Back at the track

More than 20,000 visitors are expected at SED 2007 and there will be around M 460 exhibitors. Cranes are particularly well re Mpresented at this where a number of companies will take the opportunity to showcase new products.

The Cranes and Access Village is one of the year should be no exception. A highlight of the show will be a Link-Belt crane from the US. The manufacturer will exhibit what it says is “the North American market-leading 90 US ton (81.6 tonne) HTT-8690 telescopic terrain crane”.

It is a telescopic truck crane with all wheel steering for manoeuvrability in tight, congested areas on and off site. The four steering modes are: independent front; independent rear; combination; and crab. Turning radius is less than 9 m (29 ft) at the edge of the tyre. Transverse differential locks are fitted for better traction in difficult terrain.

The HTT-8690 has a five-section, 42.7 m boom that can be telescoped with the single stage cylinder under load without de-rating. Teflon slider pads mean the boom needs no greasing. Maximum tip height is 72.2 m with two 4.9 m lattice inserts between the boom head and the optional 10.7 to 17.7 m bi-folding lattice.

As standard the modular counterweight package is 5,216 kg. Optional are 12,020, 14,742 and 17,917 kg packages.

To the tower

Tower crane specialist and long-time exhibitor Vanson Cranes is launching its VC.NK20.1L hydraulic luffing tower crane. It was developed for congested city centre and urban building sites where its compact design and luffing jib help avoid oversailing neighbouring airspace during operation.

The VC.NK20.1L can be mounted onto a concrete base so it can be used at ground level, mounted directly onto a tower system, or bolted onto steelwork or ballasted down on a cross type base on the top of a building.

Maximum jib length is 20 m where lift capacity is 1,000 kg at that 20 m radius and the maximum is 3,500 kg at a 3 m radius.

Another crane for restricted sites is the Skyworker. GGR-UNIC will be showing the self-erecting trailer crane, which has a maximum capacity of 1.2 tonnes. Also on display will be the new UNIC 706 mini crawler crane. At 6 tonnes maximum capacity it is the highest capacity crane in the UNIC range. It also has a self-stowing fly jib.

Dunham Cranes is exhibiting a new model of self erecting tower crane from FB Gru in Italy. The GA136 has a 36 m jib and the crane folds to a transport height of 3 m on wheels. Higher ground clearance is to simplify loading, unloading and transport.

Another self erector will be the centrepiece of the Mantis stand. The Mantis TC25 is a self-contained unit that can be towed as a trailer at road speeds. No separate ballast trailer is required.

Loaders

Fassi UK will launch two new truck loaders this year. The Evolution range is being expanded with the addition of new cranes in the 38-45 tonne-metre range. The company has also launched an additional four evolution models on the back of the success of the 24-36 tonne-metre cranes launched in 2005. On display will be the F425AXP.

New on the HMF UK stand, and being shown for the first time in the UK, will be the 1244-Z, the latest in a long line of truck mounted loaders. With an 8.3 m hydraulic reach and a total weight of 1,850 kg, visitors will be able to see the new crane in operation and will have the opportunity to try it for themselves.

Also making its UK debut will be a new 34 tonne-metre lorry loader crane from Cormach Cranes. In addition, the company will be displaying a 4 tonne-metre model plus 50 and 65 tonne-metre models.

PM Cranes will be showing its medium to large sized lorry mounted cranes, including models between 22 and85 tonne-metres.

Other crane and lifting related companies represented at the show include Effer, Ladybird Crane Sales, NRC Plant, Tacklestore and Weaving Machinery.

Specialized transport on show will include what King Trailers describes as “a new concept in plant haulage – t he urban artic.”Also on display will be a new low loader range. “Rigid vehicles are expensive and somewhat inflexible, but there are problems with normal articulated vehicles accessing city-centre sites,”says Kinging director Mark Carrington. His answer is a compact 2-axle tractor unit/3axle trailer combination capable of carrying up to 20 tonnes payload.

Nooteboom will launch a tri-axle lowbed with “super shallow”deck. Also making its debut is the new generation 2 plus 4-axle Pendel-X Interdolly lowbed. In addition, new from Floor Trailers, a Nooteboom Group company, will be a tri-axle extendible flat trailer with fixedaxles mana.

Other specialized transport-related exhibitors include Andover Trailers, Broshuis and Faymonville. There is also the Truck Zone area of the show for commercial vehicles.