Unique National Crane NBT55

Oilfield trucking and hauling company Trans Carrier, based in Canada, added a unique National Crane NBT55 boom truck to its fleet.

The 55 US ton (50 tonne) NBT55 is mounted on a custom-designed, over-the-road Kenworth truck. The truck can pull a trailer and travel with the crane at higher speeds compared to truck cranes or all terrain cranes, said the company.

"Before our new NBT55, many of the jobs for our customers required both a crane and a tractor-trailer. We spent a lot of time, effort and money to get two units out to the site," said Tyler Kosick, Trans Carrier Ltd., general manager. "With our new National Crane, we can use a single unit for the lifting work and the hauling. You're basically getting one machine to do the work of two."

Kosick continued, "By using only one unit to make the picks and haul the load, customers reduce not only the rental fees, but also fuel costs and the overall environmental impact."

TCL purchased the crane from National Crane dealer Falcon Equipment in Vancouver. Blair Norberg, Falcon Equipment sales manager, said mounting the NBT55 on the Kenworth presented an interesting challenge that required cooperation from both the manufacturers and the customer.

The NBT55 is the largest capacity boom truck from National Crane, with a 102 feet (31 m) four-section full power boom. The overall length of hydraulic reach is 128 feet (39 m), with the five-section boom. And it can be equipped with a 26 or 45 foot (8 or 14 m) boom extension for additional lifting versatility. The crane also features a new outrigger beam position sensing system to aid in load chart selection.