Q-Plant US$4 million Kobelco investment

UK-based crawler crane rental specialist Q-Plant Hire has invested £2.5 million (US$ 4 million) in six Kobelco cranes. They include four 80 tonne capacity CKE800s, a 110 tonne CKE1100 - the first of this new model to be delivered in the UK - and a 135 tonne capacity CKE1350.

The latest to be delivered is the CKE1350. It is working on a long-term contract with UK construction and civil engineering company Costain on Thames Water's West Ham Flood Alleviation Scheme at the Abbey Mills Pumping Station in East London. The crane provides the main lifting services at the 23 m deep tunnel shaft-head where a 3.3 km long, 2.8m diameter tunnel system is being excavated to drain storm water from the surrounding sewerage network.

Rigged with a 42.7 m main boom, the crane is in daily use for hoisting out and dumping the 8 tonne skips of excavated material, and for delivering the pre-cast concrete tunnel lining segments which weigh up to 2 tonnes each.

Kobelcos make up the majority of Manchester-based Q-Plant's 30-strong fleet. Commenting on the company's fleet expansion, Anthony Quinn, managing director, said, "In spite of the downturn in certain sectors of the building and construction market, there are still a number of key projects, particularly in the utilities, power generation and major infrastructure sectors which are essential to the economy and which have to go ahead."

"Most of these projects need professional and efficient lifting services and the modern all-hydraulic crawler crane fits many of them perfectly. They offer ease of assembly and operation, an excellent range of lifting duties with flexibility and precision and are extremely cost-effective in operation," Quinn added.