Kobelco crawlers for Murphy Group
14 October 2015
UK-based contractor Murphy Group has taken delivery of two new Kobelco crawler cranes.
The CKE1350G and CKE900G were delivered to Murphy’s Hemel Hempstead depot. They will be used on the Thames Water Authority’s upgrade to the Deephams Sewage Works in Edmonton, UK. The £177 million (US$ 271 million) contract was awarded to the AECOM Murphy Kier joint-venture in November 2013, with work starting in early 2014.
The 135 tonne capacity CKE1350G has a 76.2 metre main boom and a luffing boom of 47.9 m. Capacity with the luffing jib is 36 tonnes at 12 m. The 100 tonne capacity CKE990G has a 61 m main boom and a maximum fixed jib combination of 51.8 plus 18.3 m.
John Coll, Murphy Group divisional director of procurement and plant & transport, said, “For a job of this kind, reach was critical, so the CKE1350G is fitted with a fly jib and is moving anything from old sewage chambers to helping dismantle the shafts on site.
“We already have a large fleet of Kobelco cranes. We have a great relationship with all the Kobelco team. The cranes are excellent value for money and we get a great back-up service from Kobelco’s sales manager, Mark Evans, and his support team,” Coll added.
Both models have the KCross remote operation management system, which helps to maximise machine efficiency and uptime. Mark Evans, Kobelco sales manager, explained, “Machines fitted with the KCross system transmit working conditions, location and maintenance history to provide owners with fact-based information that gives tremendous advantages for their asset management.
“The KCross system is based on satellite mapped images, an internet connection and other means to remotely monitor a crane’s working condition and its location. This information is useful in planning maintenance schedules and providing guidance to operators, helping to ensure that crane owners can maximise their fleet efficiency.
“Using KCross it is possible to narrow down possible failure causes and more accurately, by remotely accessing to the current and historical status of the machine, helping minimise downtime. The system recommends appropriate parts replacement timing based on machine working hours, while regular maintenance can help the machine run at peak performance at all times,” Evans added.
The CKE1350G and CKE900G join three other G Series Kobelco Crawler Cranes operated by Murphy on the site, including two units CKE1100G and a BM800G. The two CKE1100Gs also have fly jibs.
