ESTA Awards triumph

More than 300 industry experts gathered in the Netherlands last night for the annual ESTA awards ceremony and dinner.

The event was at the famous Okura Hotel in Amsterdam during the first International Rental Exhibition.

Winner of the Transport Job of the Year under 120 tonnes category was TLW Transports Leclerc. The France-based company transported two 20 tonne roof sections, 9.6 m diameter, over public roads. The work required two special tilting frames to be designed, built and installed on the low loaders to minimise traffic disruption, the need to raise overhead wires and removal of street furniture.

Transport Job of the Year above 120 tonnes went to Mammoet Holdings BV in the Netherlands. The company moved an 820 tonne, 750-year-old church, 12 km by road in Germany. Detailed structural studies were required ahead of the journey, as well as extensive road preparations in readiness for the six-day trip.

Crane Job of the Year under 100 tonnes was awarded to Mediaco Levage SA, based in France, for the installation of a tower crane in the ancient city of Draguignan which has limited access space. The job required a number of studies and ingenious solutions said the judges, using cranes forklifts and trailers.

First prize for Crane Job of The Year over 100 tonnes went to BMS Denmark for the installation of a 193 tonne pedestrian bridge in Copenhagen. Extensive engineering was one of the requirements, along with lifting solutions requiring up to four cranes in a single lift, lifting beams, modular trailers and hydraulic lift towers.

Innovation of the Year prize was awarded to Peinemann Kranen BV in the Netherlands for its self-supporting and remote controlled hydraulic Bundle Lifter device.

Terex Demag in Germany was the recipient of the Development of the Year award for the 3,200 tonne capacity pick and carry CC 8800-1 Twin lattice boom crawler crane, launched in October 2007. The machine has 44,000 tonne-metre load moment.

Leo Spierings of Spierings Kranen BV picked up the Personality of the Year award.