Jekko crane helps build bridge in Sweden
30 June 2021
Wilgo’s Jekko JF545 articulated crawler crane was on the water for 10 weeks.
A Jekko crane situated on a flat-bottomed scow boat has been used to help erect a new pedestrian bridge in Stockholm, Sweden.
Specialist transport and lifting company Wilgo AB used the Jekko JF545 truck-loader crane for the new structure, which is currently being built over Riddarfjärden bay on the eastern edge of Lake Mälaren.
The articulated model features a six-section telescopic boom, a 28 metre outreach and a maximum lifting capacity of 15.5 tonnes.
It was stabilised on the scow boat for 10 weeks and carried out all the lift and handling operations for the pedestrian bridge, which is constructed of concrete blocks weighing around 5 tonnes each.
While the name of the bridge and details of its size were not disclosed, Jekko said the new structure would accommodate cyclists as well as pedestrians. It is due to be completed by the end of this summer and will connect the islands of Stockholm’s historic Old Town.
The JF545 lifted concrete blocks weighing around 5 tonnes each.
Joacim Göransson, owner of Wilgo AB, said, “For the job we did in Stockholm the JF545 was especially good because it could be stabilized on a scow, this allowed the contractors to save a lot of money and time.
“In unloading the bridge structure from the boat the machine was also priceless, if the Jekko hadn’t been on site the only way to unload the elements would have been using a mobile crane”.
According to Italy-based Jekko, this option would have forced the closure of a nearby vehicular bridge and resulted in the works having to be carried out at night.
The manufacturer, which recently established a new subsidiary in Germany, said Wilgo chose the JF545 crawler model both for its small size and high lifting capacity.
Measuring 5.4 metres long and 1.8 metres wide, the model’s compact size meant that it could easily fit on the floating vessel.
Göransson, said, “From our perspective, the main advantages of JF545 are the compact dimensions, the high lifting capacity considering its weight and the possibility of working with no emissions when using the additional power pack.
“When operating with the electric engine, the crane is very silent and this improves the working environment tremendously. Last but not least the stabilisation system is very handy when there’s not a lot of space.”
According to Wilgo, the silent operation of the self-propelled JF545 meant its workers benefitted from a quieter working environment.
