. Frankly, I think there was always a demand for mid-size trucks – there was just a lack of product. Now that the new Ranger is back we once again have a decent selection of mid-size trucks and that’s good for Canadian truck buyers. Now, if only Ram would resurrect the Dakota.
The 2019 Ford Ranger was recently driven for the first time in San Diego, not far from where I remember staying a decade ago and reading that discount Ranger sales ad. Mind you, this new Ranger has nothing in common with that earlier model; and neither does its new price.
The Canadian base price on the entry-level model is pegged at $30,969.00 for a XL SuperCab 4x4. It’s also available in an XLT trim (SuperCab or SuperCrew) and the top Lariat SuperCrew 4x4 will cost you $42,289.00. Of note: Only 4X4 models (regardless of trim package) are offered in Canada.
Truck bodies are available in a SuperCab (four doors; clamshell configuration) or as a SuperCrew (four normal doors). In addition there are two box sizes: a five-foot or a six-foot.
In addition, Ford is making its well-known FX4 Off-Road package available on the new Ranger. It adds protective skid plates, upgraded tires, off-road-tuned shocks and suspension. Also, Ford’s standard Terrain Management System and Trail Control will help navigate challenging conditions.
On the outside, the 2019 Ranger evokes a muscular body with a high beltline that emphasizes strength; while a raked grille and windshield are said to give it an athletic appearance. This raked feature also aids in aerodynamics and reduces wind noise. From the rear, the Ranger identifies itself loudly with its name stamped into the tailgate. New headlamps and taillamps are available as LED’s.
Inside, Ranger blends comfort and functionality with room for up to five people, their gear and accessories. The centre stack is home to an 8-inch touchscreen for the available SYNC 3 system, while the instrument cluster features dual LCD screens for real-time vehicle, navigation and audio information.
It’s important to note that while Ranger was absent from the North American Ford truck lineup these past eight years there was always an “international Ranger” being sold around the world. However, the model that we saw in San Diego was developed exclusively for the North American truck market, says Ford. It’s being built alongside the F-150 at the Michigan truck plant – and tested in the same way.
This new Ranger is built with a high-strength steel frame, fully boxed with six cross-members, modern parabolic leaf-spring rear suspension, front and rear steel bumpers, short overhangs for off-road clearance and a hitch platform that is through-welded to the frame.
This Ranger has a 126.8-inch wheelbase with an overall length of 210.8-inches (compared to the full-size F-150’s 157-inch wheelbase and length of 243-inches).
The standard powertrain consists of a 2.3L EcoBoost engine and 10-speed automatic transmission. This new engine is designed with direct fuel injection, a twin-scroll turbocharger and a 16-valve design. For durability, the engine features a forged-steel crankshaft and connecting rods, and chain-driven dual overhead cams. It also comes standard with Auto Start-Stop. This engine makes 270 hp and 310-lb.-ft. of torque. This chassis and powertrain combination offers bestin-class (gas) towing of 7,500 lb. Payload is a very respectable 1,860 lb.
Where this new Ranger certainly differs from its extinct former version is in the realm of electronics. It incorporates smart driver-assist features not even thought of a decade ago. These include standard: automatic emergency braking, lane keeping assist, lane departure warning, a reverse sensing system and class-exclusive blind spot information system with trailer coverage. Most are standard on XLT and Lariat trim levels. Additional tech on the Lariat includes Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection and Adaptive Cruise Control.
Infotainment (on that 8-inch touchscreen) is cutting edge with SYNC 3 that features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Ford also offers a 4G LTE modem for Wi-Fi access for up to 10 devices. AC power outlets allow for charging and USB outlets let passengers connect. B&O PLAY premium audio (specially tuned for the Ranger cab) is also available.
Ford has always been good at offering a vast variety of optional features and purpose-built packages for its trucks. This Ranger is no exception. In addition to the FX4 package already mentioned, buyers can also order an STX Appearance Package, XL Chrome Package, Technology Package or Sport Appearance Package. By combining a choice of these packages and various body configurations it’s possible to order over 30 distinct versions of the new Ranger.
These trucks are available at dealerships across Canada now
CRANE
Liebherr crawler cranes – LR Series
Superior lifting capacities, on-line load chart calculation
Great variety of boom configurations
Quick and easy assembly
Easy and cost-effective transportation
Liebherr-Canada
Phone: +1 905 319 9222
E-mail: info.lca@liebherr.com www.facebook.com/LiebherrConstruction www.liebherr.ca