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Editorial
Editor
D.Ann Slayton Shiffler
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512 868 7482
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Hannah Sundermeyer
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International editor
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Deputy international editor
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SC&RA correspondent
Mike Chalmers
Director of content
Murray Pollok
Media Production
Client success & delivery manager
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Sales
Vice president sales
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Electric!
In my 19 years as editor of ACT, I have traveled to many places to see new cranes. Getting the exclusive on a new crane is a sport of sorts. It’s exciting to break the news of a new product. It’s also incredibly interesting to see the various manufacturing facilities where equipment is produced. While most of my site visits have been in the U.S., I have traveled to Europe a couple of times to get the exclusive on a new machine. When the Tadano marketing team contacted me last spring about getting the exclusive on their new EVOLT rough terrain crane coming to North America, I just assumed that would mean a trip to Houston, where Tadano America is located. But that was not the case. The invitation to travel to Japan was a huge surprise, and Tadano pulled out all the stops to welcome me to three of their facilities and visit their office in Tokyo. During this whirlwind trip, I saw demonstrations of the new EVOLT, which you can read about in our Site Visit on page 34. Stay tuned over the next few months when we will roll out more content based on my trip to Japan, including my interview with Tadano President and CEO Toshiaki Ujiie. As I write this, production models of the new EVOLT are being prepared for shipping to the U.S. The first customers of this machine will be revealed soon.
Lift planning, wire and synthetic rope, the telescopic crawler market and the heavy haul of a huge dragline are among the topics covered in this issue. Also don’t miss my interview with PCS Crane & Rigging’s Randy Sever, who is also chairman of the SC&RA Crane & Rigging Workshop. Sever shared several interesting nuggets in the Q&A article.
By the time you receive this magazine, our daily Crane & Transport Briefing will have been launched. This daily communiqué is tailored to the crane, rigging and specialized transportation sector, and it will feature news that you can’t get anywhere else. Make sure the Briefing arrives in your inbox daily by visiting www.craneandtransportbriefing.com to subscribe.
Our ACT team is looking forward to the SC&RA Crane & Rigging Workshop in Glendale, AZ at the end of the month, and we hope to see you there. Don’t miss our Show Guide to the Exhibit Center in this issue.
And finally, now is a great time to let us know what’s going on with your equipment, people and jobs.
D.ANN SLAYTON SHIFFLER Editor
KHL Group Americas, 30325 Oak Tree Drive, Georgetown TX 78628 +1 512-868-7482 | d.ann.shiffler@khl.com
& Rigging’s Randy Sever embraces the idea of stepping out of your comfort zone. D.Ann Shiffler reports.
WireCo’s Timothy Klein and Kennedy Wire Rope and Sling’s Brooks Nunley discuss the distinct similarities and differences between wire and synthetic rope.
Hannah Sundermeyer parses the market for telescopic crawler cranes.
ACT rounds up several super innovative lifting and rigging projects at various infrastructure jobsites around the country.
31 INDUSTRY FORUM LIFT PLANNING
ACT convened a panel of lift planning professionals to discuss the art, science and economics of a lift plan.
34 SITE VISIT TADANO
The Tadano EVOLT is on its way to North America. D.Ann Shiffler reports exclusively from Shido, Japan.
37 TOOLS OF THE TRADE
SC&RA’s partnership with Milwaukee Tools is value added.
39 SITE REPORT TRANSPORT
Moving a huge dragline required specialized expertise by Frontier Heavy Haul & Support.
41 SHOW GUIDE SC&RA CRANE & RIGGING WORKSHOP
ACT’s official show guide to the Exhibit Center at the Workshop this month in Glendale, AZ.
90 MILESTONES
After more than 60 years in business, Dominic Giuffre has retired, selling his legendary crane and equipment business. D.Ann Shiffler reports.
road-block human trafficking. Joel Dandrea discusses.
How SC&RA’s affinity programs consistently drive member value. 63
Laura Schoefer and Bill Smith discuss the Florida Tort Reform Act and its impact on mobile equipment companies.
Bay Crane’s Capital City acquires Midwest
Bay Crane Companies’ subsidiary Capital City Group has expanded its presence in the Cleveland area with the acquisition of Midwest Crane. The Midwest Crane Rental premises will become the Capital City Cleveland branch.
“We are thrilled to bring the expertise and resources of Capital City Group to the Cleveland area,” said Brian Gibson, president, Capital City Group. “Midwest Crane Rental
n Commercial Credit Group, an independent commercial equipment finance company, has finalized a $458,688,000 term asset-backed security (ABS) transaction. The securitization was placed with a group of institutional fixed income investors from 34 unique firms.
n ProLift Rigging Company, a supplier of solutions-based industrial construction services, has launched a new location in Atlanta, GA. ProLift Atlanta is a full-service location featuring 155,000 square feet of space and a diverse fleet of specialized heavy lifting equipment including cranes, gantry systems, forklifts, Versa-Lifts, hydraulic jacks and below-the-hook engineered rigging systems.
has an excellent reputation, so when we became aware that the owners were looking to retire and wind-down their operations, we recognized the unique opportunity to enter the Cleveland market and continue their tradition of outstanding service.”
Capital City said Midwest Crane has a strong history of providing top-tier crane rental services, and that the acquisition builds on that, offering enhanced capabilities and a broader range of services and equipment to the region.
The Capital City Group has been operating in the
Barnhart
Crane rental specialist Capital City has acquired cranes and related equipment from Midwest Equipment Company.
Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions for 30 years. Its fleet includes specialized transport equipment and over 500
closes
cranes, including crawlers over 1,000 tons capacity, all-terrain cranes up to 900 tons and rough terrain up to 160 tons.n
on purchase of Mountain States Crane
Barnhart Crane and Rigging has purchased Mountain States Crane of Albuquerque, NM. The acquisition includes Mountain States’ operated crane rental service, all associated personnel and equipment. The purchase marks Barnhart’s fifth acquisition this year and its
The acquisition includes Mountain States’ operated crane rental service, all associated personnel and equipment.
Crane & Transport Briefing makes debut
Launched this month, KHL Group's Crane & Transport Briefing is a daily communiqué that is specifically tailored to the crane, rigging and specialized transportation sector. The daily briefing features news, insight and exclusive content that can be accessed by subcription only. It's not like any else available in the realm of this important industry sector.
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first acqusition in New Mexico.
“Over a period of more than 25 years, Mountain States Crane has earned a reputation for superior service in crane, rigging and heavy haul by focusing on safety and customer satisfaction,” said Barnhart Vice Presiden Chris Howe. “They are known in the industry for their highly trained and experienced operators and riggers as well as a comprehensive and well-maintained fleet. Mountain States’ focus on providing crane and rigging service within a 400-mile radius of central New Mexico complements our branch in Arizona as we expand further into the Southwest.”
Based in Memphis, TN, Barnhart Crane & Rigging provides operated crane rental, rigging services, outage planning, specialized solutions for component replacement, industrial storage and national project cargo logistics. n
n Back in June, Engineered Rigging hosted an open house and equipment showcase in Russellville, AR for its customers and vendors. The Engineered Rigging team demonstrated a variety of its specialty rigging tools and products, including technologies from Enerpac, Fassi, Hilman and Holmatro.
n Palfinger North America has signed a letter of intent with Servicios Industriales Gonzales, (SIG), a premier producer of heavy structural weldments in Monterrey, Mexico. This partnership will enhance the company’s operations in North America, the company said.
n Founded in 1954 by Jim Mazzella, Sr., Mazzella Companies is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year. The wire rope slings company has grown has grown from a single location in Cleveland’s Linndale neighborhood to employing more than 1,200 team members at 50 locations across North America.
Konecranes is establishing a supplier network to build port cranes in the U.S.
Konecranes to build port cranes in USA
Finnish crane maker Konecranes is establishing the necessary supplier network and infrastructure to begin building port cranes in the USA. The move follows President Joe Biden’s introduction in mid-May of 25 percent tariffs on imports of such cranes and similar rates on other goods from China.
Konecranes said it can now manufacture a full range of
New
domestic manufacturingcompliant port cranes in the U.S., including ship-to-shore (STS) container cranes. STS cranes are the type most heavily impacted by the tariffs. By far the majority of new STS cranes in the U.S. have been built in China for many years.
Several U.S. port customers have provided “initial indications of interest,” Konecranes said. Further growth in the supply network
is forecast in Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin. The lead time on STS cranes can be several years, to produce and deliver them, so it is a long-term development. The company can also upgrade existing U.S. port cranes, adding the latest technology and cybersecurity features. Such security has been a highlevel concern surrounding Chinese cranes handling goods in and out of the United States. n
Liebherr for Sterett fleet
Sterett Contracting Group has added a Liebherr LTM 1650-8.1 all-terrain to its
fleet of cranes. The LTM 1650-8.1 offers a maximum lifting capacity of 770 tons and a maximum hoisting height of 500 feet with lattice extensions.
“We are thrilled to introduce the LTM 1650-8.1 to our fleet,” said William Sterett, owner. “This acquisition underscores our dedication to investing in the latest technology to meet our clients’ evolving needs. The LTM 1650 not only enhances our lifting capabilities but also aligns with our
With the addition of the LTM 1650-8.1, Sterett will be able to serve a wider range of industries, including construction, infrastructure, energy and heavy industry, the company said. commitment to safety, efficiency and environmental responsibility.”
The LTM 1650-8.1 features VarioBallast, a counterweight system that offers flexibility for various lifting operations and site conditions. VarioBase enhances safety by allowing each outrigger to be extended to a different length, optimizing load capacity. EcoMode and EcoDrive are fuel-efficient systems that reduce operational costs and environmental impact. n
Mammoet installs foot bridge over Dallas highway
International heavy transport and lifting specialist
Mammoet has installed a cycle and pedestrian bridge in Dallas, TX. The Northaven Trail Bridge has been installed to replace an underpass below the U.S. highway. Mammoet’s team worked with Ragle and bridge designer HNTB to carefully plan the execution, considering multiple options to find the best fit.
Engineers decided on
a method which used a gantry system with a jack and slide system on top. This would enable three directional movements to fine-tune adjustments during setting and account for misalignments. The 200-foot bridge was assembled away from its installation location and then jacked up onto a pair of double 8 axle SPMTs and then transported to the edge of the road. The length and
Overnight, the bridge was transported to its installation position by SPMT and the gantries were built around it. The entire project was executed over a 20-hour period.
width of the bridge required the use of turntables on top of the trailers for added maneuverability.
Overnight, the bridge was transported to its installation position and the gantries were built around it. To ensure disruption was kept to an absolute minimum, at least
Potain MDT 809 powers museum makeover
Washington, D.C.-based Lenkin Enterprises is utilizing a Potain MDT 809 tower crane for the renovation of a private modern art museum in Potomac, MD. For the museum project, a crane with a long jib and extended reach was required to minimize disturbance to the museum’s landscape, which is in a meadow with native plants and wild grass. To reduce environmental impact, the project called for the use of a
single tower crane instead of two.
“The Potain team and the Manitowoc Lift Solutions division worked hand in hand with me to find the right solution so we could adapt the MDT 809 to meet my needs,” Michael Lenkin, structural engineer, Lenkin Enterpises. “I was able to get an 85-meter jib for the crane with the capacity my client wanted on a static base, despite having to shoehorn this crane
into an alcove at the museum. There were a lot of different challenges, but the work of the team at Manitowoc both in France and the U.S. made it possible.”
The MDT 809 at the project is notable for being the first to use the ZY854 cross-shaped base, which supports high
One MDT 809 with a custom 279-foot jib can reach most of the perimeter of an art museum renovation project in Maryland.
Liebherr buys U.S. land for logistics site
Liebherr, the German-based construction equipment manufacturer, said it acquired nearly 119 acres of land in Tupelo, MS, on which it plans to construct a new spare parts logistics center.
The investment into a logistics center will be in service of North and South American markets, Liebherr said. The company expected 180 jobs to result from the construction of the new campus, “where various business units from different product segments of the company will operate in the future.”
However, as many as 300 new jobs could eventually be created in “the long run.” The acquisition, Liebherr said, is just the first step in an overall $200-million investment.
“In addition to the continental logistics center, the Liebherr Group plans to establish additional facilities for various Liebherr companies and offer additional services on the acquired site in the future,” said the company. “The planned buildings will be used to render services and produce innovative products, meeting the highest technological standards.”
one frontage road remained open, allowing traffic to move along the highway without a significant detour. The bridge was then lifted off the trailers using the gantry/track combination. The bridge was raised above the road surface, skidded over and set it on its piers. n working heights without impacting set-up or operation costs. It’s also the first MDT 809 with a 279-foot jib and the first to support both the 2-part/4-part trolley and fulltime 2-part trolley. The cross base is supported on pile caps and micropiles to transfer the loads below the museum. n
Seizing the day
For the past 91 years, the Sever family has been operating Piqua Steel Company, started in 1933 by Earl F. Sever, Sr. The company weathered the Great Depression and various other economic storms, enduring and moving forward with its no-nonsense approach to rigging and millwrighting. PSC Crane & Rigging is now known around the world for its innovation and expertise.
Today, the fourth generation of the Sever family runs the business that has expanded exponentially over the past 25 years. Brothers Jim and Randy are at the helm of the company that their great grandfather founded. They serve as president and COO, respectively.
The brothers work well together, having drawn on their particular interests and strengths to take the company to a new level over the past decade.
On the map
Randy has been especially active in building the company’s presence in the automotive, food and beverage and energy sectors, to name a few. PSC is a leader in the installation of stamping presses at automotive plants, and the company excels in the realm of manufacturing plants for all sorts of food and beverage products. Additionally, he maintains relationships with flagship legacy customers who call on PSC when it comes time to serve their needs.
Humbled by the growth and success of the company, Randy remembers something his grandfather told him a few years ago, before he passed away.
“I went to see him, and we chatted for a little while about the business,” Randy said. “At one point, he put his hand on my knee and told me how proud he was of me and the family business that we all had worked so hard building. ‘Your great grandfather would have been so proud, too,’ he said. ‘He would have never dreamed you would be traveling to Japan to build relationships
PSC Crane & Rigging’s Randy Sever embraces the idea of stepping out of your comfort zone.
D.Ann
Shiffler
reports.
with people building automobile plants in the United States. You have put this company on the map.’”
The Sever brothers are well known within the specialized rigging and transportation industry, and both are very active within the SC&RA. Randy is chairman of the 2024 Crane & Rigging Workshop, which will be held this month in Glendale, AZ. This is his second time to hold this position, the first time back in 2020 when the event was held virtually due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Randy is excited about the Workshop as well as the program that the Crane & Rigging Committee and SC&RA staff have organized.
“I am honored to serve as chairman again,” he said. “It’s been very gratifying to serve on this committee and serve alongside so many peers who I respect. What resonates is that everyone faces different challenges, and we want to try to bring some clarity to solving these problems.”
A team effort
New and evolving technologies is a focus at the workshop, and Randy thinks the presentations will be informative and engaging.
“Everyone in SC&RA rallies behind the challenges or issues that we are facing,” he said. “For the Workshop, we’ve pooled subject matter experts to provide programs to address several important issues we all face.”
Randy is a recognizable face at SC&RA meetings, and he is knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. I’ve interviewed him several times about various jobs PSC has performed through the years, and he always makes note of the PSC team and how amazing they are at the jobs they do.
“You need a good, cohesive team of people who respect one another and understand the company’s goals,” he said. “Everyone needs to be pulling on the same side of the rope. That is where we are, and where we are headed.”
Mentorship matters
Randy gives a lot of credit to people who have mentored him along the way, many who were SC&RA leaders who have passed on. That’s why it’s so important to “seize the day,” he told me.
I’ve known Randy for pretty much all the years I’ve been editor of American Cranes & Transport. He’s a great friend to many people in the industry and in the SC&RA. He gave a lot of thought to my questions, and for a couple of them, he said, “You know, I’m going to need to think about that.”
And sure enough, he did, calling me the next morning with his well-thought-out answers. I think you will enjoy reading what he has to say.
WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES
FOR PSC CRANE & RIGGING?
Our challenges are similar to those of other companies in our industry. Skilled
PSC Crane & Rigging recently assisted in the erection of a 120-foot vertical wind tunnel for NASA at Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.
labor is one of the biggest concerns as we continue to grow and expand. There’s a skilled labor shortage in our industry. Another challenge is long lead times on acquiring new assets. For instance, if you want to buy a brand-new specialized forklift from the factory, it’s probably going to be 2027, depending on the specs and manufacturer. But it’s the same for certain specialized used equipment. If you find a used forklift, you need to jump on it immediately. In many instances you need to purchase the unit sight-unseen.
However, we’ve been fortunate in the skilled labor arena. We have developed a culture at our company that makes it a really great place to work. We are known in the industry, as well as in the region with the local union workforce, for treating our people well. We truly care about their safety and wellbeing. It’s not just making sure they are working safe or that they have the right tools and equipment. We care about their mental health and their family life. All of our team members have a “stop work” authority. If something doesn’t look right, stop work immediately. We make a continual investment in our tools and equipment. When you have a good culture within your organization, word gets out and others want to join the team.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT THIS INDUSTRY THAT KEEPS YOU ENGAGED?
provides us a chance to innovate and institute creative solutions that potentially evolve the way we work. That’s what inspires me about the work we do.
Plus, I look at where we were and where we are now. It’s amazing how much our company has grown over the past 25 years. The new technology within our industry is all very exciting to me. The forklifts we have today, the cranes, in comparison to where they were 25 to 30 years ago. The new gantry systems today have so many enhanced safety features built into them.
Rigging as a concept has changed a lot over the years – in the past, people figured out how to get things done with what they had. However, the challenges of today are solved by very different equipment, technology and engineering.
You can go back and look at when they would roll big, heavy equipment components around using roundwood timbers, railroad jacks, winches and horses. Everything is different now. Everyone is trying to come up with something new in the lifting, moving and transport part of the business, while always putting safety at the forefront.
HOW DO YOU CHARACTERIZE THE MARKET FOR THE SERVICES YOUR COMPANY OFFERS?
All the market sectors we currently serve or work within seem to be aggressively plowing forward. We also find ourselves in new industry market sectors, which is propelling our growth. All the markets we serve are busy and growing. Because of this, PSC is growing.
We’ve been working in tech and data infrastructure for over five years, and have seen substantial growth. Most of this business has been regional, and has led to nationwide relationships. Our customers like how we perform and understand what needs to be done. They see how well we meet schedules, how efficient we perform the scopes of work and how safely we operate. The only thing that is slowing down growth in this sector right now is
the electrical grid not being able to keep up with the power demand.
As a result of that growth, we recently purchased several lines of THP DC Dual Lane Goldhofer over-the-road transport equipment and prime movers. We had the self-propelled Goldhofers that allowed the short over-the-road and onsite drayage work; however, we were missing out on other large opportunities. In order to compete and grow our special projects work, we needed these assets, so we made the investment. This equipment complements other facets of work we do and has expanded our footprint.
YOU HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN SC&RA FOR SEVERAL YEARS. WHAT DOES SC&RA BRING TO THE TABLE IN TERMS OF PSC CRANE AND RIGGING’S SCOPE OF WORK?
Being a part of SC&RA has greatly helped our business grow. It’s allowed us to forge strong partnerships with equipment suppliers, as well as competitors. Through these relationships, we‘ve been able to utilize certain assets that we didn’t have in our fleet.
SC&RA relationships allowed us to rent equipment and perform a scope of work that we wouldn’t necessarily have been able to perform on our own competitively. These relationships and partnerships are a big piece of who and where we are today as a company.
For example, in the early 2000s, on one of the first big press projects we performed, we utilized a gantry system we rented from Selinsky Company out of Canton, OH. For another project, we rented 10 lines of Goldhofer and we again partnered with Selinsky, utilizing some of their assets. This led to further investment in our equipment fleet, by purchasing some of
I like the challenges that this industry presents. Every job is different, and it >12
I’ve always felt that when everyone is operating slightly out of their comfort zone, we’re optimizing our efforts and talents most effectively.
these assets. Additionally, the relationships we have fostered with many SC&RA members over the years have allowed us to forge long-standing business partnerships. The SC&RA is all about building relationships and sharing know-how.
WHAT IS THE BEST BUSINESS ADVICE YOU’VE EVER BEEN GIVEN?
I’ve always felt that when everyone is operating slightly out of their comfort zone, we’re optimizing our efforts and talents most effectively. I like to challenge people, but I also want to empower our team members to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes and make the most of opportunities. It gives them ownership of both their own success, and the company’s. When everyone is working in this fashion, great things happen.
The other thing is that you have to know your limitations as a company. You don’t want to bite off more than you can chew. I’ve always told everyone we want to push ourselves, but not to the point that we set ourselves up for failure.
Years ago, at one of the SC&RA January board meetings, a person told me this: Remember, pigs get fed and
hogs get slaughtered. And I have used that terminology on several occasions when we find ourselves going after new opportunities. Are we sure we are going to be able to perform on all fronts? You need to make a good, solid business decision and sometimes that means you have to pass. You can’t be everything to everyone at all times. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. It can destroy a company.
I’ve been given a lot of good advice in my life and I have so much respect for so many people, especially our SC&RA leadership. It’s sad and humbling that some of them are no longer with us. But I guess my favorite takeaway is that you have to seize the day, every day.
OF THE EQUIPMENT IN YOUR FLEET, WHICH IS YOUR FAVORITE IN TERMS OF THE “DO ALL BE ALL?”
That’s a hard question. All of our equipment is interesting and useful. But something that’s new and exciting that we’ve entered into is our over-theroad THP DC Goldhofer trailer. This is allowing us to further expand capabilities with our customers and provide an overall
Our team is pretty energized about this new piece of equipment and what it will allow us to do.
Another thing that has me motivated is our PSC team. They are the do all, be all. I’m just so encouraged by the level of professionalism from our team members and how well they are helping us grow the company and take on new roles and responsibilities. Our PSC team is so willing to accept new challenges, which is allowing us to step outside of our comfort zone and expand our footprint across the nation.
My father (Earl Sever, III) always said, ‘You can have all the fancy toys and equipment, but if you don’t have good people who can do great things, take responsibility, accept challenges and take ownership, you really don’t have anything.’
WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR LEISURE TIME?
I love family vacations with my wife (Heather) and our two boys (Brandyn and Hayden). We like to spend relaxing time at the beach, as well as both domestic and international travel. I enjoy cooking, family dinners and spending time on the golf course with friends. n
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Apples and oranges
WireCo’s Timothy Klein and Kennedy Wire Rope and Sling’s Brooks Nunley discuss the distinct similarities and differences between wire and synthetic rope.
Brooks
Nunley, vice president of sales, Kennedy Wire Rope and Sling Company.
“Synthetic rope versus wire rope: the two distinctions” was presented at the Tower Cranes North America conference in June in Nashville. WireCo’s Timothy Klein and Kennedy Wire Rope and Sling’s Brooks Nunley engaged in an interesting discussion that reviewed types, construction, safety, inspection and retirement criteria for both types of rope.
“It’s really difficult to try and correlate these two products because there are a lot of similarities and a tremendous number
Rope Applications
■ HOISTING ROPE
■ rotation resistance, use of swivel
■ TROLLEY ROPE
■ low elongation, bending cycles, breaking load
■ BOOM HOIST
■ flexibility, breading load, rough spooling
■ PENDANT ROPE
■ length tolerance, weight, breaking load
■ TOWER ERECTION ROPE
■ resistance against twist
While steel wire rope will likely remain a standard in tower crane operation, there are areas and opportunities where a weight savings is a benefit and synthetic rope could be engineered to solve the problem.
of differences,” Klein said. “There are distinct advantages and disadvantages to both products.”
He said that steel wire ropes and synthetic ropes are similar, and yet they are like apples and oranges. While they are both fruit and grow on trees, steel ropes are made from wires and synthetic ropes are made of fibers. Wire ropes are stranded and closed, while synthetic ropes are also stranded and closed.
In terms of wire rope, Klein said that the trend is leaning towards rotation resistant wire rope with galvanized wires.
Timothy W. Klein PE, Director of Structures and Fabrication, WireCo.
trends typically spill into the United States,” he said. “Galvanized ropes are becoming a big force in Europe and we are starting to see it in the U.S.”
The two critical factors in selecting wire rope are breaking load and diameter. There are several constructions of wire rope available on the market, and that’s why it’s important to rely on your distributor or your rope manufacturer to provide assistance in selecting the correct wire rope for the application.
Cost of operation is a key consideration. Klein said that generally, high performance ropes mean high quality and higher cost. Low performance ropes mean lower quality and lower cost. You have to consider the cost of operating the crane and how a low-quality product could negatively affect your operation with downtime.
“When you look at the European market for wire rope on tower cranes, all of those Synthetic Rope Versus Wire Rope: the Two Distinctions” was presented at the Tower Cranes North America conference in June in Nashville, TN.
Applicable Standards
■ A SME B30 SAFETY STANDARD FOR CABLEWAYS, CRANES, DERRICKS, HOISTS, HOOKS, JACKS, AND SLINGS
■ B30.30 - Ropes * Published 2023
■ B30.3 - Tower Cranes
■ B30.29 - Self Erecting Tower Cranes
ASME B30.30 - Inspection Requirements
INSPECTION
■ General
■ Frequent
■ Periodic
■ Records required
When wires start to break they can porcupine up, it’s extremely important to document and maintain that section of the wire rope.
“Wire rope is a consumable item, and it’s going to wear out,” Klein said. “In tower cranes, the hoist ropes are required to be rotation resistant, allowing for the use of a swivel. The trolley wire rope are typically six-strand ropes and eight-strand ropes and rotation resistance isn’t required in those applications.
“In the boom hoist, you need flexibility and you need high breaking load. In boom hoist applications, crushing is a really the detrimental aspect of that application,” he said. “So specific ropes are designed in your boom hoist systems. Pendant ropes are static rope applications that work in pairs. During the fabrication close tolerances are required between
the matched set. The tower erection rope incorporated in the systems is very critical and needs to be maintained to applicable standards.”
ASME B30.30 is the rope standard that covers all crane applications in the United States. The Tower Crane standard is B 30.3, and B 30.29 is for self-erecting tower cranes.
“When I go see customers, I take a copy of the standard to reference in discussion. When they have the same standard, I look at their copy,” Klein said. “If it’s used and dirty with notes and highlights, this means to me that they are using the standard.”
For hoisting ropes, overloading is not allowed. The minimum design factor is required to be 5 to 1, no exceptions. Boom support ropes are allowed to have a design factor of 3.5. For standing ropes, the design factor is allowed to be 3.
General inspection refers to the general oversight of the machine itself. Daily inspections are required on the wire rope. “You’re required to inspect that wire rope on a daily basis before you put the crane into operation,” said Klein. “It’s not specific about whether if you’re running 24 hours a day. But at the start of every shift, you have to inspect the wire rope. [You are] looking for anything that’s unique or if there’s an odd occurrence, like a lightning strike or an overload, you have to reperform your
The
inspection on the product.”
Periodic inspection is based on the time the rope is used, and it can’t exceed 12 months. The operator must produce records on periodic inspections and inspection records must be available at all times, as well as the wire rope certificate from the manufacturer.
Broken wires
When inspecting steel wire ropes, broken wire count is important. With rotation resistant ropes, you’re allowed 6 and 12 in regards to the broken wires. The standard is 6 broken wires over a length of 6 times the nominal rope diameter and 12 broken wires over a length of 30 times the nominal rope diameter.
“When wires start to break they can porcupine up, it’s extremely important to document and maintain that section of the wire rope,” Klein said. “If you want to continue to operate the machine and get life out of that rope it is acceptable bend those wires and break them off, that is acceptable. OSHA allows this.”
It’s also important to document where broken wires are in the footage.
“You’ll see one, two wire break and then they’ll be failing in a linear pattern, but then once you start to get repetitive numbers the failure rate will exponentially increase” he said. “It’s important to make sure that you’re following the standard and maintaining and retiring the wire rope when appropriate.”
Sheave inspection on the machine is also very important. Sheaves are designed in accordance with the B 30 standards for grooves and angles. Sheave gauges are important in periodic inspections and they are available from your distributor or your OEM. Sheave problems can quickly destroy a rope. There are design clearances >19
entire length of the wire rope must be inspected for broken wires.
Sheave problems can quickly destroy a rope.
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in between the wires and strands of every wire rope. Improper sheave grooves will cause the wire rope to become wavy and distort the outer strands.
“This goes back to sheave inspection, ensuring that you’ve got proper sheaves operating on your rope and then drums if you’re on a groove drum,” said Klein. “When available access allows measure your groove gauges on the drums as well.”
Wire rope maintenance is also very important. B30.30 requires that wire rope be maintained in a well-lubricated condition. Lubricating the wire rope is easy and important to the lifecycle of the product. Thousands of tests have been done on wire rope with lubricant and it’s been shown consistently, when you lubricate your ropes on a frequent basis, whether it be six months or every 12 months, you will increase the life cycle of the wire rope by 50 percent.
Prior to taking the job at Kennedy Wire Rope, Nunley spent 14 years working at a synthetic rope manufacturer/fabricator where his primary objective was steel to synthetic conversions.
“High performance fiber rope first gained popularity with the commercial marine industry about 15 years ago,” he said. “The value proposition was pretty straightforward. It’s a product that is equal in strength to wire rope. It’s one seventh of the weight and it floats. This industry has switched from 15-inch polyester housers and 3-inch diameter wire tow lines to almost 100 percent HMPE fiber ropes.”
In pulling from the B.30 document, the one area where wire rope and synthetic rope are similar is that they’re both a rope. They’re both a machine that’s formed from a particular material.
“On the synthetic side, we start with a fiber, which is something that looks a little bit like dental floss when received from the fiber manufacturer,” Nunley said. “The fiber is then twisted into a yarn and then
Terminations - 30-2.7.4
■ RESIN-POURED TERMINATIONS
■ Aids in direct connection to steel hardware components
■ No increase in rope diameter due to splicing
■ Potentially increase hook height
■ Terminations on ropes not historically spliceable
There are a hundred different ways to terminate a fiber rope, and each one of these termination methods have benefits and drawbacks.
the yarn is either braided, laid or plaited into a finished rope construction.”
There are two classifications of fiber, according to B.30, a high performance category and a standard performance category. By far, the most commonly used fiber in high performance ropes is UHMPE, which is ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene. UHMPE may also be referred to as Spectra or Dyneema. There are other high performance fibers such as LCP, which is Liquid Crystal Polyester (Vectran), as well as aramids and paraaramids. These fibers are well known for their use in high heat applications and static applications.
From a construction perspective, there are four constructions that are listed in B.30. The single braid is the most common, which could be either the 8-strand or 12-strand braided ropes.
There are two types of jacketed ropes – a double braid, commonly seen on digger derricks, where the cover and the core both share 50 percent of the load. The second type of jacketed category is called core dependent, where the cover is only there from a wear-protection perspective and the entire load is held by the core.
Another classification is parallel, which is essentially a collection of multiple ropes that is formed into a single rope structure.
You would see this primarily in offshore deep water moorings, but they’re also used in several lifting applications.
Termination procedures
According to Nunley, the major difference between steel and synthetic rope is terminations. Every rope manufacturer has its own splicing and terminations procedure. There are a hundred different ways to terminate a fiber rope, and each one of these termination methods have benefits and drawbacks.
One of the most common terminations is a buried internal termination, where you take one piece of the end of the rope and you pass it through the middle of the rope and you go from two rope diameters down to one.
“This is probably the most efficient way to terminate, but it also uses the most material,” Nunley said. “You can do shorter termination methods that are externally done and that you can terminate using less material, but it’s also not as efficient.”
Over the past 10 years, there has been a lot of innovations in terms of resin terminating synthetics. Synthetic rope doesn’t have the stiffness radially that steel does, so it tends to want to shrink the first time it is loaded. But there’s three or four different companies globally that have a process and procedure to resin pour, which gives the ability to directly connect without a splice to another steel component. This allows for a reduction in hook height, weight and size.
From an inspection and retirement standpoint, B.30 states that it should be left up to the rope manufacturer because it is a subjective process. Every 12-strand rope design from various manufacturers are all different in some ways, whether it’s the picks-per-inch and the rope construction, the linear density or the weight per foot of the rope. It is too difficult to say you can have this many cut strands or certain >20
Component Terminology
■ FIBER ROPE –CI DEFINITION
Compact but flexible, torsionally balanced structure produced from strands which are laid, plaited or braided together to produce a product which serves to transmit a tensile force between two points.
Constructions 30-2.3.1
■ Single Braid (8-strand, 12-strand)
■ Cable-laid (3-strand, 4-strand)
■ Jacketed (double braid, core-dependent)
■ Parallel (collection of multiple ropes secured into a single structure)
quantifiable measures to say the rope needs to be retired. B.30 requires that the rope manufacturer actually give you that information.
“Another critical difference in terms of spooling, is that while HMPE elongates similarly elastically to steel constructionally, it’s a lot different,” Nunley said. “The amount of constructional elongation that you see in your rope is directly related to the amount of crosssectional reduction you will see. This is one of the challenges related to spooling with synthetics. The first time you use the rope the diameter may decrease
Inspection and Removal Criteria 30-2.8.2
■ There are no precise rules to determine the exact time for the removal of the rope since many variable factors are involved. Inspection methods and retirement criteria specific to a given rope design shall be provided by the rope manufacturer.
■ Progressive jackets on core-dependent ropes are used can be used as an pass/fail inspection point.
somewhere around 6 percent as well as the length may increase proportionally.
But with that being said, there are synthetics that have been used successfully for over 10 years and some pretty dynamic and challenging operations, Nunley said. The takeaway from the synthetic side is there’s more differences between steel than there are similarities. It’s an engineered product and every rope is a little bit different, and the ultimate performance is going to be based on what fiber is selected, what rope construction is selected, the termination and then ultimately the environmental considerations.
“I don’t see synthetic rope taking over the tower crane market and displacing steel in the near term, but when areas or opportunities come up where a weight savings is a benefit, then to say that a synthetic rope couldn’t be engineered to solve the problem, I would disagree,” said Nunley. “It’s a matter of value proposition. In summary, if the value proposition does make sense to consider a synthetic rope option over steel, then I am completely comfortable knowing that the synthetic rope industry has the current and future technology to provide a working solution.”
While the North American market for telecrawlers is steady, there are plenty of opportunities for growth. Hannah Sundermeyer reports.
Telescopic crawler cranes are known for their versatility, ease of transport, ability to mobilize quickly and to work on varied terrains. They are popular machines on highway and bridge jobs, performing powerline work and even as assist cranes on wind farms. The market for these cranes is steady, although the major manufacturers see potential for even more business.
Telescopic crawlers are a fleet favorite because they are easy to set up and to operate. ACT reached out to the five conventional telecrawler manufacturers for their take on the market and information about their leading models.
Heating up
The market for telescopic crawlers has been consistent with modest growth expected year over year, according to Link-Belt.
“Demand is highest for our larger-class models, the 120-ton capacity cranes and up,” said Brian Elkins, product manager, lattice and telescopic crawler cranes, LinkBelt Cranes. “This includes our 120-ton TCC-1200, 140-ton TCC-1400 and 250ton TCC-2500. The lower-tonnage classes are still a popular option for smaller projects, but they’re just not as high in demand as the larger models. TCCs continue to replace traditional lattice boom crawlers in bridge construction, as they can handle the needs of larger fixtures and bridge beams at greater radius with better efficiency.”
Telecrawlers are ideal as a support crane, handling rebar cages and for other
Room
Link-Belt TCC 1200
CAPACITY OF CRANE: 120 tons
MAIN BOOM LENGTH: 42.7 to 150 feet
FIXED JIB LENGTH: 35 to 58 feet
BOOM LENGTH WITH JIBS: Up to 208 feet
COUNTERWEIGHT: 82,000 pounds
applications where clearance is tight and mobility is limited.
“Since their introduction in 2017, large-capacity telescopic crawler cranes like the TCC-2500 have consistently demonstrated their value,” Elkins added.
“From the outset, customers recognized the advantages of models like the 140-ton TCC-1400 and the 250-ton TCC-2500. These larger cranes have played a crucial
Liebherr LTR 1150
CAPACITY OF CRANE: 170 tons
MAIN BOOM LENGTH: 171 feet
FIXED JIB LENGTH: 62-foot folding jib (hydraulically adjustable) and / or 9-foot 6-inches assembly jib
role in the green energy sector, particularly in wind projects, making them an essential part of the industry.”
When purchasing telescopic crawlers, Link-Belt customers look for versatility. In bridge construction for instance, Elkins said a crane needs to move underneath bridge overpasses regularly. The ability to retract the boom, travel below and extend the boom to be back to lifting mode in just minutes is a huge advantage over a traditional lattice boom crawler.
While Link-Belt expects the telecrawler market to stay consistent, there is room for growth.
“As more contractors, crane rental houses and owners and operators see the value, they start finding more uses,” Elkins said. “Telecrawlers cover a lot of ground and add an extremely versatile crane to any fleet. Ground preparation, for example, is much less of a concern than with a traditional outrigger crane.”
Elkins said Link-Belt’s smaller capacity telecrawlers are still in demand, particularly the 55-ton TCC-550 and the 80-ton TCC-800. The TCC-800 is a staple in rental fleets for pick-and-carry tasks and for foundation contractors.
Optimum capacity
Telecrawlers are diverse machines and cover many applications including wind, road and bridge, petrochemical, tilt wall construction and more.
“We see a strong push in multiple markets within the U.S. including green energy, infrastructure, data centers and distribution centers,” said Beau Pocock, business development manager for Liebherr USA. “Within these various sectors the market demand continues to grow for a more flexible, compact machine with a strong chart and easy transport such as the newly developed Liebherr LTR 1150.”
Liebherr’s VarioBase feature provides greater safety for telescopic mobile cranes and allows for significantly higher load capacities, especially for lifts directly over the supports, Pocock said. The LTR 1150 is the first telescopic crawler crane to be equipped with this system, which determines the optimum load capacity in real time depending on the fixed track
to grow
width and the variable rotation angle. The greatest advantages in terms of load capacity are achieved when performing lifts over the corners of the tracks, especially with reduced track widths. The maximum track width of 19 feet, a reduced width of 16.4 feet and a narrow 11.5-foot track width are available.
“For the first time for Liebherr telescopic crawler cranes, we have also calculated ‘WindSpeed Load Charts’ for the new LTR 1150, making it possible to work safely and flexibly even at higher permissible wind speeds of up to 15.6 m/s,” said Pocock.
Nimble navigation
Manitowoc will begin shipping its largest telecrawler – the new GHC200 – to customers in the fourth quarter of this year. Featuring a 200-ton capacity and a 185-foot main boom, the new model delivers heavy-duty lifting power in applications that require high capacity at various radii in tough job site conditions, such as swampy and mountainous terrain, Grove said. The GHC200 was unveiled to dealers and customers at Manitowoc’s Crane Days event in May at the company’s factory in Shady Grove, PA.
“We have seen substantial growth within our telecrawler offerings, and our new model launches continue to contribute to this success,” said JJ Grace, product manager for GHC cranes at Manitowoc. “One market trend we have seen is the growth and demand for larger telecrawlers.”
Typical applications for Grove telescopic crawlers include utility work or lifting
Grove
GHC 200
Tadano GTC 1600
CAPACITY OF CRANE: 160 tons
MAIN BOOM LENGTH: 200.1 feet
FIXED JIB LENGTH: 59.1 feet
BOOM LENGTH WITH JIBS: 305.1 feet
COUNTERWEIGHT: 70,100 pounds
work on infrastructure projects, Grace said.
“Users really like how our GHC cranes combine the advantages of a fast telescopic boom that would typically be featured on a mobile crane, with the stability of a crawler crane and the ability to cover rough ground,” added Grace.
Grove’s GHC series has minimal transport requirements and 100 percent pick-and-carry abilities, Grace said.
“These cranes have proven to be very nimble in both getting to and navigating at jobsites,” said Grace.
When it comes to unique applications, Manitowoc has seen their telecralwers assist with barge work, pile driving and foundation work. Barge charts are standard with all GHCs.
“One of the latest is an assist crane on a wind farm to build some of our Manitowoc MLC product,” said Grace. “Then, they stayed on the job to do pick-and-carry work or even used a tailing crane.”
While the market has been growing with a shift to the larger capacity models, the Tadano GTC-1600 and GTC-2000 (160-ton and 200-ton respectively) are immensely popular, the company said. The smaller capacity telecrawlers in the Tadano product line also see steady demand, especially in powerline work.
“Our customers like the telecrawlers for their ease of operation, transportability and pick-and-carry capabilities,” said Allen Kadow, product manager for telescopic and lattice crawler cranes for Tadano America. “We believe the market will continue to strengthen as customers discover the many applications that these cranes perform perfectly in.”
With regards to fleet replacement, the telescopic crawler is less of a commodity crane than rough terrains and smaller lattice boom products. These cranes and their quality tend to stand the test of time and remain working in fleets for a number of years, according to Tadano.
This crane family has found its footing in foundation work, bridge and heavy highway work, on commercial projects and in powerline construction and maintenance, Kadow said. Tadano telecrawlers are working in the wind industry, in marine and port applications, and at railroad yards, to name a few. n
Rigging up and across
Highways and bridges seem to be the infrastructure projects getting the most attention these days. Bridge projects are tedious because oftentimes the new bridge is built while the old bridge is still in use. Highway expansion is the same, with cars whizzing by while construction crews work. Following is ACT’s roundup of infrastructure jobs currently in progress around the country.
Down the ‘Pike
State officials in Pennsylvania have known for years that there’s no easy way to get from Uniontown to Pittsburgh to the north. Now, the Turnpike Commission is addressing the need with a new highspeed bypass. The commission’s MonFayette Expressway (PA Turnpike 43) project is four projects in one, the first three having been built and stretching 54 miles by connecting I-68 near Morgantown, WV to PA Route 51 in Jefferson Hills, PA.
A recent operation required two latticeboom crawler cranes to set beams over Route 51 to construct a new bridge. ALL Crane Rental of Pennsylvania, a member of the ALL Family of Companies, supplied a pair of Manitowoc MLC300 crawlers to dual-pick the beams for the job, overseen by its customer Century Steel Erectors of Dravosburg, PA.
The MLC300s were chosen for their capacities as well as the ease with which they can move to different set-ups on the jobsite. Each crane was configured with Series 3 counterweights at 474,000 pounds and 177 feet of main boom. They were used to lift a series of bridge beams ranging in length from 134 feet to 150 feet and weighing up to 90,000 pounds.
“At times, we were lifting doubles,” said Billy Rieger, dispatcher for ALL Crane Rental of Pennsylvania, “which increased weights to 180,000 pounds.”
For the dual picks, each crane hooked to rigging attached to carefully planned pick points, lifted each piece 98 feet in the air and brought them to rest on bridge piers
Infrastructure projects often require multiple cranes and super innovative lifting and rigging plans.
where Century Steel’s ironworkers could complete tie-ins. It took approximately two hours to accomplish each lift, with 16 beams set over four 10-hour days. Also assisting with the lifts was Century Steel’s own 250-ton capacity crawler crane.
Although the cranes were set up in such a way that the booms extended between existing bridges on either side, Rieger said the site was well-prepared and there were no obstruction issues or challenges.
For this first portion of the bridge work, no road closures were required as it is new construction. However, connecting spans will eventually put the work directly over Route 51 below. At that time, Route 51 will be closed for a weekend as the spans are connected. Work will likely go on aroundthe-clock to ensure it is completed in the allotted time.
The next portion of this project will see bridge construction over Coal Valley Road. Rieger anticipates the two MLC300 crawlers will be used for that work as well.
Protecting the coastline
The Lower Manhattan Coastal Resiliency (LMCR) Project is an integrated coastal protection initiative aimed at reducing flood risk due to coastal storms and sea level rise in Lower Manhattan. It will span the Lower Manhattan coast and seeks to increase resiliency while preserving access to the waterfront and integrating with public space, mainly parks. The city,
state and the federal government have committed over $1.7 billion in capital investments for the coastal protection projects.
Bay Crane was recently involved in the one of the projects, erecting a pedestrian bridge over FDR Drive in Lower Manhattan. This is the first of three bridges that Bay Crane will help erect.
Using the Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) process, the bridge was built about a mile south of the erection location. Using a six-line SPMT system, Bay Crane transported the bridge system to the jobsite.
Two of Bay Crane’s Liebherr LTM 1450s
Bay Crane handled the transport of a pedestrian bridge to the jobsite and its two Liebherr LTM 1450s were rigged adjacent to each other to lift and set the 365,000 pound bridge.
The Pennsylvania Turnpike is adding a leg linking Uniontown to Pittsburgh.
PHOTOS: CENTURY STEEL ERECTORS/BAY CRANE
were dispatched to the site and set up adjacent to each other and perpendicular to the viaduct. The bridge weighed 365,000 pounds and was 212 feet long. It measured 19 feet wide and was 34 feet tall.
“The two cranes were rigged the same with 295,000 pounds of counterweight on each machine,” said Bay Crane’s Mike Catik. Two 19-foot, 200-ton spreader bars were used on each crane to grab the ends of the bridge and lift them in place.”
The job was done at night and required the full closure of FDR Drive. Bay Crane worked directly for the NYC Department of Design and Construction and Tri Venture. Bay Crane also worked in tandem
with the steel erector, American Structural Works and the local Ironworkers.
Overpass replacement
Lane Construction Corporation is building two bridges over the Wateree River in Kershaw County, South Carolina. The bridges will replace two existing overpasses along Interstate 20 as part of a South Carolina Department of Transportation bridge rehabilitation project.
Lane’s scope of work includes the demolition of the old structures, which were built in the 1970s, the construction of the new bridges, and rehabilitation work on two additional pairs of I-20 overflow bridges built in the 1970s. The company will also complete approach roadway work to incorporate the new bridges into I-20.
Lane is utilizing two Link-Belt 250-ton TCC-2500 telescopic crawler cranes on rent from Lomma Crane & Rigging of Bridgeville, PA. Lane first used the TCC2500s to drive piling to build temporary trestles on both sides of the river. As the river is a navigable waterway and requires maintained access through its middle, the Lane work crew is using the TCC-2500s concurrently, one on each trestle, to begin foundation work for the replacement bridges.
Although a traditional lattice boom crane was used to start the project, Lane Project Director Eric Pruemer realized it was not optimized for the tight, confined jobsite. He said the TCC-2500s were needed to do the job right.
“These allow us to easily go underneath the bridge back and forth to facilitate work on both the outside and the median of this bridge,” Pruemer said.
The cranes’ ability to quickly retract and extend their booms mean they can travel under each bridge and work on either side when driving the steel tubular pile needed to construct bracing for the existing bridges throughout the demolition process.
Trestle upgrade
The 43-year-old I-494 bridge over the Minnesota River (and directly southeast of the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport) needs major repairs to continue to safely transport people and goods between the cities of Bloomington, Eagan and Mendota Heights, MN.
In 2023, Black River Falls-based Lunda Construction was awarded a $62 million contract to repair the bridge, including pavement repair, reconstruction of a
Two Link-Belt 250-ton TCC-2500 telescopic crawlers, rented from Lomma Crane & Rigging, are working on the replacement of two bridges over the Wateree River in Kerschaw County, SC.
regional trail, replacement of bridge joints, repairs to the bridge deck and railings, reconstruction of bearings, replacement of highway lighting and drainage repair.
The I-494 steel girder bridge over the Minnesota River bridge is 4,502 feet long with 37 spans. Lunda is repositioning all bearings on the expansion piers and replacing rocker bearings on the steel spans. The bridge decks are 60 feet wide with a typical concrete girder span of 114 feet long and 200 feet steel span, with the longest span of 260 feet.
The solution for the project is an Enerpac EVO Series Synchronous Lifting System based on Enerpac’s computer control technology. The EVO provides easy set-up and control for 4, 8 or 12 lifting points per pump. There are multiple lifting options. Pump units are available with several flow options for optimal lifting speed, as well as built in warning and stop alarms for optimum safety. Multiple pumps can be networked together to control up to 48 total lifting points from a single operator control station.
At the bridge project, the EVO was configured with two LPL-602 cylinders per control point. The 12 pair of cylinders
Huge hoisting
At the $1.2 billion Harbor Bridge project, which will span the Corpus Christi Ship Channel, the contractor needed a crane capable of hoisting heavy box girders that weighed more than 100,000 pounds.
Bigge Crane & Rigging dispatched its Liebherr LR 1750 to the jobsite. The 800ton capacity crawler crane was configured with 207 feet of main boom and 92 feet of luffing jib.
Bigge Crane & Rigging’s Liebherr LR 1750 is performing critical lifting on the New Harbor Bridge project in Corpus Christi, TX. The crane is hoisting 100,000-pound box girders.
“The impressive lifting power of this crane and its adaptability made it the perfect choice to support the long-term project of replacing the existing Corpus Christi Harbor Bridge, enabling larger vessels to access the port,” said Bigge’s Joe Nelms.
are arranged in two rows of 12 lifting points on top of the pier. The typical lift at each beam end reaction is a dead load of 154 kips.
The first step on preparing the bridge pier for the installation of the jack bracket system is coring through the pier cap to enable post-tensioning threaded bar installation. Once the brackets are hung on the cap, the threaded bar is stressed to a
Quality in Control.
range of 265 to 280 kips. With the brackets stressed, the Enerpac cylinders are set onto the brackets and shimmed level. A bearing plate is installed between the cylinder and bottom of the steel girder, after which cylinders are ready to be hooked up to the Enerpac EVO system and lifted.
In most cases the Enerpac LPL cylinders are jacked up a half inch, however for certain repairs such as rocker bearing
Cincy bridge
Maxim Crane Works dispatched two cranes to perform the tandem pick to place a pipe bridge on the Mill Creek Bridge Project. The bridge will hold a pipe that will carry water for Cincinnati Water Works.
The two cranes were a Liebherr LTM 1650-8.1 and Grove GMK7550. The bridge weighed approximately 132,000 pounds and was 207 feet long.
The cranes were set up on each side of Mill Creek. Ground preparation included leveling, shoring and creating a sturdy gravel base.
replacements, the bridge is lifted higher for more room to work. Once fully jacked, the Enerpac LPL cylinders are locked allowing bearing replacements, concrete surface repairs on the pedestals and painting of the bearing and sole plates. The longest a span has been jacked and held by the LPL cylinders is 2.5 weeks.
“The Enerpac EVO system has been extremely beneficial for this project,” said Max Byzewski, project engineer, Lunda Construction. “The deck does not have much flexural capacity, so it is critical that each girder on a given beam line is lifted in-sync. The EVO system also has the ability to tell us how much load each jack in a line is experiencing, which shows which girders are seeing more load. This in turn helps better understand why certain girders aren’t coming up as easy as others – namely fascia and center girders.”
The other crucial EVO feature is the pump’s ability to read stroke sensors, allowing the computer to read exactly how high each girder has been lifted, as well as controlling the pressure in each jacking cylinder to ensure a synchronous lift. This avoids the need for Lunda engineers to hard measure each beam,
the EVO pump does it for them.
“The most challenging part in this type of bearing replacement project is getting everything set-up,” Byzewski said. “The lift becomes very easy with the Enerpac EVO system where the synchronous nature of the lifts is critical due to low flexural capacity in the deck.” n
Lifting operations are monitored from the Enerpac EVO-Synchlift control panel.
PHOTO: LUNDA CONSTRUCTION
IRON WORKERS INTERNATIONAL SETS THE STANDARD HIGH WITH
ACCREDITED RIGGER & SIGNAL PERSON CERTIFICATION
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
MEET REQUIREMENTS
OSHA’s Subpart CC requires signal person qualification by a third-party qualifier.
MEET DEMAND
While an OSHA letter of interpretation recognizes apprenticeship programs that train and assess riggers and signal persons as third-party qualified evaluators, many contractors, states and municipalities require a Qualified Rigger and Signal Person Certification.
REDUCE COST
Third party certification comes with a hefty price tag without input on testing from subject matter experts, ironworkers and their contractors. Recertification can cost up to $500.
IMPROVE SAFETY
Ensuring that only trained, skilled and competent ironworkers complete rigging and signaling tasks elevates workplace safety standards and reduces risk.
The National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), the accrediting body of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence, has granted accreditation to the Iron Workers International Certification Board’s (I.I.C.B.) Rigging & Signalperson Certification Program.
WHAT IS IT?
Iron Workers International Certification Board’s (I.I.C.B.) Rigging & Signalperson Certification Program is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), the accrediting body of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence. The I.I.C.B. joins an elite group of more than 130 organizations representing over 315 programs that have obtained NCCA accreditation.
HOW IS IT DONE?
6,000 HOURS OF HANDS ON EXPERIENCE
3-PART EXAM
TESTING & RECERTIFICATION EVERY 5 YEARS
IRON WORKERS RIGGING & CRANE COURSE
BREAKBULK
The evolution of lift planning
ACT convened a panel of lift planning professionals to discuss the art, science and economics of a lift plan and how they have become a business mainstay.
Over the past 25 years, lift planning has greatly evolved. The biggest change in the realm of lift plan development is the advancement in lift planning software, which allows users to choose many variables when planning a lift. With this software, a lift planner can choose the crane and rigging, determine the ground bearing pressure and assess everything that needs to be considered at the site. Small and large crane companies regularly use lift planning software to plan and execute lifts, from simple lifts to highly complex, engineered lifts.
Lift planning adds value in a number of ways, including enhancing safety and risk management. There is an economic component as well. Lift plans offer a company a competitive edge when bidding
a job. More and more, lift plans are required as a part of the bidding process. To discuss the evolution of lift planning, American Cranes & Transport convened a panel of three professionals to discuss lift planning processes and procedures in their company. The panel includes Alex Clark, regional general manager for Omega Morgan; Trapper Wyman, president and head of estimating and planning for Mansfield Crane Service; and Larry Smith, general manager of Wilkerson Crane.
WHAT DOES LIFT PLANNING BRING
TO THE TABLE IN TERMS OF DOING BUSINESS IN THE MARKETS YOU SERVE?
CLARK: It brings a level of professionalism that our customers like to see. It also helps to visually show how we have thought through the project for our customer by helping them see the crane on the site on a 3D Google overlay or on a site plan drawing.
WYMAN: It allows us to show our customers how we will set up the crane and perform the lift. For a lot of people not in the crane industry, it’s hard to visualize what the crane will look like onsite and other specifics like the direction it’s going to swing. We are giving them the picture of how it’s going to look when it happens.
SMITH: We utilize lift plans on a daily basis. A lift plan gives us an opportunity to layout setup locations on a jobsite accurately, not only for our crane operators to reference, but for our customers to be able to use when planning with their trade partners for a crane to be on a jobsite.
WHAT TYPES OF JOBS CONSTITUTE A LIFT PLAN IN YOUR ORGANIZATION?
CLARK: Almost every project that we do now requires some level of lift planning. Currently, almost every large contractor requires a lift plan. Industrial projects always require a lift plan, and any high value item requires a lift plan.
WYMAN: We use the ASME B30.5 standard, and many times we use our
Mansfield Crane Service used its Liebherr LTM 1400-7.1 and Grove GMK5250XL-1 to lift and install a cold box.
customers’ standards that we have adopted. Each job that comes in, the type of lift gets categorized as standard or complex. A standard lift is a lift where there are known loads, and rigging and is a standard operation. With complex lifts, there is an element of special load handling activity, maybe rotating horizontal to vertical using a crane and another lifting application.
Based on the lift categorization, that will determine the type of lift planning involved. Under the ASME standard, you can verbally have a lift plan on site. The operator might do an onsite lift plan for a standard lift. But a lot of customers want a pre-written, predetermined lift plan for the job. We prepare a lift plan and the drawings that go with it and give it to the customer prior to the job so that the customer knows how it is all going to take place.
Sometimes the customer will want an engineered lift plan, and sometimes we will want to have an engineered plan. This is when a licensed engineer looks over the plan and stamps it.
We primarily use 3D Lift Plan. We also use Auto Cad for the rigging diagrams and other software to mark up the plan with additional information. Our entire fleet is logged into the 3D Lift Plan software.
SMITH: Wilkerson uses lift plans for almost every job you can think of. We often make them for our equipment rigging and moving guys to be able to strategically plan how they are going to move large equipment on different jobsites. We also make them on a daily basis for our crane jobs, no matter how big of or small of a crane it is. A lift plan helps our operators and sales staff accurately layout and setup the jobsite, as well as move our cranes into the jobsite.
DO YOU USE LIFT PLANS TO HELP WITH BIDDING OR ESTIMATING A JOB?
CLARK: Yes, we do send lift plans for some jobs that we are bidding to let our customer see that we have thought this project through. It helps ease some of the concerns that they may have with using our company or a crane in general. We feel like it can also elevate our chances of winning the project over a competitor as it lets our potential customer know that we have thought this through. It can also show any issues that the customer has not factored in until they see the drawing.
WYMAN: We use lift plans in the planning process, when we are doing the estimate
for the job. We will lay out the plan ahead of time. It helps us determine the best place to situate the crane to give the best capacity and not have to move the crane, or assure that we move it a minimal amount. We can use a Google image of the jobsite and put the crane in the image to see the best place for it. It helps us make sure we are not sizing a crane that is too large, so that we give the customer the best price.
SMITH: Yes. Often times a customer will call needing a quote, and a site visit isn’t possible to complete before a bid needs to be turned in. With lift planning software, we can ask our customer a few simple questions and setup a lift plan based off the data we collected to make an accurate lift plan and estimate.
CAN A LIFT PLAN ACTUALLY ENHANCE SAFETY AT A JOBSITE?
CLARK: Yes, 100 percent. On certain jobs we sit down with our employees and go over the plan with them. This helps everyone understand the challenges we are facing. We also send them out with our dispatch work orders so that our crews have an understanding of what we are doing and what configuration the crane is in. It also helps when they get to the site to double check it matches what the site looks like compared to the drawing. Site conditions can change quickly.
WYMAN: Yes. The lift plan is not just about what you are lifting, it’s also identifying any hazards, energized lines, underground utilities or constructions.
It can be a good risk assessment. Also, an important part of a lift plan in the field, is a competent person uses it to identify a change in conditions. These people have the ability to adjust the plan and further communicates to the customer the changes that are made.
All the cranes we own are in our 3D Lift Plan software, so we can see all the configurations possible with each crane. We use Auto Cad for the below-the-hook rigging – slings, shackles, spreader bars. There’s nothing we can’t represent.
The lift plan has certainly evolved through the years. Twenty-five years ago, there wasn’t any kind of framework for a lift plan. A lot of customers have built their own framework. We’ve adapted that where we find it most useful. Today, I’d say 90 percent of our customers require a prewritten lift plan. It’s a critical part of doing business. We develop a lift plan for pretty much every job we do.
SMITH: Yes. With a lift plan a customer can see where a crane is going to be placed onsite. They can help direct us about underground obstructions that we may not know about or reveal reasons why we might not be able to setup in a chosen area. The lift plan also lets site personnel know where a crane is going to be setup, the lifting radius and the danger zones. With the danger zones, we may need to keep other personnel, or even the general public, out of an area where we may be lifting or where crane setup will occur. n
Omega Morgan used a Grove GMK 7550 for a brewery tank removal and replacement job amid power lines and other obstructions.
Electrified!
The Tadano EVOLT is the first electric rough terrain crane designed to work in North America. D.Ann Shiffler reports exclusively from Shido, Japan.
With the skies threatening a summer shower, Tadano’s product development team at the Shido manufacturing facility in Shido, Japan was excited to show off the Tadano EVOLT eGR-1000XLL-1. ACT was onsite exclusively in early July to see the new crane that was amid final testing before shipping out to North America. The prototype and production models of the new 100-ton capacity rough terrain crane have been put through the paces, undergoing vigorous testing on every system. Several elements of the crane were upgraded, most notably a change in the charging system to a 480VAC.
“We are very confident in the investment we’ve made in this crane,” said Dean Barley, President and CEO of Tadano America. “This crane has been tested and retested. We wanted to make sure that the first fully electric rough terrain crane in North America meets all the requirements of the market.”
The product demonstration began with the start up of a Tadano GR-1000XLL-4,
EVOLT specs
Tadano said the plan for the EVOLT was to utilize electric motors for the driveline and hydraulic pumps, while the hydraulic system for the crane functions remains the same with the same performance characteristics as the diesel model.
BOOM LENGTH: 42 to 167 feet 4 inches
JIB LENGTH: 33 feet 2 inches or 58 feet 1 inch
MAXIMUM LIFTING CAPACITY: 100 tons at 8 feet radius
MAXIMUM WORKING RADIUS: 155 feet
LENGTH: 49 feet 8 inches
WIDTH: 10 feet 10.5 inches
HEIGHT: 12 feet 3 inches
TRAVEL SPEED: 11 mph
WEIGHT (base machine): 129,000 pounds
OPERATING TIME: 5 hours (depending on application up to 7 hours)
TRAVELING DISTANCE: 16 miles (only travel)
NORMAL CHARGING: 480VAC 3-phase, 40 kW
FAST CHARGING: US COMBO CCS1, 150 kW
Silent operation
Next, the EVOLT eGR-1000XLL-1 was started up, without a sound. The operator took the EVOLT through the same maneuvers as the GR-1000XLL-4, with one noticeable difference. The EVOLT operated silently. The only discernible noise was when the boom hydraulics were engaged.
“Aside from the EVOLT operating silently, these cranes are virtually the same except for their power source,” Barley said. “And of course the EVOLT is emissions free.”
a diesel-powered RT that has enjoyed strong success worldwide. The operator drove the 100-ton capacity crane up and down the demonstration area and then set the crane’s outriggers to perform boom maneuvers. The crane operated seamlessly.
The product development team’s attention to every detail was immensely important to Barley, who expects the EVOLT to quickly gain acceptance in North America. The EVOLT operates on battery power for at least five hours and has a travel distance of 5.5 miles. Depending on the application, the crane can operate for up to seven hours before traveling back to its charging station.
Together at the Kozai manufacturing facility in Japan are Toshiaki Ujiie, Tadano President and CEO, and Dean Barley, President and CEO, Tadano America.
new 100-ton capacity battery operated EVOLT eGR-1000XLL-1 is set for North American distribution.
After watching the crane operate, we visited various areas of the Shido Plant, including the Low Temperature Test Facility and the Power Train Test Facility.
“It was important to make sure this crane could operate in severe conditions, in heat and in frigid areas like Canada, where our RTs are very popular,” Barley said.
Pictured at the Tadano Shido Plant in front of the EVOLT eGR-1000XLL-1 are (from left) Tadano’s Kimihiko Terata, Hiroyuki Goda, Dean Barley, Christopher McCabe and Yugo Ochi. This team represents such departments as Power Systems, Research and Development, and General Affairs.
At the Shido Plant in Japan, a diesel-powered Tadano GR-1000XLL-4 and the new electric EVOLT eGR-1000XLL-1 were demonstrated side by side. The only difference in the operation of the two cranes is that the EVOLT is emissions free and it operates silently.
Much attention was paid to the battery and charging system. The crane features a DC Fast Type CCS1 charging system with a maximum power output of 150kW. The onboard AC charging system is a 480VAC (3-phase) system. Full fast recharging takes about two hours. Using the 480VAC normal charger takes 4.5 to 5.5 hours on its highest 40kW setting. Under normal usage conditions, the batteries are expected to have a useful life of between eight and 10 years.
Another encouraging element of Tadano’s Green Solutions initiative is that the company has been producing an
electric crane for the Japanese market. Tadano now has vital experience rolling out a fully electric product, and the product development team understands all the nuances. The Tadano EVOLT eGR250N-1 has been working the Japanese market since 2023.
Cost of operation
Cost of operation was a huge consideration for the EVOLT, which will cost a little more than its diesel counterpart. But the operational savings can quickly make up for the cost, Barley said.
Tadano has created operating cost comparisons for the two cranes, and the results are impressive. On an annual basis, Tadano estimates the operating costs of the EVOLT will be about 35 percent less than the diesel machine. Fuel/electricity and maintenance costs were considered based on 1,200 operating hours a year.
“Beyond the annual operations cost savings, the EVOLT reduces carbon emissions by 49,000 pounds,” Barley said. “Customers in North America are excited about this crane.”
He said the quiet operation of the EVOLT will be a major selling point, and will be an asset working at night near hospitals and residential areas.
Advancing decarbonization and “green solutions” is an important company initiative, Tadano President and CEO Toshiaki Ujiie said.
“We have decarbonization goals for 2030 and to 2050,” he said. “We have an aggressive plan to produce electric and hybrid product lines. We will continue to give our customers green choices.” n
Tadano’s
Tadano’s 200,000-square-meter ocean-side Shido Manufacturing Facility was built in 1980. Rough terrain and all-terrain cranes are produced at Shido.
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Tools of the trade
SC&RA’s partnership with Milwaukee Tools is a new collaboration that adds value to members.
Milwaukee Tools produces tools that the crane, rigging and specialized transportation sector use in their daily work. It only makes sense that the company would forge a partnership with SC&RA that offers incentives and benefits to its members.
“Milwaukee Tool has a commitment to trade organizations within all trade verticals of general construction, and the partnership with the SC&RA came from Milwaukee Tool’s involvement with projects of all scopes from start-tofinish,” said Justin Ross, senior national account manager for general contracting, for Milwaukee Tool. “Milwaukee Tool collaborates closely with users on the ground, immersing themselves with the dynamic challenges of the always-evolving workplaces. With both companies being at the forefront of innovation and efficiency in the field, this partnership will create beneficial relationships in the industry.”
Value-added
construction needs, Ross said.
Often when engaging jibs or tying down cargoes, tools like these are needed.
“The wide variety of Milwaukee impact wrenches for all applications provides the ability to cut the cord and provide service/maintenance needs in any environment,” said Jac Runkle, key account
manager for general contracting for Milwaukee Tool. “To compliment the safe-use power tools, Milwaukee Tool provides head-to-toe personal protective equipment to keep the user safe and comply with jobsite safety requirements.”
Customized incentives
SC&RA and Milwaukee Tool is focused on enhancing safety and productivity for members and promoting a collaborative relationship, according to Ross.
“Virtually every crane, rigging, trucking and manufacturing member within SC&RA has a need for quality tools,” said Joel Dandrea, CEO of SC&RA.
“This partnership with Milwaukee Tool provides high-quality tools, rebates, outstanding service and an overall extremely valuable member benefit.”
Among the tools offered by Milwaukee Tools, the M18 Cordless System, with more than 250 tools on the system, provides a combination of professional grade power, extreme performance and superior ergonomics for all general
Jac Runkle, Key Account Manager, General Contracting,
Virtually every crane, rigging, trucking and manufacturing member within SC&RA has a need for quality tools.
JOEL
DANDREA,
CEO, SC&RA
Milwaukee Tool offers companyspecific programs with SC&RA members that include customized incentives, tool service programs and annual rebates. These programs are for companies looking to standardize their tool platform to one brand and build a partnership that revolves around a commitment to changing the industry.
“We’re thrilled to be working with Justin and Jac on this program,” Dandrea said. “They have great applicable experience and immediately understood the SC&RA membership, needs and culture. We’re encouraged to see them get off to such a solid start and gearing up for even greater SC&RA participation and exposure as we grow and move the program forward.”
Ross and Runkle will attend the SC&RA Crane & Rigging Workshop this month in Glendale, AZ n
Justin Ross, Senior National Account Manager, General Contracting, Milwaukee Tools.
The new partnership between SC&RA and Milwaukee Tool provides high-quality tools, rebates, service and an overall valuable member benefit.
Milwaukee Tools.
MADE FOR YOUR MISSION.
Dragline haul
The Frontier Heavy Haul team hauled some 27 loads of the machine that had a combined weight of 4,412,000 pounds.
Moving a huge dragline required the specialized expertise of Frontier Heavy Haul & Support.
With a bucket capacity of up to 80 yards and a working weight of 9.1 million pounds, the Marion 8200 dragline is a huge machine. These huge excavators generally works in mines. One such machine completed a project at a location in Texas and needed to be moved to another mine, also in Texas.
It was a huge and hard job, but someone had to do it. Frontier Heavy Haul & Support took on the project to transport a range of abnormally shaped parts that had been disassembled from the dragline.
The customer asked the Frontier Heavy Haul team to determine how and in what order to move the components to the new location. As well, the customer needed to start reassembling the machine as soon as possible. The goal was to cut the machine into as few pieces as possible since it would take about a year and a half for reassembly.
After a lot of analysis and research, the Frontier Heavy Haul & Support team hauled some 27 loads of the machine that had a combined weight of 4,412,000 pounds. The lightest piece hauled was 39,500 pounds and the heaviest was 412,000 pounds. The load dimensions of the components ranged from a length of 18 feet up to 135 feet 6 inches and widths from 2 feet up to 28 feet.
The Frontier team utilized several different types of specialized trailers, including a 3-axle steerable blade trailer, a 3-axle 45 ton stretch trailer, a 10-axle 85-ton trunnion specialized basket trailer, a 12-axle 65-ton deck trailer, a 13-axle 85-ton deck trailer, a 6-line Scheuerle highway giant platform trailer, a 7-line
The Marion 8200 dragline has a bucket capacity of up to 80 yards and 328-foot boom. The machine weighs 9.1 million pounds.
Scheuerle highway giant platform trailer and a 13-line Scheuerle highway giant platform trailer with pull and push trucks.
Two different routes
There were several routing issues to solve, mainly because of the varying weights and dimensions of the load.
“We ended up with two different routes to accommodate all of the pieces that needed to be moved,” said Frontier’s Maurice Martens. “We contacted local police departments and gave them our schedule, and then we contacted them again on the day of the move when each load was coming through their towns. As well, we contacted a local radio station to let the general public know what times they could expect delays with the loads coming through their areas.”
In addition to the local news stations, the Frontier team contacted a power station
There were several routing issues to solve, mainly because of the varying weights and dimensions of the load. Two different routes were utilized, depending on the size of the pieces moved. Frontier used eight different trailers in its fleet.
that would be affected when a road needed to be closed to accommodate the 28-foot wide load, which was the widest piece.
“The 28-foot wide load required us to close a stretch of road for 16 miles,” said Martens. “We had to close the road in three sections.”
To move the loads as safely as possible, two to four civilian escort vehicles were a part of the transport. On some of the larger loads, two to four law enforcement officials on motorcycles were utilized.
The Frontier team made improvements at the start location and at the destination, including using crane mats to build up the ground to make a wider turn radius for the larger loads. Fences and gates were widened. The weather was a challenge with triple digit temperatures.
The job required 1,628 man hours and was completed safely over a span of about six weeks. n
Industry hotspot
The 2024 Crane & Rigging Workshop promises networking, education and insights into the latest trends and technologies.
WHAT: SC&RA Crane & Rigging Workshop
WHEN: September 24-26, 2024
WHERE: Renaissance Phoenix Glendale Hotel, Glendale, AZ
REGISTRATION INFORMATION: scranet.org/CRW2024
A1A SOFTWARE will showcase their latest technology from the A1A Product Suite: 3D Lift Plan (App version), 3D Lift Vision, the only crane simulator where you are transported into the cab of the user’s lift plan. Rigging Designer, for custom rigging plans and the latest mobilefriendly Sketch Pad, that provides the most efficient way to capture necessary job site data for planning, bids, and estimates. Lastly, check out the new dual facing webcam product that reports directly to A1A’s fleet management portal iCraneTrax. a1asoftware.com
*NEW* ALL MATERIAL HANDLING (AMH) is a provider of quality lifting equipment and accessories, including lever and manual chain hoists, alloy hardware and hooks for lifting and load securement, threaded and weld-on lifting points, security chains and more. AMH is based in Chicago, IL, ships from four U.S. service centers and has authorized stocking distributors all over North America. AMH and X5 branded chain hoists are assembled and tested in the United States. www.allmaterialhandling.com For more than 20 years ASSOCIATED WIRE ROPE & RIGGING (AWRR) has been a leading provider of rigging and lifting products. The company leverages their personnel’s 100+ years of product and field expertise to find the best solutions to meet customers’ requirements. Crane blocks, snatch blocks, overhaul balls/ swivels, hooks, sockets, heavy lift shackles to 3,000 tons, eye hooks, master links, and triangle plates, plus hard to find items are available for immediate delivery from stuffed warehouses in Southern California and Houston, TX. These products come from European suppliers fully certified for use in North America.
Just like the soaring temperatures of Arizona, SC&RA’s 2024 Workshop will be a hotspot for collaboration and learning practices across the crane and rigging sector. Attendees can expect insightful presentations, hands-on demonstrations and opportunities to engage with fellow industry experts on the latest trends, safety standards and technological advancements. The event is designed to help professionals enhance their skills, improve operations and stay ahead in a rapidly evolving industry.
The Workshop will commence with the Opening Session titled: The Plaintiff’s
Playbook. In this panel discussion, renowned plaintiff’s attorney Michael Goldberg will collaborate with veteran defense attorney Scott Moulton, offering your business crucial strategies for navigating the courtroom. These legal experts will reveal how to shield your company from nuclear verdicts and the resulting spikes in insurance premium.
Attendees of the 2024 Workshop include crane operators, safety directors and operations managers from the industry’s foremost manufacturers and companies. In most cases, the information that follows was provided by Exhibit Center companies. n
This year’s Exhibit Center will feature 88 member booths displaying new equipment, services and products.
Additionally, AWRR is the producer of the Sea-Link brand of marine and specialty rigging products, including snatch blocks from 2 to 22-ton capacity, construction blocks, wood and steel shell blocks, and cargo hoist blocks. associatedwirerope.com
A 30-plus year experience company, serving North American, BEN-MOR is a Canadian company specializes in High Performance Crane Cable OEM approved. Ben-Mor is a manufacturer and distributor of steel cables, chains, chain accessories, cable assemblies, coated cables, synthetic web slings, high performance round slings, chain slings, wire rope slings and aircraft cables. ben-mor.com
BIGFOOT CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT is an American family manufacturer that specializes in outrigger pads. Bigfoot is the only major manufacturer of wood, custom composite and steel. Bigfoot is the longest in-house manufacturer of custom composite. The company has veteran employees and ownership that stands behind the guaranteed Bigfoot outrigger pads. Bigfoot has a stock of standard sizes as well as custom outrigger pads, steel crane mats and complementary rigging equipment to meet and exceed the strength, stability and safety needs of hard-working personnel around the world, the company said. Bigfoot now offers steel rigging racks to
quickly and efficiently organize all rigging gear. outriggerpads.com
BRODERSON MANUFACTURING CORPORATION has been manufacturing industrial carry deck and rough terrain cranes for the energy, utilities and industrial sectors for more than 50 years. As a part of the Lanco Group of Companies, Broderson is in the Material Handling Division of which all are ISO 9001:2015 certified. Employees have a great passion in pursuit of one goal: to manufacture the highest quality and most reliable cranes, the company said. Carry deck and rough terrain models range from 2.5 to 25 tons. broderson.com
*NEW* BUSINESS PROCESS AUTOMATION COMPANY was established to focus on helping companies of all sizes in all industries to focus on finding solutions meant to improve client’s business processes. This includes the company’s ability to provide integrated products and automation tools specializing in the capture, storage, management and distribution of businesscritical information. bpaco.net
THE CALDWELL GROUP was established in 1954 with a foundational dedication to quality and service and the goal of being a singlesource solution for all of lifting equipment needs. Today, the company offers continued product innovations in below-the-hook lifting solutions, coupled with the addition of the >42
Renfroe Clamps and Chains and RUD Lifting Point product lines, and provides standard and custom lifting solutions for a wide range of material handling applications. caldwellinc.com
CICB provides world-class education, evaluation, and consultation for safe lifting operations. Companies that value eliminating incidents, reducing expenses, and OSHA compliance have relied on CICB’s subject matter experts since 1969. Their dedication to lifting safety has earned the trust of clients across all 50 states, four continents and every branch of the U.S. military. cicb.com
COMANSA is a leading manufacturer of flat top and luffing jib tower cranes. All cranes are built with the latest technology that is grounded in safe, reliable operation. They also are some of the simplest cranes to erect and dismantle because there is no tower top or pendant lines to assemble, and all connections are pin connected. Comansa’s North American branch offers sales, engineering support, service and parts to the U.S. and Canada from its locations in Charlotte, Dallas and Seattle. comansa.com
CRANETRADER.COM is an industry-leading platform serving buyers and sellers of new and used cranes and other rigging and lift equipment and parts. The CraneTrader.com website is designed to make it easy for buyers to browse or search CraneTrader’s continuously updated marketplace of cranes, parts and attachments. CraneTrader’s monthly print edition complements the online offering, reaching customers directly worldwide. As a Sandhills Global brand, the CraneTrader platform is tightly integrated with other Sandhills products and services. CraneTrader.com
CRANEWORKS INC. has dealerships across the United States representing the world’s top crane and heavy equipment brands, the team sells more Manitex boom trucks and Cormach material handling and knuckle boom cranes than anyone in North America, the company said. Founded in 2002, CraneWorks operates nine facilities in the U.S., offering new and used sales, nationwide service, worldwide parts and an extensive rental fleet to customers from a wide variety of industries. crane-works.com
*NEW* Revolutionize your crane operations with CREWOS, the only field service management platform that goes beyond the basics to meet the unique demands of the crane industry. Struggling with fragmented tools and chaotic workflows? Visit Booth #83 to see how crewOS delivers a comprehensive, all-in-one platform designed to streamline processes, boost efficiency and reduce downtime. crewos.io
*NEW* DCL MOORING & RIGGING is a recognized leader in supplying a variety of lifting, mooring and inspection products and services to domestic and international customers in the marine, construction, industrial and oil and gas industries. Based in New Orleans, LA, the company has been meeting the needs of customers for over 75 years. dcl-usa.com
DEARBORN COMPANIES supporting the heavy lift/ heavy haul industries nationally, is a leading engineering service provider for ground condition surveys, ground stabilization design, rigging and shoring engineering and 3-D documentation of terrestrial and above-ground facilities utilizing laser scanning and UAV (“drone”) data collection methods. Dearborn’s project experience spans a wide variety of demanding and hostile work environments ranging from power generating stations, refineries and heavy manufacturing plants, to infrastructure (rail, roadways and airports) through healthcare and mission critical facilities. DearbornCos.com
DICA is a family-owned and operated U.S. manufacturer that facilitates safe setups and peace of mind with its array of engineered products, including outrigger pads, crane pads, cribbing blocks, sling protectors, ground protection mats, and temporary roadway solutions. These innovative products are lightweight, easy to use, designed for longevity, and are proudly crafted in the USA. DICA supports a wide range of industries by providing engineered products that enhance the stability and safety of heavy equipment operations. The primary industries served include crane & rigging operations, construction, utility, tree care, oil and gas, and renewable energy. With a commitment to quality, DICA’s offerings continue to be the choice of operators in over 50 countries around the globe. dicausa.com
DORAL EQUIPMENT RENTAL has the largest fleet of Versa-Lift forklifts in the world, along with forklift capabilities up to 140,000 pounds.
Doral rents Versa-Lift forklifts, Rigger-Lifts, Landoll PT40’s, Enerpac and Hilman motorized dollies. A large fleet of equipment means more available units than our competitors. In-house transportation ensures timely delivery across all North America (U.S. and Canada) and the most competitive pricing available. doralrental.com
ENERPAC is a premier industrial tools, heavy lifting and services company serving a broad and diverse set of customers worldwide. Specializing in high pressure hydraulic tools, heavy lifting equipment and torque and tension solutions, Enerpac helps customers safely and effectively tackle some of the most challenging jobs. Enerpac products are available through a network of 1,400 distributor partners around the world. They provide the technical and the hydraulic expertise needed to support the servicing of standard products, design custom products for unique applications and develop solutions to move and lift some of the largest structures on earth. enerpac.com
ENGINEERED RIGGING solves project challenges by providing innovative heavy lifting and specialized transport equipment rental/sales/ testing/service, engineering expertise, custom solutions and technical support. Their rental fleet includes strand jacks, cylinders, jack-up systems, cube jacks, SPMTs, knuckle boom
cranes, synchronous lift systems, skidding systems and more. EngineeredRigging.com
FAYMONVILLE manufactures trailers for heavy-duty haulage and oversized cargo transportation. With more than 50 years in business, Faymonville provides customers with optimal solutions and systems for any transport need outside the usual norms. The full product range encloses telescopic and steerable trailers, double drop trailers, dual lane trailers and modular trailers. The excellent manufacturing quality of the products are secured by hightech production processes, the company said. faymonville.com
FLEET COST & CARE is a fleet management software company serving businesses of all sizes in the heavy equipment industry. FCC’s software enables companies to improve internal operations by providing a centralized system that speeds up invoicing, streamlines payroll and ensures safety and success. The innovative FCC solution eliminates needless duplicate data entry while maximizing fleet and personnel efficiency and profitability. fleetcostcare.com
FONTAINE SPECIALIZED, a Berkshire Hathaway Company, has been focused on serving transportation, construction, and specialized hauling customers for over 80 years. Fontaine designs and builds extremely dependable lowbed, extendable, hydraulic tail and specialty trailers that provide years of reliable service for customers. Fontaine is also the largest platform trailer brand in the world; encompassing a complete line of aluminum, steel, and composite trailers for the flatbed, drop deck and heavy-haul markets. Fontaine continually invests in R&D, product design and durability testing. fontainespecialized.com
Since 1980, FORKLIFT EXCHANGE has been a premier source for new and used material handling equipment and specializes in extendable counterweight forklifts. Forklift Exchange’s core brands for machinery moving & rigging forklifts are Hoist Material Handling (manufactured by Toyota Material Handling) and Royal Rig-N-Lift. The company offers a full range of lift capacities from 15,000 pounds to 140,000 pounds in a variety of makes and models. forkliftexchange.com
FOXTROT INDUSTRIAL has been designed to improve safety when moving heavy loads in industry. The company’s motorized robots, designed and made in Canada, facilitate the movement of loads up to 20 tons. Their wireless remote control, light weight and unmatched compactness allow customers to move loads in the tightest places. The models therefore ensure that users save manpower, space, time and money. foxtrotindustriel.com
The GALLAGHER CRANE TEAM has been delivering insurance and risk management solutions to the crane, rigging and heavy haul industry for over 30 years, from coast to coast. That’s how they know that this industry involves high levels of unique risks that requires an insurance solution that is as highly focused, customized
and equally unique. The Gallagher Crane Team takes a hands-on, risk-engineered approach to build a comprehensive and focused solution for your specific risk needs. www.ajg.com
GARROD HYDRAULICS specializes in the remanufacturing of hydraulic cylinders. The company handles large cylinders in-house and chrome plating up to 46 feet in length. Garrod Hydraulics has been rebuilding hydraulic cylinders since 1978 and is ISO 9000 certified. garrod.com
GKS LIFTING AND MOVING SOLUTIONS manufactures and sells multi-ton lifting and moving equipment: Hydraulic Toe Jacks (5-30 tons), Dollies (2-120 tons), Rotating Dollies (2-12 tons), Container Dollies (12-48 tons), and Remote Operated/Battery Powered Robotic Transport Systems (10-40 tons). All products have a 2–5-year warranty and ship from Springfield, OH within 24 business hours. German engineering and US Product Experts! www.gksweb.com
GOLDHOFER AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT is one of the leading global manufacturers of transport equipment in the field of general and heavyduty road haulage and oversized cargo transportation. The product range with payloads from 30 to more than 15,000 tons, includes trailers, semitrailers, modular heavyduty systems, self-propelled trailers as well as transport solutions for wind power plants.
Goldhofer meets an extremely wide variety of needs in almost every transport situation, the company said. goldhofer.com
GREENFIELD PRODUCTS is a leading manufacturer of specialized solutions for the crane rental and construction industries. Products are designed, engineered, and manufactured in-house and are supported by a nationwide network. Greenfield’s line of Smart Crane Mats have become a strong presence on jobsites around the country due to their reliability and durability. They also boast the patented Skycrane, a unique cantilever lifting beam that can access the hardest to reach areas of a building. greenfieldpi.com
HALE TRAILER operates as one of North America’s largest retail suppliers of commercial and specialized trailers through the sale, rental and servicing of new and used equipment. Representing the majority of leading U.S. manufacturers, Hale Trailer’s inventory features a full range of products for sale at each of its 15 locations as well as its own extensive rental fleet consisting of vans, flats, steps, telescopic deck trailers, lowboys, multi-axle trailers, blade trailers, schnables, hydraulic suspensions, steerable equipment and more. haletrailer.com Since 1947, HBC-RADIOMATIC has led the market in the development and production of radio remote control systems for industrial, construction and mobile hydraulic applications
across the globe. Through the company’s quality standards, ground-breaking innovations and dedication to its customers, HBCradiomatic continues to set the benchmark for cutting-edge, robust wireless controls. Worldwide demand for HBC-radiomatic systems has led to an international network of subsidiaries and partners serving more than 60 countries. hbc-usa.com
HIGGINBOTHAM is an employee owned and customer inspired, insurance and financial services broker that’s family to employees, accountable to clients, teammates to carriers and generous to their communities, the company said. Their dedicated crane and rigging/specialized transportation risk management teams and broker services are led by Aro Umfress and Parker Holt. Umfress and her team have field experience as well as four generations worth of insurance knowledge. Both Umfress and Holt have a strong understanding of the unique exposures and coverage structures specific to operations and bring direct market access and unique program solutions to clients. higginbotham.com
HOISTCAM, manufactured by Netarus, is a high definition (HD), rugged, adaptable and rapidly deployable wireless camera system. HoistCam provides a material handling operator with a direct video feed from anywhere on a job site. Attached to any surface with magnets
and safety lanyard, HoistCam can be installed on any heavy equipment, such as a crane, in seconds. The system improves employee productivity and workplace safety with material handling equipment in the construction, industrial, marine and transportation industries. hoistcam.com
HOLLOWAY is an innovator delivering lifting excellence across the global energy and construction sectors. The company’s expansive range encompasses top-grade wire rope and wire rope slings and an elite rigging rentals department, all seamlessly uniting with precision manufacturing, value-amplifying services, and cutting-edge testing facilities. This synergy forges holistic industrial lifting solutions, empowering projects to reach new heights. hhilifting.com
*NEW* HSI: HANES SUPPLY, INC. is ISO 9001:2015 certified as a manufacturer of lifting products with full in-house testing and certification of slings and hoists. The company has over 80 years of experience splicing wire rope and manufacturing slings which include synthetic web, chain, and Slingmax. HSI also provides products, rentals, and services to industrial, construction and marine customers. hanessuply.com
*NEW* HYDRAULIC TECHNOLOGIES’ Power Team tackles some of the toughest processing challenges, helping lower costs, boost
uptime, save energy, reduce waste and enhance quality. They provide cutting-edge technology, exceptional service and reliable support to leading businesses in construction, infrastructure, energy, rail, mining, transportation, aerospace and manufacturing worldwide. www.hydraulictechnologies.com
INDUSTRIAL TRAINING INTERNATIONAL (ITI) is a global leader in the design and delivery of learning solutions for organizations conducting crane, rigging, and load handling activities. Founded in 1986, the company originally specialized in instructor-led training, field services, and consulting. ITI has since grown to produce live online, and on-demand courses delivered via the ITI Learning Hub and has been recognized with numerous industry association awards for its groundbreaking virtual reality crane and equipment simulations solution. iti.com
J&R ENGINEERING, located in Mukwonago, WI, is the manufacturer of the Lift-N-Lock hydraulic telescopic boom gantry, Delta Lift rubber-tired gantry and Lift-N-Lock Gantry Crawlers. The company offers exclusive Stabilizer Bars for superior lift stabilization, side shifting Powerlinks and other specialized lifting equipment serving the machinery moving, industrial material handling and nuclear industries. All Lift-N-Lock products come equipped with secondary full-load holding cam
locks and high strength multiple stage boom sections. jrengo.com
*NEW* JEFF MARTIN AUCTIONEERS is one of the nation’s fastest-growing heavy equipment, construction equipment and transportation equipment auction companies in the U.S. Founded in 2009 by Jeff Martin, Jeff Martin Auctioneers conducts equipment auctions across the United States with permanent locations in MS, SC, FL, MN, IN and TX, as well as auction sites in GA, MI, OH and NH. Jeff Martin Auctioneers specializes in used heavy construction equipment, transportation equipment, and industrial equipment auctions, as well as business liquidations, government surplus and real estate auctions across the U.S. jeffmartinauctioneers.com
For over 40 years, KENNEDY WIRE ROPE has been dedicated to providing the highest quality lifting and rigging equipment to the many industries they serve. The company strives to be an industry leader and remain dedicated to providing valued customers with the very best the industry has to offer. All of their slings are fabricated in ISO 9001:2015 certified facilities and all hardware is manufactured to exacting standards and meets all safety requirements. kwrs.com
KHL GROUP AMERICAS, a diversified media company and the leading supplier of international construction and power
information, is excited to announce the launch of the daily Crane & Transport Briefing, debuting in September. This briefing will deliver expert analysis on the most relevant and crucial topics in the crane and transport industry, providing a comprehensive understanding of industry trends, tools and tips for adapting to change. KHL’s crane team publishes American Cranes & Transport and International Cranes and Specialized Transport, the official magazines of the SC&RA, produces a weekly World Crane Week newsletter with a global distribution of over 20,000 recipients and organizes several industry events, including the Tower Cranes North America conference, with the full support of the SC&RA as the exclusive event partner. craneandtransportbriefing.com
KITO CROSBY is a global leader in the innovation, manufacturing and distribution of products and services used to make lifting, rigging, transporting and securing operations safer and more efficient. While partnering with customers in construction, energy, manufacturing and aquaculture, the company provides a broad range of products and solutions for the most demanding applications. Brands include Kito, Crosby, Harrington, Gunnebo Industries and Peerless. thecrosbygroup.com
LANDOLL COMPANY (the original traveling axle inventor) designs, manufactures and markets heavy equipment transport trailers and a precision telehandler (operable with remote). This vertically integrated and diversified Kansas company additionally produces agricultural, OEM, government and specialized narrow and very narrow aisle forklifts. To check out the Landoll full line of traveling axles, traveling tails, detachable trailers, material telehandler and other specialty products visit landoll.com LGH is North America’s largest organization devoted exclusively to providing lifting and moving equipment for rent. With over 70,000 pieces, LGH holds the most comprehensive inventory of hoisting, rigging, jacking, pulling, material handling and safety gear, available at 23 warehouse locations across the U.S. and Canada. Whether for simple everyday tasks or specialized projects, you can count on LGH to have what you need in stock, ASME certified and ready for immediate and safe use. rentlgh.com
LIEBHERR has developed a large, continually evolving range of sophisticated products and services for 75 years. Practical and seasoned machines, coupled with proven engineering and high quality, ensure customer benefits in all product areas, the company said. Liebherr offers a comprehensive selection of mobile and crawler cranes with telescopic and lattice booms, as well as rough terrain cranes, duty cycle crawler cranes and piling and drilling rigs. Liebherr also manufactures mobile construction cranes, as well as one of the widest ranges of fast-erecting and top-slewing
tower cranes in the world. liebherr.com
*NEW* LIFT PLANNING SERVICES, is a fullservice consulting firm dedicated to providing comprehensive lift plans, rigging design, load analysis and lift directing services. Certified NCCCO Lift Directors customize detailed lift plans (including specialty, critical, USACE and NAVFAC) to fit every need and are available on-site to oversee lifting operations. Licensed professional engineers analyze crane loading, design rigging and provide extensive ground condition evaluation per OSHA 1926.1402 as part of the controlling entity’s responsibilities. Through these services and more, LPS elevates crane and rigging safety through planning, guidance and engineering. liftplanningservices.com
LINK-BELT CRANES, with headquarters in Lexington, KY, is a leader in the design and manufacture of telescopic boom and lattice boom cranes for the construction industry worldwide. Link-Belt is committed to the manufacture and service of high-quality products that satisfy customers worldwide. Link-Belt Cranes is also home to a family of passionate professionals with a legacy of innovation and cutting-edge technology spanning nearly 150 years. These professionals, in an 815,000-square-foot manufacturing facility and with a culture of continuous innovation, have pushed Link-Belt to be the most modern crane manufacturer in North America, the company said. www.linkbelt.com
LOAD KING is a leading manufacturer of heavyduty vocational equipment. Since 1956, Load King has been synonymous with high-quality equipment meant to WORK for your business. Load King is the OEM brand for Custom Truck One Source, and we benefit from the feedback of thousands of customers utilizing our 10,000unit rental fleet. We take that knowledge and use it to refine and improve our line of products which include Trailers, Cranes, Service Trucks, Water Trucks, Dump Trucks, and Roofing Conveyers. loadkingmfg.com
MAEDA AMERICA is the exclusive distributor for North and Central America for Maeda Mini Cranes. Headquartered in Katy, TX. Maeda America is a subsidiary of Maeda Seisakusho Co. www.maedaamerica.com. Maeda is a pioneer in the mini crane business and has grown to be the world’s largest mini crane manufacturer, featuring mini cranes and telescopic boom crawler cranes. maedaamerica.com
THE MANITOWOC COMPANY has an over 120year tradition of providing high-quality, customer-focused products and support services to its markets. Manitowoc is one of the world’s leading providers of engineered lifting solutions. Manitowoc, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, markets, and supports comprehensive product lines of mobile hydraulic cranes, latticeboom crawler cranes, boom trucks and tower cranes under the Aspen Equipment, Grove,
Manitowoc, MGX Equipment Services, National Crane, Potain and Shuttlelift brand names. manitowoc.com
MAZZELLA is a source for high-performance crane rope solutions. The company has mobile spooling trucks to provide reliable, 24-hour, on-site service to all mobile crane customers. Their spooling units were designed and built to handle a variety of applications in the mobile crane industry with the ultimate goal of providing crane customers with as little down time as possible. Mazzella employs certified technicians who can perform an in-field poured socket replacement for high-performance crane rope. mazzellacompanies.com
MID-CONTINENT CRANE is a leading provider of crane rentals, sales, inspections, and training services for the lift industry. With a wide range of equipment options, including tower cranes, underhook attachments, and construction hoists, Mid-Continent Crane offers versatile solutions to meet the needs of every project. The company’s highly qualified team of inspectors ensures thorough and efficient inspections, saving clients time and money. Additionally, Mid Continent Crane provides training programs designed to kickstart or accelerate careers in the lifting industry. midcontinentcrane.com
Since the company began in 1924, MILWAUKEE TOOL has led the industry in developing innovative solutions that deliver increased productivity and durability for professional construction users. Whether it is through their M12 and M18 cordless systems, the performance of their M12 and M18 FUEL products, jobsite lighting, time-saving accessories, or hand tool and storage products, Milwaukee Tool is dedicated to delivering a continuous flow of advanced, trade-specific solutions, the company said. milwaukeetool.com
NATIONAL INTERSTATE INSURANCE COMPANY, a member of Great American Insurance Group, is a leading provider of specialty insurance with a focus on crane, rigging and specialized carriers. As an SC&RA endorsed market partner, National Interstate offers membership a range of products including guaranteed cost and deductible programs, as well as innovative alternative risk transfer options, such as Titan Specialized and Boomerang. National Interstate and its insurance subsidiaries are rated “A+” (Superior) by A.M. Best Company. natl.com
NBIS (NationsBuilders Insurance Services) is a premier insurance provider to the crane, rigging and specialized transport industries, serving SC&RA members as an endorsed property and casualty insurance provider for over 27 years with insurance coverage and innovative risk management solutions. The NBIS team provides members with customized insurance products to protect businesses as well as contract management, preventative risk analysis and planning. NBIS provides coverage from a variety of A+ (Superior) rated carriers by A.M. Best Company and licensed in
all 50 states. NBIS is a DUAL North America company, visit nbis.com
NELSON MANUFACTURING COMPANY is a North American manufacturer of custom semitrailers, boom dollies and boom launch trailers. The company’s trailers and dollies are built to order which allows them to offer solutions to specific needs. Nelson uses the latest technologies combined with proven designs to provide not only the most efficient and userfriendly trailers and boom dollies on the market but the most durable as well. They provide products for the crane, rigging, construction, heavy haul, over size and aerospace markets. nelsontrailers.com
OTH PIONEER RIGGING is bringing a slick gear that challenged the line of work of the lifting and rigging industry. This new offering provides unique versatile remote-controlled hooks that allow building erectors and manufacturers to safely perform more lifts per day. Light and durable, it can be taken out on any application, at any site, even off grid. The hooks require little energy to operate and enable more than a week of hard work without recharge. othrigging.com
PACCAR WINCH engineers and manufactures industry-leading winch, hoist and drive systems under the BRADEN, CARCO and Gearmatic brand names. PACCAR Winch is proud to offer a wide range of solutions for specialized transportation and material handling including crane hoists, trailer and recovery winches, swing drives and track drives. The company works hand-in-hand with customers to develop the best products for their needs. paccarwinch.com
ASC/PYTHON AMERICA ropes are made in Germany including all wires and strands. Some of the company’s new Compac 35 Plus true nonrotating ropes, from 8 to 32 millimeters, are available and in stock for all truck, mobile, crawler and tower cranes. Additionally, the company’s continuous training courses are provided throughout the country for proper installation of crane ropes. ascindustries.com
RAYCOWYLIE SYSTEMS is a world leader in crane monitoring systems and other construction equipment. Its key areas of expertise lie in the development and installation of complex rated capacity indicators with a simple user interface. RaycoWylie also provide wireless or wired customized safety instrumentation such as anti-two block systems, wind speed indicators, load indicators and angle indicators to maximize operation both inland and offshore. raycowylie.com
RIBBIOT is a dynamic operations platform born from the specialized carriers and rigging industry on a mission to revolutionize the critical movement of people and things, the company said. Ribbiot’s web and mobile applications provide an easy-to-adopt real-time platform to manage equipment, jobs, documents, processes and crews. The streamlined and intuitive user interface enables
customers to leverage detailed information about crews, qualifications, equipment usage and job progress to ensure everything runs smoothly. ribbiot.com
*NEW* RICONNECT CORPORATION is a critical equipment management system that provides efficient and accurate information transactions between parties along the supply chain, including product manufacturers, distributors, asset owners, end-user employees and inspection service providers. riconnect.tech
RIDEWELL SUSPENSIONS engineers and manufactures custom suspension systems for the specialized transportation industry. Ridewell also supplies drum and disc brake axles as well as air control systems. The company has served the transportation industry worldwide since 1967 and holds many patents for exclusive features that provide for low maintenance and superior ride quality. ridewellcorp.com
RIGGING GEAR SALES is home to North America’s largest fleet of hydraulic gantry systems and accessories. With over 100 gantry legs, over 100 lifting beams in their rental fleet, and over a half of a mile of gantry runway track, RGS has the right equipment at the right time. Other uncommon tools round out the fleet such as side shift systems, track elevation stands and their new 550-ton Rotation Station. RGS compliments their fleet of Lift Systems’ brand gantry equipment as a North American dealer for the TII Group – Scheuerle, Nicolas, Kamag brands of special transport trailers. RGS has recently added 4-axle SPMT Light special transport trailers to their sales and rental fleet. rgsinc.net
ROUSE is the leader in construction equipment market intelligence. Rouse provides over 400 rental companies and dealers with comparisons of their rental rates, utilization, and equipment values to industry benchmarks leveraging over $100B of fleet data, $44B in annual rental transaction volume, and $42B in private party equipment sale transaction data provided by participants in its benchmarking pool. rouseservices.com
*NEW* Introducing RSD SOFTWARE, the company behind RSD Blue. This is software that enhances your operations with intuitive tools for receiving, storing, and delivering; all in one powerful package. This is RSD’s first of many ERP modules designed to streamline your processes, increase productivity and reduce costs. It’s not designed for 3PLs or fulfillment centers… it’s meant for warehousing companies, crane and rigging contractors, general contractors, mechanical and electrical subs and primes, or anyone looking to ditch the folders and spreadsheets. Discover the power of a seamless and scalable solution designed to enhance productivity and reduce costs. rdsoftwareinc.com
*NEW* SAMSARA is the creator of the Connected Operations Cloud, which is a platform that enables organizations that depend on physical
operations to harness Internet of Things (IoT) data to develop actionable insights and improve their operations. With tens of thousands of customers across North America and Europe, Samsara is a proud technology partner to the people who keep the global economy running, including the world’s leading organizations across construction, transportation and warehousing, field services, manufacturing, retail, logistics and public sector. samsara.com
SANY AMERICA launched two new cranes, the SRA550A a 55-ton rough terrain and the SCA1600TB, a 160-ton telescopic boom crawler, this April. They showed customers their first glimpse of the SRA550A rough terrain crane at a demo and dine event in New Orleans in February. The SRA550A fills out the current rough terrain lineup ranging from 35 to 120 tons. SANY’s SCA1600TB telescopic boom crawler crane with class leading capacity was well received at ConExpo 2023. This increases their lineup to two telescopic boom and four lattice boom crawlers ranging from 90 to 440 tons. sanyamerica.com
SKYWARD SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, a long-time SC&RA member and specialty insurance carrier, brings extensive expertise and years of service to the crane, rigging, millwright, equipment rental, dealer and other construction markets. Skyward offers guaranteed cost, deductible and its new Crane Captive as insurance options to the market. Customers and agents get customizable coverage, exceptional service, aggressive claims handling and proactive risk management services. Skyward Specialties is >1 billion in revenues and its subsidiary carriers Houston Specialty Insurance Company and Imperium Insurance Company are rated A- (Positive) by A.M. Best Company. skywardinsurance.com
SLINGMAX RIGGING SOLUTIONS is recognized worldwide for local service and high-quality innovative solutions for the heavy lifting and industrial markets. The Slingmax organization consists of 35 independent companies, each exclusively licensed, trained and certified to manufacture, repair and test Slingmax products. Strategically located in 11 countries, the company offers 45 full-service fabricating locations. slingmax.com
THE TADANO GROUP is a leading global manufacturer of mobile cranes and aerial work platforms driven by its core values of safety, quality and efficiency based on compliance (C+SQE). Each and every one of Tadano’s products and services encompass these values to reinforce continuous pursuit of excellence for the world and the future through high-quality lifting equipment, the company said. Tadano’s corporate philosophy of creation, contribution and cooperation strives to foster tight-knit cooperation between people both inside and outside of the organization in order to create products, technologies and services that deliver value to the customer and to the society as a whole. To implement this corporate philosophy,
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equipment they need and the exceptional service they deserve. With teams of dedicated product consultants, fast shipping and in-house custom product capabilities. uscargocontrol.com
Effective March 2024, Yak Mat, joined United Rentals. As North America’s largest supplier of access mats, UNITED RENTALS MATTING SOLUTIONS offers the most extensive variety of ready-toship mats and total access solutions for any terrain, backed by over 50 years of experience. The acquisition enhances United Rentals’ focus on hardwood and composite mats while providing access to the largest and most versatile industrial and construction equipment fleet, supported by 24/7 service, maintenance and additional solutions. yakmat.com
USI INSURANCE SERVICES is a national U.S. insurance broker with a heavy equipment practice group headquartered in Coral Gables, FL. The USI Heavy Equipment Division is generalist-free. The company’s veteran team of heavy equipment insurance specialists has knowledge of the crane and rigging, millwrighting, concrete pumping and specialized heavy haul industries. USI knows the complexities of industry-specific benchmarking, contract language, manuscript coverage forms, risk management, claims advocacy and more. USI.com
VISUAL DISPATCH by RapidWorks is a resource management software solution for the
crane and rigging industry. Capabilities include quoting, scheduling, dispatching, eTickets, safety, payroll, invoicing, accounting integration, preventive maintenance and extensive reporting. Over the years, the company has advanced as a powerful tool to handle the requirements of the industry. visualdispatch.com
VITA INDUSTRIAL specializes in intelligent lifting solutions. The Vita Load Navigator (VLN) revolutionizes load control offering a dynamic and precise approach to lifting operations. By connecting below the hook of all crane types, the VLN enables operators to manage and maneuver loads with unparalleled accuracy, eliminating the risks associated with taglines and load instability. Stay on schedule, lift with precision, and protect your workers with the Vita Load Navigator. vitaindustrial.co
WIKA MOBILE CONTROL (WMC) provides operator aids, control systems and sensors including load moment indicators, wireless/ wired load, angle and anti-two block systems for lifting equipment. WMC will have several new products on display including the new APEX SAI 33-W3 standalone indicator for wireless anti-two block switches and windspeed sensors as well as the new qSCALE I2 TH rated capacity indicator system for telehandlers. WMC’s line of consoles, controls and sensors meet both OEM and retrofit requirements
in lifting applications. wika-mc.com
WIRECO is the global leader in manufacturing, engineering and distribution of wire rope, synthetic rope and electromechanical cable. With global reach, they deliver products for equipment and applications no matter where the worksite may be. WireCo products are used in the transport industry to load and unload freight; in the construction industry to move materials; and in the manufacturing industry to help assemble heavy equipment. wireco.com
WRIGHTPLAN is an industrial services and heavy lift software provider that helps crane and rigging businesses improve operational efficiency with the staff they have. From estimating and job creation to scheduling, dispatching, tracking and beyond, WrightPlan’s web-based tools and field service management apps are purpose-built to help streamline workflows, standardize processes and eliminate manual data entry. wrightplan.com
YOKE INC. is the U.S. subsidiary of YOKE Industrial, a Taiwan-based manufacturer of lifting fittings for chain, wire rope and webbing slings. Certified by ISO 9001 as well as DNV, API, ABS and DGUV. YOKE manufacturers digital product line and qualified products tested in accordance with EN1677, i.e. Lifting Point (YP), DA shackle (DNV 2.7-1 approved), Snatch Block (YSB) and G100 lifting components. yoke.net n
How to road-block human trafficking.
Human trafficking is a significant issue in both North and South America, with the trucking industry playing a crucial role in the problem as well as the solution. Trucking routes across these continents often intersect with trafficking corridors, making truck drivers potential first responders in identifying and reporting trafficking activities.
Closer to home, throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico, victims often include vulnerable populations like migrants, minors and those in poverty. Consequently, the U.S. is both a source and destination country for trafficking, with highways, rest stops and truck stops being common locations where trafficking activity is observed. Needless to say, such
SC&RA Leadership
CHAIRMAN
Scott Bragg
Bragg Companies, Long Beach, CA
PRESIDENT
J Rozum
MSA Delivery Service, Canton, MI
VICE PRESIDENT
Jim Sever
PSC Crane & Rigging, Piqua, OH
TREASURER
Michael Vlaming
Vlaming & Associates, Vallejo, CA
ASSISTANT TREASURER
Harry Fry
Harry Fry & Associates, West Newbury, MA
ALLIED INDUSTRIES
GROUP CHAIR
Mike Walsh
Dearborn Companies, Bridgeview, IL
Staying alert
locations are frequented by truck drivers, inevitably making them strategic points for intervention.
dispatchers and other personnel how to recognize the signs of human trafficking and how to respond appropriately.
CRANE & RIGGING GROUP CHAIR
Randy Sever
PSC Crane & Rigging, Piqua, OH
TRANSPORTATION
GROUP CHAIR
David Yarbrough Yarbrough Transfer, Winston-Salem, NC
Back in January of this year, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) introduced the Human Trafficking Awareness Initiative (HTAI) as part of its Human Trafficking Prevention Program. The program seeks to reduce human trafficking throughout North America through coordinated enforcement and investigative and educational awareness measures within the commercial motor vehicle industry. CVSA invited law enforcement and industry/association members to participate in an annual five-day human trafficking awareness and outreach campaign. Participating enforcement and industry members took that opportunity to raise awareness and train individuals on the crime of human trafficking, indicators to look for and what to do when a victim of human trafficking has been identified. They also partnered with Truckers Against Trafficking to distribute wallet cards, posters and window decals.
Fifty-one participating members/ jurisdictions submitted reports to CVSA about their activities before and during the initiative.
Crucial role
PRESIDENT Jennifer Gabel
JK Crane, Kenvil, NJ
VICE PRESIDENT
Kate Landry Deep South Crane & Rigging, Baton Rouge, LA
TREASURER
Stephanie Bragg Bragg Companies, Long Beach, CA
Beyond enforcement of anti-trafficking laws, law enforcement and all other members of the Alliance have a critical role to play in educating and equipping industry stakeholders about human trafficking and how to combat it. The U.S. DOT Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking recently issued a report citing the substantial role transportation industries, law enforcement and government agencies can play to close loopholes to traffickers, including implementing industry-specific training, promoting awareness, forming private/ public partnerships, encouraging reporting and joining industry initiatives. HTAI drills down even further, identifying three key segments of involvement that anyone supporting the endeavor can commit to by joining the Initiative through CVSA:
Training & Education: HTAI offers training programs that teach truck drivers,
Awareness Campaigns: HTAI runs awareness campaigns through various channels, including social media, industry conferences and partnerships with other organizations—which participating members can align themselves with and promote accordingly.
Collaboration with Law Enforcement: HTAI works closely with law enforcement agencies to provide the trucking industry with the tools needed to report suspicious activities safely and effectively.
On the ground level, if you suspect someone is in a human trafficking situation, call the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888 or text 233733. The hotline is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Support is provided in more than 200 languages and all calls are confidential and answered live by highly trained anti-trafficking hotline advocates.
Additionally, the Human Trafficking Prevention Program committee is open to all CVSA members. Committee members can be involved in this fight by participating in important discussions, shaping the future of this committee and its priorities, sharing feedback and perspectives and providing recommendations and suggestions.
To join this committee, log in to your CVSA member portal. Under the “My Committees & Programs” heading, select “Browse Committees” to see the full listing of CVSA committees. Click on “Human Trafficking Prevention” to join. If you would like to join CVSA, visit CVSA.org or call 202-998-1002.
By getting involved, trucking companies can play a crucial role in the fight against human trafficking while also demonstrating their commitment to social responsibility and community safety. n
CHIEF
Joel Dandrea
5870 Trinity Parkway, Suite 200 Centreville, VA
Ph: 703-698-0291
Above and
How
SC&RA’s affinity programs consistently drive member value.
SC&RA has long been known for offering a robust platform of networking, education and advocacy opportunities to its membership around the world. Accordingly, one of the most valuable yet sometimes overlooked benefits of an Association membership is its suite of affinity programs.
From insurance programs that can offer solutions to help mitigate the risks inherent in heavy lifting or transportation operations to travel discounts that ease the logistical and financial burdens of managing a mobile workforce, SC&RA’s affinity programs are a strategic asset for companies of all sizes. These offerings not only help members reduce operational costs but also enable them to reinvest savings into other critical areas of their business, fostering growth and resilience in a competitive market.
Moreover, in an industry where margins can be thin and competition fierce, these programs offer a distinct advantage, marking an SC&RA membership as not just another professional affiliation, but a strategic business decision.
“Many of our affinity programs are longstanding, and specifically designed to cover so many facets of member business,” explained Jason Bell, SC&RA Director, Membership. “If you’re not looking at them, you might just be wasting money.”
Currently boasting seven total programs, the Association’s affinity offerings include: Property and Casualty Insurance, a 401K Program, Enterprise/National Rental Car, Publications (KHL), FedEx Shipping, Milwaukee Tool and CrownSource’s Discounted Products Marketplace.
“It really is a one-stop-shop,” added Bell, “and the unique thing for members to understand is that the suite of programs as well as their offered solutions are always being updated, or added upon, to their benefit.”
A prime example, he pointed out, would
be the CrownSource program.
“It used to primarily exist as a way for members to save a lot of money on tires with discounts and savings across a variety of market-leading brands, but now, SC&RA members have access to five million products through this program. There are discounts on fuel, oil and coolant, toll management, warehousing, computers, even mattresses. Just about anything you could want for your fleet, your office or your business.”
Along similar lines, SC&RA recently established the Milwaukee Tool Heavy Duty Alliance partnership, which provides benefits ranging from trade-in support to annual rebates alongside a host of promotions, customized incentives, their RED TOTE™ service program and tiered rebates.
“This one is really exciting for us as an Association because it directly helps members to be at their best,” said Bell. “Imagine you’re a carrier or a crane rental company – you need tools for equipment repair and maintenance. This relationship with Milwaukee Tool doesn’t just provide rebates, it helps you to determine your best options through your local rep, and builds out a rebate program accordingly. It’s designed to address those needs across
the entirety of your business and establish a high-value equivalency across all that purchasing.”
Out in front
Bell emphasized that with each of SC&RA’s affinity programs, members have free access. “And access is a word right now that I think plenty of members are thinking about when considering the current insurance market,” he noted.
Within the Association’s Property & Casualty Insurance Program – which includes two endorsed market partners and four preferred producers – options are exactly what SC&RA is offering up. “Insurance costs have skyrocketed,” indicated Bell, “so we ask, what can we do to help out in planning – how can we work to make sure our members are prepared, don’t get caught off guard and are able to make better, educated business decisions? Because at the end of the day, we’re looking to work alongside our members in navigating this landscape – align them with partners who are working to make the industry better and ultimately help manage those insurance costs.”
beyond
To that end, planning is a cornerstone principle within SC&RA’s 401K Program – through a partnership with One Retirement Source. Through this program, members gain access to a retirement plan as an employer, said Bell, in terms of pricing and fiduciary services, that they may not be able to obtain individually on their own – especially smaller member companies.
“And now with the retirement mandates, it won’t be long before all fifty states will be requiring companies to provide some type of retirement plan for their employees,” he explained. “Getting out in front of that is critical – again, especially for the smaller companies. But also, working with someone who knows the industry and is working with other SC&RA members to offer benefits that are applicable and competitive. This program specifically helps members to understand the market, look for a program and plug one in that makes sense, quickly and efficiently.”
Across the board
As for day-to-day operations, Bell spotlighted SC&RA’s Enterprise/National
and FedEx affinity programs as longstanding options for members that offer notable savings that could positively impact the bottom line.
“The Enterprise/National rental car program not only supports members when they’re traveling to our meetings in a particular city, but wherever they are – the jobsite, visiting customers or even last-minute business or personal travel,” he confirmed. “SC&RA members are entitled to discounts of up to twenty percent off rates. It’s another example of – if you don’t have a preferred relationship with a rental car company, this is one to align yourself with immediately to save yourself some serious money.”
The FedEx Program is no different, insisted Bell – where SC&RA member companies who have registered are saving up to 27 percent on all shipments through the FedEx agreement with PartnerShip™®. “We’re coming up on Conexpo and Bauma – we do have a freight program within this FedEx offering,” he acknowledged.
“Savings on ground shipments, overnight, express – this is another one of these programs where you could potentially be saving double digits on your shipping.
“And if you’re sending documents, contracts, components, hard mail –
It really is a one-stopshop. The unique thing for members to understand is that the suite of programs as well as their offered solutions are always being updated, or added upon, to their benefit.”
JASON BELL, SC&RA Director, Membership
effectively anything – through FedEx without any type of a discount, you’re missing out. This is one of our longeststanding affinity programs, where we see roughly six or seven percent of the Association’s membership actively using it and saving money.”
Savings, planning and preparation being what they are, recognized Bell, the Association’s affiliation with KHL is a partnership as much as it is an affinity program. “With ACT and IC&ST magazines, and online through Crane & Transport Briefing, KHL helps us broaden our reach and inform members of what’s going on across industry sectors with new products and services. Overall, access to information is a key component to our value proposition for SC&RA members worldwide.”
At the end of the day, added Bell, it stands to reason that the publications piece is at or near the top of SC&RA affinity benefits – just based on the value of information across the board.
“Absolutely, there’s no sense in trying to navigate these extremely complicated times and markets blindfolded. But indeed, all of these programs, especially in conjunction with each other, point to so many unquantifiable dollars saved – be it through product and service discounts and rebates, retirement and insurance planning or simply being as educated and informed as possible while endeavoring to succeed within this industry.”
For more information on SC&RA’s Affinity Partners, visit scranet.org/ partners. ■
ENSURE YOUR MOBILE CRANES ARE INSPECTED PROPERLY BY USING THIS COMPREHENSIVE INSPECTION FORM.
Contains over 100 daily and monthly inspection criteria to help keep your cranes in good working condition.
• Pad of 50
Safety lifeline
In the construction industry, the safety of operations—particularly those involving cranes—hinges significantly on the expertise of signalpersons. They serve as the eyes and ears of crane operators, guiding them in environments where visibility is compromised or obstructed. Recognizing their pivotal role, regulatory bodies like OSHA and ASME have heightened the qualifications required for signalpersons.
OSHA and ASME
OSHA mandates that a signalperson must be qualified, especially when the crane’s point of operation is not fully visible to the operator, or when the operator’s view is obstructed. The signalperson must be qualified through an oral or written test and through a practical test. The qualification must be well-documented and specify the types of signaling the individual is certified to perform.
ASME B30.5-2021 has further delineated the responsibilities of signalpersons, encompassing the direction of crane and load movement, using standard hand or voice signals, and ensuring that special signals do not conflict with standard ones. The standard also emphasizes the importance of avoiding commands that could result in loads moving over people. It is anticipated that ASME will work to define signalperson qualifications in future versions of B30.5, and the requirements would likely also contain a written (or audible) and a practical exam.
Employer benefits
Employers investing in signalperson certification rather than mere
Register today!
qualification yield significant benefits. Certification reduces liability by ensuring that signalpersons meet a national standard, which is critical in mitigating risks associated with crane operations.
Using certified personnel assures that the signalpersons possess a comprehensive understanding of hand signals, equipment operation limitations, and regulatory requirements, which is paramount in maintaining job site safety. Most importantly, national certifications are legally defensible and transportable, meaning an employer can rely on the certification and not have to retest or requalify the signalperson.
While many employers accept a qualification card issued by previous employers, OSHA states that qualifications are not portable. National certification is a higher standard because it is by a third party and ensures test integrity, unlike employer qualifications.
The 57th Biannual Meeting of the CCO Commission will take place on November 1, 2024, in Nashville, TN. On the day before, Thursday, October 31, from 9 am–noon, the NCCCO Foundation will host the 9th Annual NCCCO Foundation Industry Forum at Opryland. The free live forum features industry experts speaking on crane industry safety, OSHA regulation, certification, workforce development and more.
Guests are also welcome to join CCO experts on Thursday afternoon for presentations related to topics ranging from modality optimization to overview of what’s to come at CCO, followed by roundtable discussions. Preregister at nccco.org/meetings.
Prioritizing certification
CCO is renowned for setting the gold standard in the certification of load handling equipment professionals, including signalpersons. As the nation’s largest certifier for those that work in and around load handling equipment, CCO’s reputation for excellence is unmatched. The certification process, which encompasses both written and practical tests, is rigorously designed by industry experts to validate a signalperson’s proficiency comprehensively. This ensures that the certification not only meets but exceeds all OSHA and ASME requirements, providing a portable and respected credential.
By choosing CCO certification, employers align with the pinnacle of industry standards, ensuring their signalpersons are qualified to the highest degree of expertise, and they show their stakeholders and employees their commitment to safety.
The role of a certified signalperson cannot be overstated. With the evolving standards and the industry’s push towards heightened safety and efficiency, signalperson certification becomes not just a regulatory compliance but a benchmark for operational excellence. Employers who prioritize this certification demonstrate a commitment to safety and a proactive approach to risk management, setting a standard for the industry at large. ■
Laura Schoefer and Bill Smith discuss The Florida Tort Reform Act and its impact on mobile equipment companies.
A year later
In March 2023, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law House Bill 837 (“HB 837”) resulting in Statute 768, a significant piece of legislation that brought sweeping changes to Florida’s civil litigation landscape. The law, often referred to as “Civil Actions,” was designed to curb frivolous lawsuits and reduce the costs associated with civil litigation. For mobile equipment companies operating in Florida, this legislation has far-reaching implications, particularly concerning litigation exposure.
THE AUTHORS
With more than 20 years’ experience of legal expertise, 14 years of claims leadership, and a deep understanding of legal tort reform, Laura Schoefer is vice president of claims for NBIS. Bill Smith, Executive Vice President, NBIS, is an expert on risk management and safe crane operations.
Key provisions
HB 837 introduced several reforms that altered how civil cases are handled in Florida. Three of the most relevant provisions impacting mobile equipment companies include:
1 COMPARATIVE NEGLIGENCE STANDARD:
■ Prior to HB 837, Florida operated under a pure comparative negligence system. This meant that even if a plaintiff was found to be 99 percent at fault for an incident, they could still recover 1 percent of their damages. This motivated plaintiffs to file suits in questionable liability scenarios. HB 837 changed Florida jurisprudence to a modified comparative negligence standard, where a plaintiff cannot recover damages if they are found to be more than 50 percent at fault for a loss.
■ IMPACT ON MOBILE EQUIPMENT
COMPANIES: This provision encourages fairer outcomes and reduces the likelihood of companies having some degree of financial responsibility for scenarios where they were not the primary contributor to the loss. This change should reduce the number
of claims made against mobile equipment companies, particularly in cases where the plaintiff’s own negligence contributed significantly to the incident. While that was the goal of this modification, aggressive plaintiffs’ firms continue to push cases of questionable liability, hoping to extricate settlement dollars without advancing to trial. This makes Florida’s litigation landscape an ongoing challenge for mobile equipment companies.
2 STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS:
■ HB 837 shortened the statute of limitations for general negligence cases from four years to two years.
■ IMPACT ON MOBILE EQUIPMENT COMPANIES: A shorter statute of limitations means that potential plaintiffs have less time to file a lawsuit after a loss occurs. This can result in fewer claims being brought against companies long after the events in question, reducing prolonged exposure to litigation. It also allows for a more fulsome defense in many instances. Investigating a loss four years after
Understanding Florida’s tort reform laws is key for any successful mobile equipment company.
it occurred can present challenges as staff moves on, equipment is sold, etc. Preventing such filings enables more accurate and efficient discovery.
3 E VIDENTIARY STANDARD FOR MEDICAL EXPENSE COMPENSATION
■ HB 837 updated the evidentiary standard for medical expenses in certain civil cases. Historically, plaintiffs were allowed to present the full amount of medical bills for services rendered by healthcare professionals. Now, evidence for proving compensation is limited to the amounts actually paid.
■
IMPACT ON MOBILE EQUIPMENT
COMPANIES: This modification should help to reduce overall costs, as claimants will no longer be able to recover for astronomical medical figures that were not actually paid. This should reduce settlement values in some instances and provide added stability in the litigation landscape, which could have the effect of additional premium stability as the full effect of the change becomes measurable over time.
A closer look
Mobile equipment companies such as crane & rigging and concrete pumps often operate in environments where the risk of accidents and subsequent litigation is relatively high. The passage of HB 837 has provided some benefit to these companies, providing relief in the form of reduced litigation exposure in several contexts. While the law is overwhelmingly positive, to maximize the potential benefits, insureds must undergo a close examination of internal practices to ensure compliance with the new legal landscape.
■ RISK MANAGEMENT AND SAFETY
PROTOCOLS: The modified comparative negligence standard emphasizes the importance of robust risk management and safety protocols. Companies should ensure that their employees are well-trained, and that safety procedures are thoroughly documented and consistently enforced. Doing so will not only protect employees and clients but also reduce the likelihood of being found at fault in litigation. In some instances, your insurance provider, like NBIS, offers
risk management guidance and can assist you in maximizing the benefits of these new standards.
■ LITIGATION STRATEGY: The new limitations on medical costs may encourage companies to adopt more aggressive litigation strategies, knowing that potential payouts could be lower. However, companies should remain cautious and evaluate each case on its merits, balancing the costs of litigation against the potential benefits of settlement.
HB 837 represents a significant shift in Florida’s tort law, with substantial implications for mobile equipment companies. By reducing the potential for excessive litigation and large payouts in several areas, HB 837 offers companies a more predictable and fairer legal environment. However, it also requires a proactive approach to risk management, and litigation strategy. Mobile equipment companies operating in Florida should closely monitor the implementation of HB 837 and adjust their practices accordingly to mitigate risks and take full advantage of the protections offered by the new law.
Join us in Rome
Join other industry leaders at the 9th International Tower Cranes conference in Rome. Bringing the industry together to further develop knowledge on safety, innovation, trends and best practice.
WHERE
Cardo Roma, Autograph Collection
Viale Del Pattinaggio, 100 Rome 00144
Rome, Italy
WHAT
Full-day conference, networking receptions and tour.
WHEN
3 June 2025: Off-site tour TBC followed by a welcome networking drinks reception.
4 June 2025: Full day conference and post-event farewell drinks reception.
Nicoll named CEO of Sany America
Sany America has named David Nicoll as the company’s new chief executive officer. Nicoll most recently served as a Caterpillar’s vice president for earthmoving wheel loaders, while managing multiple brands including the Cat brand, Perkins brand and SEM brand.
Nicoll has previously held several leadership positions in a variety of global businesses including construction machines, industrial engines, marketing and dealer development. Sany said it hopes that Nicholl’s experience with global dealers will aid in better equipping dealer partners to promote growth.
“We welcome David to the leadership team and look forward to working closely with him as we build our brand, add value to our customers and stimulate growth in North America,” said Fei Xiang, chairman, Sany America.
“With significant opportunities for growth ahead of us, David’s industry experience and hard-won knowledge in both the global and United States markets, will be integral in making Sany a major player among American heavy equipment brands. I believe David is the best person to expand our mission and lead the operations of Sany America into the future.”
Fei will remain as Chairman
of Sany America.
“It is an honor to join the Sany America team and sculpt the direction of the company towards a prosperous future,” said Nicoll. “Sany equipment offers an improved value proposition to customers in the United States, which we are going to capitalize on moving forward.” ■
Kobelco promotes Hodges
Kobelco Construction Machinery USA has promoted Jimmy Hodges to general manager of Kobelco Cranes.
Hodges is a graduate of Texas A&M and joined Kobelco over seven years ago. As general manager, he will be responsible for all
Hoover joins team at CraneWorks
After 24 years in the crane and aerial platform industry, Randy Hoover has joined CraneWorks as the company’s new boom truck and sign crane product manager. Most recently, Hoover served as regional business manager for The Manitowoc Company, but has experience across manufacturing, retail sales
and crane instrumentation markets.
At CraneWorks, Hoover will leverage his industry knowledge to collaborate closely with the sales team, driving strategic initiatives to expand and optimize the boom truck and sign crane market, the company said.
CraneWorks is a North
aspects of the Kobelco crane business: parts, service and sales.
“I am very excited about Jimmy’s promotion as it will bring needed focus to our crane operation,” said Jack Fendrick, COO, Kobelco. ■
2024
September 24-26
SC&RA Crane & Rigging Workshop Glendale, AZ scranet.org
World of Concrete Las Vegas, NV worldofconcrete.com
Crane industry veteran FRANK BARDONARO has been appointed chief executive officer of scaffolding provider The Brock Group Bardonaro was previously with Yak Access, where he served as CEO before the company was acquired by United Rentals.
American dealer of new and used truck-mounted and related mobile cranes. ■
XL Specialized Trailers, a manufacturer of heavy haul and specialized trailers, has named BRIAN VINTON as regional sales manager of the South-Central region.
Engineered Rigging hired JORN INGEBRIGTSEN as a sales and service representative.
Jimmy Hodges
Randy Hoover
David Nicoll
ACT’s Marketplace is designed to help readers find the products and services they need.
convenient categories including equipment for sale, crane & lifting services, transport & heavy haul, training and dealers & distributors.
70 Training Directory
Training, inspections and certification
71 Slings & Things
Useful rigging hardware products.
72 Dealer Locator
Find a Dealer/Distributor by using ACT’s Dealer Locator. Check out the interactive map online. Click to see where the dealers are and contact them from the map. From the printed page, please pick up the phone and call for your crane needs.
79 Products, Parts & Accessories
Operational aids, communication systems, components, controls, software, crane mats and outrigger pads, crane repair, hydraulics, jacks, attachments, personnel baskets, rigging hardware, rollers, slings and chains, tires, winches, wire rope, batteries, braking systems, and new, used and refurbished parts.
85 Equipment for Sale or Rent
Crane, rigging and lifting equipment for sale or rent, new or used.
Safety Products
Training, Fall Protection, Cameras, Safety Apparel, Signs, Lights, Hard hats
89 Transport & Heavy Haul
Heavy Haul, Trailers, Freight forwarding, Pilot cars, Permitting companies.
Branches: South Easton, MA. Tel: 877-526-9213 or 508-238-1900 Shawmut Equipment of Canada, Inc Elmsdale, NS Tel: 902-883-7450
Stephenson Equipment, Inc 7201 Paxton Street Harrisburg, PA. 17111
Tel: 800-325-6455 www.stephensonequipment.com
Branches:
McDonald, PA Tel: 800-692-7600
Pittston, PA Tel: 866-667-6756
Prospect Park, PA Tel: 800-220-4033
Syracuse, NY Tel: 800-368-6455
Waterford, NY Tel: 518-357-2200
OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS WITH
NEW, IMPROVED DEALER LOCATOR PROGRAM
Participate with your manufacturers by purchasing a listing on their page. VISIT OUR NEW WEBSITE: WWW.AMERICANCRANESANDTRANSPORT.COM
n Your Dealer Contact Information included on OEM Specific Advertisements within ACT, North America’s premiere magazine dedicated to crane, rigging and specialized transportation,and also featured in the digital issues.
n Monthly e-cast of your dealer contact information to a global audience of buyers and/or rental companies.
n ACT’s Dealer Locator web portal is prominently displayed on www.americancranesandtransport. com and features clickable links to each OEM and to dealer web pages as well as a searchable map.
n Full inclusion of all information in ACT’s tablet edition. In a simple click/touch, readers can be directed to your website.
To participate in the Dealer Locator Program contact: Bev O’Dell, National Account Manager Phone: 816-886-1858
E-mail: bev.odell@khl.com
Bigge Crane and Rigging Co.
10700 Bigge Ave, San Leandro, CA 94577
Tel: 510-681-0908
E-mail: cranesales@bigge.com www.bigge.com
Authorized dealer in CO & WA
Branches: Denver, CO. Tel: 303-860-5274 Seattle, WA Tel: 253-269-7817
Contact our distributors and find out how we can help improve your bottom line. Visit info.terex.com/distributorsearch to
Bigge Crane and Rigging Co.
10700 Bigge Ave, San Leandro, CA. 94577
Tel: 510-681-0908
e-mail: cranesales@bigge.com www.bigge.com
Authorized Dealer for AK, AZ, CA, OR, UT, WA, WY
Rough terrain cranes and Tower
Cranes
Branches:
Los Angeles, CA Tel: 714-684-7086
Salt Lake City UT Tel: 801-951-7203
San Leandro, CA Tel: 510-681-0908
Cropac Equipment Inc.
1-800-4-CROPAC www.cropac.com
e-mail: sales@cropac.com
Branches: Abbotsford. BC. Tel: 604-755-3927
Oakville, ON. Tel: 905-825-6377
Laval, QC. Tel: 450-625-4738 Nisku, AB. Tel: 780-955-8862
MPE Equipment Services
800-642-6653 www.mperepairs.com
email: jill@mperepairs.com
Branches: Bayard, IA Tel: 712-651-2767 Des Moines, IA Tel: 660-295-4661
Select Crane Sales
1-833-PICK-SCS www.selectcrane.com
email: sales@selectcrane.com
Branches: New Jersey Tel: 908-823-0650
-Heavy-duty all-purpose grease
-Calcium sulfonate grease with 5% moly
-Designed for all types of construction and industrial equipment
-Excellent resistance to water washout
- -40° to +400° F operating range
- Ideal all-purpose grease for equipment operating in wet and dirty environments
- Excellent spray pattern
Garrod
T
R
U
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Technology unsurpassed.
E
D
CRANES AND RIGGING LIFT PLANNING SOFTWARE
LiftPlanner is a 3D Crane and Rigging planning software custom made to include the cranes in your fleet. The software controls Crawlers, ATs, RTs, Towers, transport, gantries and other lift equipment.
AT crane controls are:
* Select Main/Guyed/Jib/SL config
* Assemble configuration
* Move entire crane with load
* Swing topworks with load
* Hook “GoTo point” command
* Raise/lower hook with load
* Spin Hook/load (tagline)
* Boom Up/Down
* Telescope
* Skew carrier orientation
LiftPlanner has an extensive Rigging library and programs to create vessels, exchangers, steel, supports, chokers & piping. Libraries from Crosby, Van Beest, Modulift, steel and outrigger mats. LiftPlanner Software gives you the ability to pre-test every aspect of your lift before setting foot in the field. There is a “BOM sum deductions” for rigging and many tools to create lift diagrams. Rendering and many presentation tools for the Lift Director.
We are family-owned and operated, with our 4th generation serving the industry. Our fleet comprises Liebherr & Tadano cranes ranging 75 Tons to 1,000 Tons. We are continually investing in new cranes in order to grow with our clients as well as to keep our fleet current & among the youngest in the business.
Contact us for a rental quote; we will structure a competitive proposal based on your job and capital requirements.
Your Success is our Success!
Industry pioneer
After more than 60 years in business, Dominic Giuffre has retired, selling his legendary crane business.
After a long and illustrious career in the boom truck and equipment rental business, Dominic Giuffre is taking a break. But the company he built – Milwaukee, WI-based Giuffre Bros. – will be operating business as usual.
In June 2024, employees Todd Proctor and Beau Grassl closed on a deal to purchase the company, carrying on Giuffre’s 60-plus year mission to provide sales, rental, parts and services for customers throughout the greater Midwest region and nationally. Giuffre Bros. has a nationwide inventory of boom trucks, telehandlers and other equipment, including conventional cranes, manlifts and remote control systems.
Respected source
Among the most revered crane companies in the United States, Giuffre Bros. Cranes got its start in the early 1960s. Dominic started driving his family’s dump trucks while he
was in high school. When he graduated in 1965, he bought a 5-ton crane. By 1972, he owned and operated more than a dozen pieces of construction equipment, including trucks, cranes and excavators. He handled the company’s administrative tasks as well as worked in the field.
But in the early 1970s, Dominic had an idea that would change the scope of the company and the roofing industry in the region. He created a custom equipment package designed especially for roofers, utilizing the boom truck as the crane of choice.
For
than a
legend in the industry,
has officially
Dominic teamed up with Ford Motor Company and Simon-RO Cranes (later Terex Cranes) to build the Dino 1500 crane and mount it on a conventional truck chassis. He would teach his customers how to operate boom trucks onsite. For those companies that hesitated to buy the equipment package outright, he offered bare rentals and crane leasing, a new concept at the time.
Record sales
Today Giuffre Bros. is an authorized dealer for Manitex International and Fassi, logging several years as a number one dealer. In 2017, the company delivered its 5,000th Terex boom truck.
from the business he started just after finishing high school in the 1960s. His focus will be on his real estate holdings and other investments. He is pictured here with a
The company sells, rents and services almost every brand of boom truck on the market, and is a service center for Load King.
Proctor, who has been with the company for 32 years, said that in the near future the business will run pretty much the same as always.
“I’m sure in the long term some things will change, but not for now,” Proctor said. “It’s a great company, and it’s been a very interesting business to be in through the years.”
Proctor and Grassl are co-owners of the company and will share management responsibilities going forward.
“We are excited to carry on the Giuffre Bros. legacy with our loyal customers,” said Grassl.
Giuffre, who is now fully retired, still comes into the office every now and then to visit and catch up. He said that he is now focused on his real estate holdings and other investments.
A
Dominic Giuffre
retired
Boom Truck of the Year award.
Todd Proctor and Beau Grassl are the new owners of Giuffre Bros., based in Milwaukee, WI.
more
decade, a Giuffre-designed and constructed boom truck was the designated Official Indy 500 Recovery Vehicle. The specialized articulating boom truck assured a fast, clean and safe response to incidents and accidents that occur during one of the world’s most watched sporting events.
Pictured in 2017, Giuffre and several employees stand in front of the 5,000th Terex boom truck delivered by the company.
Let Greer breathe new life into your equipment with retrofit and replacement RCI And LMI systems. We support over 1,000 crane models including Link-Belt, Terex, Mantis, Broderson, Manitex, Badger, Elliott, and Altec. We offer replacement parts to support your older MG400 and MG500 series RCI and LMI systems. And we have retrofit LMI systems available for non-Greer RCI systems.
The Greer Advantage includes: Continuous monitoring of crane operation and capacity to ensure safe operations
Predictable performance in all weather conditions
Easiest and most intuitive interface on the market, reducing operator training and increasing crane productivity
Multiple display options available, including touch-screen technology
Fastcal™ – fastest calibration on the market
In 1954, James Mazzella formed a business by providing the most basic of lifting devices — wire rope slings that were braided by hand.
Today, Mazzella has expanded its product and service offerings to include:
> Overhead cranes – engineered systems and modernizations
> Custom below-the-hook lifting devices
> Slings, rigging hardware, and wire rope
> Crane and hoist inspections, service, and parts
> Engineered fall protection systems
> Wire rope socketing and spooling services
> Lifting and rigging training, crane operator training, and more
Thanks to all of our customers, team members, and partners who have allowed Mazzella to thrive for more than 70 years!
