Worldwide crane shortage

[BTinSF]

Hope this is the right place for this--couldn't see anywhere else it could appropriately go.

Crane Migration Hinders Builders
Global Construction Boom Lures Giant Lifters Abroad, Sparking a Scarcity in U.S.
By ILAN BRAT
June 18, 2007; Page B1

These days, a good crane is hard to find.

Just ask the folks at the Boldt Co. In early April, the large Wisconsin contractor bid on a project to put up 87 wind turbines this fall in Indiana. Jim Lee, president of Boldt's northern operations, immediately had three project managers put in calls to 12 crane rental companies, who in turn each reached out to 10 of their own customers. Finally, after a month, the Boldt men found two 400-ton-capacity cranes in New York state that would be free in time to do the work. Boldt notified the wind-farm developer and won the contract May 12.

"Had we waited a week, somebody else would've grabbed them," Mr. Lee says.

For years, cranes were easy to secure in the U.S. and Europe as the proliferation of manufacturers combined with the growth of international trade to spur their production. Now, thanks to a global construction and infrastructure boom, flourishing economies around the world are siphoning off much of the supply, and there aren't enough to go around.

Crane rental companies complain they're tapped out when customers call. Prices for used cranes are surging around the world. Meanwhile, crane makers are racing to pump out the lumbering lifters. Wait times for some new large cranes are generally two to three years, up from several months three years ago.

Manitowoc Co., one of the largest crane manufacturers in the world, has more than 6,000 people in its cranes division, its largest. About half of those are in North America, where the company has added about 500 employees in the last three years. The company, based in Manitowoc, Wis., slapped on a third shift at its factories in the U.S. and acquired a machining shop in Wisconsin to expand the company's production capacity.

"Our factories are running 100 miles an hour right now," President and Chief Executive Glen Tellock says.

Bolstered by price increases, Manitowoc recently saw its first-quarter net income more than double, compared with a year ago, to $64 million. Shares of Manitowoc have risen 66% in the past year, closing at $80.39 Friday in 4 p.m. New York Stock Exchange trading.

Crane and construction-equipment maker Terex Corp., Westport, Conn., whose cranes division has a backlog of orders valued at $1.4 billion, complains that shortages in certain types of steel, tires and other components are crimping the supply of cranes. One tricky problem: Many parts like gear boxes and rings that allow cranes to rotate 360 degrees also are used to build the windmills that cranes are putting up amid a wind-energy boom, says Steve Filipov, president of Terex's cranes division.

The cranes division gets 50% to 70% of its parts from outside suppliers, making purchasing a huge and increasingly tough job, he says. Terex now has 25 supply-chain managers in Germany, up from seven or so five years ago. They constantly travel the region visiting suppliers, he says.

"Eighty percent of what we're doing today is putting out fires" as one supplier after another reports delays and other problems, says Mr. Filipov, who says he parries several calls a day from customers pushing for their orders to move up in line. "Everybody needs their machines yesterday," he says, and Terex is "just focused on getting product out the door."

On Friday, shares of Terex stood at $84.90, up $1.60, in 4 p.m. composite trading on the Big Board.

The U.S. long had plenty of cranes to get its big projects done. But many of the cranes today are migrating all over the world -- shipped from the U.S. to the Mideast, Asia, Latin America and elsewhere, where a global boom in commodities, oil and other sectors is spurring growth. Countries are investing the windfall in bridges, roads, power plants, oil pipelines and other infrastructure. Two big users are Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, where residents joke the construction crane is now the national bird, and China, where an unprecedented building boom is under way in preparation for the Beijing Summer Olympics.

Specific figures on cranes are hard to come by, especially as no one really tracks when old cranes are scrapped, destroyed in accidents or abandoned. However, according to Chortsey Barr Associates, a crane-industry consulting firm in Hagerstown, Md., the worldwide working population of mobile cranes, one of the most common types, is 500,000 to 600,000. Some of these can be 30 to 40 years old. About 30% are in North America, 30% in Europe including Russia, 20% Japan, 10% Southeast Asia including China and 10% in the rest of the world.

Scores of cranes tower above the ground in the Chinese enclave of Macau, where casino operators are throwing up lavish new gambling dens to attract visitors from the increasingly affluent Chinese mainland and elsewhere in Asia.

Larsen & Toubro Ltd., one of India's largest engineering and construction conglomerates, already owns more than 250 cranes, but when it needed to acquire 40 more for projects in 2006, the company was able to get only 10, says Sunny Joseph Punnose, head of the construction arm's plant and machinery business unit.

In Rotterdam, Netherlands, Doron Livnat, owner of Hovago Cranes BV, a subsidiary of Prodelta Holdings BV, says he has farmed out nearly his entire fleet of more than 300 cranes to rental companies in Brazil, Germany, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Canada, China and other countries. His sole crane sits in his Rotterdam yard before it will head to the Middle East. He says he could rent out 100 more today if he had them available.

"The demand for cranes -- I have never experienced anything like that," says Mr. Livnat, whose father-in-law founded the company in 1945 and has been involved in the crane industry for more than 30 years. He says he has ordered 150 cranes from different manufacturers, many to be delivered in 2009.

Early cranes made from wood beams, ropes and pulleys helped hoist obelisks and stone temple columns at least as far back as ancient Greece, according to "The History of Cranes" by Oliver Bachmann, Heinz-Herbert Cohrs, Tim Whiteman and Alfred Wislicki.

Modern versions of the mobile crane began to develop in the late 1800s and early 20th century, says Stuart Anderson, founder of Chortsey Barr Associates, who has also written a book on the subject. The global crane industry took off after World War II with the explosion of international trade and the introduction of more mobile cranes with extending booms, he says.

As project sizes expanded over the next several decades, cranes became bigger -- and more expensive. Some of the largest mobile cranes nowadays can lift 3,000 tons, cost $7 million to $13 million and extend hundreds of feet in the air.

Many contractors have been hit by cost increases and delays because of the shortage. Any delay on a construction site can cost thousands of dollars a day, because out-of-town workers often are staying in rented rooms and construction equipment is leased out on a month-by-month basis.

Andrew McPherson, vice president of Seretta Construction Inc., one of the largest contractors for casting and lifting concrete walls in the Southeast, says that in March a crane he had scheduled to lift a three-story concrete slab onto an office building in Tampa didn't show up on time. The general contractor on the project "went ballistic" he says, and told him to find another crane. He called more than 10 crane rental companies in Florida but wasn't successful. The extra one-week delay on the originally two-week project cost him $15,000, he says.

"It's not a fun pill to swallow," says Mr. McPherson.

Ted Kettlewell has also been pinched. Last fall, the executive vice president of OCCI Inc., a Fulton, Mo., contractor, had to search for two months before he could buy a three-year-old, 270-ton-capacity Manitowoc crane for $1.4 million. Coincidentally, he had bought the same model for that very price the same year the used crane was made. It would be essential for projects repairing a lock and dam on the Illinois River and building a railroad bridge in Boone, Iowa, this year.

His firm also occasionally has had to reconfigure projects to lessen its dependence on large, mobile cranes. Three years ago, instead of putting a tall, mobile crane on a barge to repair a lock in London, W.Va., his firm designed and built a stationary crane just for the project that would straddle the lock instead of operating from one side.

"The industry's gotten really crazy right now," he says. "I wish I were in the crane business. I'd be making a fortune."

http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/images/MK-AK475A_Crane_20070617175234.gif

--Binny Sabharwal and Bruce Stanley contributed to this article.

Write to Ilan Brat at ilan.brat@wsj.com2

URL for this article:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118212839561738629.html

[Xelebes]

Chalk up one reason why Edmonton is only getting walkups. :(

[Trantor]

how much to open your own crane making company?? :)

[James Bond Agent 007]

^
LOL, that's what I was thinking when I read this article.

Well, there's at least one company in Kentucky who's trying to build more cranes. :)

http://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/stories/2007/05/28/daily27.html?b=1180324800^1471530

Crane manufacturer expanding in Lexington
Business First of Louisville - 11:40 AM EDT Friday, June 1, 2007

Link-Belt Construction Equipment Co. said Friday it will invest $24 million to expand its crane manufacturing and support operations at its headquarters in Lexington.

The project will create 120 jobs, and will add 90,000 square feet to the company's existing 592,000-square-foot facility, according to a news release.

Link-Belt designs, manufactures and sells telescopic and lattice boom cranes.

The Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority preliminarily approved Link-Belt for up to $2.4 million in tax credits under the Kentucky Industrial Development Act, an incentive program designed to attract and expand manufacturing operation in the state.

[The Chemist]

Chalk up one reason why Edmonton is only getting walkups. :(

Yup - Calgary is using almost all the (tower) cranes in this province. :D :D

EDIT: Changed to read tower cranes rather than just cranes.

[240glt]

The vast majority of mobile cranes in Alberta are east of Edmonton or up in Fort Mac.

There must be thirty or so working on the refineries and upgraders outside Sherwood Park

Most of Sterlings' and Mammoets' fleet are working up north

[MiamiSpartan]

From the looks of it, I think they're all down here in Miami....

[1ajs]

winnipeg has a spare one not being used
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1434/571987968_3a5d300a9c_o.jpg

[mersar]

Calgary has around 40 tower cranes currently up, and likely another 10 by the end of the year (4 for Centennial, ~4 for the Bow and Jameson probably 1 or 2) and thats just in the core. Couple other sites that will get theirs, and of course a few that will wrap up.

In terms of mobiles there are a handful around, especially with all the bridge construction going on.

[Boris2k7]

According to one of the construction guys I was chatting with today, Calgary will be getting some cranes straight from Germany to help deal with the demand. Not sure how reliable the source is on that one, but there you go.

It's going get a little tighter as the newest projects that are U/C are huge multi-crane towers, and the total number of projects U/C is steadily increasing.

[Nunavuter]

It is pretty crazy.

The whole industry got caught of guard.

[Coldrsx]

Edmonton will need another 5- 10 cranes by this time next yr looking at the projects.

[Calgarian]

Does anyone have figures as to where in the world all the cranes are? I've heard that Dubai and China together, have half the tower cranes in the world.

The tower crane has long been called the official bird Calgary, dating back to the 70's. China is copying us, lol.

[James Bond Agent 007]

Does anyone have figures as to where in the world all the cranes are? I've heard that Dubai and China together, have half the tower cranes in the world.

The tower crane has long been called the official bird Calgary, dating back to the 70's. China is copying us, lol.
It mentions something about that in the article.

[Calgarian]

It mentions something about that in the article.

huh, I must have missed that paragraph. I figured Asia would have more than 10%.

[zilfondel]

There are 1 or 2 big construction firms in Portland that actually outright own several tower cranes, and they move from one highrise project to the next... talk about a really good investment!

[Calgarian]

There are 1 or 2 big construction firms in Portland that actually outright own several tower cranes, and they move from one highrise project to the next... talk about a really good investment!

I think that several construction companies here own their cranes as well.

[SHOFEAR]

The vast majority of mobile cranes in Alberta are east of Edmonton or up in Fort Mac.

There must be thirty or so working on the refineries and upgraders outside Sherwood Park

Most of Sterlings' and Mammoets' fleet are working up north

There are at least three dozen cranes on Refinery Row right now. Got to be many more north-east of the Fort.

[SkyWatcher]

Does anyone have figures as to where in the world all the cranes are? I've heard that Dubai and China together, have half the tower cranes in the world.

The tower crane has long been called the official bird Calgary, dating back to the 70's. China is copying us, lol.

We said the exact same thing here in Dallas in the 80's. They insist there's more up now than then but I doubt it. When Las Colinas was being built there were 22 at one time JUST in that area. Musta had 15 in downtown/uptown at the same time. I am not sure there's 37 up in Dallas/FW combined right now.

I'd bet Dubai has more than any one city in the world...too bad there's not a chart of cranes being used....or is there?

[Calgarian]

We said the exact same thing here in Dallas in the 80's. They insist there's more up now than then but I doubt it. When Las Colinas was being built there were 22 at one time JUST in that area. Musta had 15 in downtown/uptown at the same time. I am not sure there's 37 up in Dallas/FW combined right now.

I'd bet Dubai has more than any one city in the world...too bad there's not a chart of cranes being used....or is there?

I bet there are a few cities in China that would come close to Dubai.

[Young Gun]

Manitowac has a division located just down the road form me in Shady Grove PA. They have been hiring engineers steadily over the last 3 years after a long downturn. In fact they have advertised for engineers of all types on the radio for about the last 2 years and have stolen many engineers from the company that I work for.

I also work for a company in that builds construction equipment. Many of our machines involve hydrualics motors and pumps and there is such a worldwide crunch for these items that the wait list is 18 months. We are redesigning machines to place components from other companies because some manufacturers just can't supply us not mater what the price.

[mdiederi]

I count 42 tower cranes opperating in Vegas right now, not counting the idle bungy jumping crane at Circus Circus. The Venetian hotel bought their own tower cranes (three of them) to build their Palazzo expansion. Impossible to count all the mobile cranes here, but there are some really, really big ones at the CityCenter and Fontainebleau sites.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/citycenter/Erect.jpg

[Calgarian]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/citycenter/Erect.jpg

Now that's a lot of cranes!

[The Chemist]

I count 42 tower cranes opperating in Vegas right now, not counting the idle bungy jumping crane at Circus Circus. The Venetian hotel bought their own tower cranes (three of them) to build their Palazzo expansion. Impossible to count all the mobile cranes here, but there are some really, really big ones at the CityCenter and Fontainebleau sites.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/citycenter/Erect.jpg

There sure are a lot of cranes there. I see both horizontal boomed and angled boomed cranes - is there a difference between what these two types of cranes can do? I've always wondered why we always see the horizontal boom cranes here in Calgary, but almost never the angle boom cranes.

[AltinD]

huh, I must have missed that paragraph. I figured Asia would have more than 10%.

That was a figure for MOBILE cranes only.

[newstl2020]

I hope the engineers around here will correct me when I am almost assuredly incorrect about this, but I believe the angle boomed cranes are used in cases where space is restricted, and the horizontal boom cranes are used when there is considerably more space to operate.

[Calgarian]

I hope the engineers around here will correct me when I am almost assuredly incorrect about this, but I believe the angle boomed cranes are used in cases where space is restricted, and the horizontal boom cranes are used when there is considerably more space to operate.

Sounds about right. Angled cranes are useful if the project is too small for a tower crane, or if there are no tower cranes available.

[mdiederi]

Doing some googleing, I think they're called "luffing jib" cranes. Not sure if they can lift more or used for tighter spaces. They sure look beefy.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/Cosmopolitan/LuffingJib.jpg

This building recently topped out, but the cranes rarely got any higher than the top level of the building the whole time.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/Palazzo/p2.jpg

[dubai 1]

could another reason because 1 country may have to many. like Dubai. dont get me wrong Dubai is my favorite country

[Xelebes]

I'm sure China has 10 times more cranes up than Dubai.

[dubai 1]

I'm sure China has 10 times more cranes up than Dubai.

no they dont, surprisingly. Dubai is the only country with more then 15% of the worlds cranes

[The Chemist]

no they dont, surprisingly. Dubai is the only country with more then 15% of the worlds cranes

Dubai's not a country.

And given the huge number of booming cities in China, many of which are significantly larger than Dubai, I strongly doubt your assertion and demand proof.

[dubai 1]

Dubai's not a country.

And given the huge number of booming cities in China, many of which are significantly larger than Dubai, I strongly doubt your assertion and demand proof.
yes it pretty much is a country. here's my link to show you about Dubai's crane amount

http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/06/05/13/10039528.html

here's another 1
http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/06/06/18/10047703.html

another. and this what it said
"Dubai is the biggest market for tower cranes," said Klaus Binder, who heads tower crane production for the German manufacturer Liebherr. "No other city in the world has such a number. Maybe Shanghai did three or five years ago. There are growing markets in Russia, but they not as big as Dubai's."



http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2006/Jun/30/bz/FP606300341.html

[mdiederi]

Your first two links say there are about 30,000 burj cranes in Dubai, but that third link says that there are about a total of 1,100 to 1,200 burj cranes in the entire UAE. I think the third article is more realistic.

[forumly_chgoman]

^^^^Dubai_1 is just a goof....he is an itinerant visitor to the chicago forum as well...he is just always full of sh*t

[dubai 1]

Your first two links say there are about 30,000 burj cranes in Dubai, but that third link says that there are about a total of 1,100 to 1,200 burj cranes in the entire UAE. I think the third article is more realistic.

if you dont believe the articles go ask Imre. dubai has a little over 30,000 cranes. and it doesnt say 1,100 to 1,200 burj cranes in the entire UAE. it say's ""Binder believes there are between 1,100 and 1,200 tower cranes in the Emirates, mainly in Dubai. "" there talking about mainly tower cranes, not including mobile, and crawler. and it does say ""According to building analysts, Dubai is the world's fastest growing city. By one estimate, 14 percent of the world's construction cranes are in Dubai — or 30,000 of the 125,000 cranes distributed globally"" but if you do the math it's more then 14 %

[dubai 1]

^^^^Dubai_1 is just a goof....he is an itinerant visitor to the chicago forum as well...he is just always full of sh*t
f u

[mdiederi]

Okay, yeah, I see, I miss-read it, they were actually counting all types of cranes in the first two links, not just burj cranes.

let's see now, just for fun, Emporis says there are 331 high-rise buildings under construction in Dubai. With 30,000 cranes that comes to 90 cranes for each building under construction. They must be counting mini cranes (http://www.unic-cranes.co.uk/cranes.php) too.

[dubai 1]

Okay, yeah, I see, I miss-read it, they were actually counting all types of cranes in the first two links, not just burj cranes.

let's see now, just for fun, Emporis says there are 331 high-rise buildings under construction in Dubai. With 30,000 cranes that comes to 90 cranes for each building under construction. They must be counting mini cranes (http://www.unic-cranes.co.uk/cranes.php) too.

your correct. but there's not only highrises. there's other mega projects. were there's tons of cranes. ex: the palm islands, dubailand < there's alot there.easily 400. Dubai Sports City , Dubai Media Cities , DUBAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT EXPANSION < there's a ton of there to, DUBAI METRO < a bunch of mobile cranes, DUBAI LAGOON, DUBAI INDUSTRIAL CITY, JUMEIRAH VILLAGE < a ton there, here's a link to see all these prjects with alot of cranes, then you will change your mind saying dubai doesnt have 30,000 cranes

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/forumdisplay.php?f=457

[CEO]

I read a report sometime last year that said 16% of the world's cranes are in Dubai. I don't know where they got their figures from.

China probably has far more, but I think Dubai as a city on its own has one of the highest concentrations of cranes in the world.

[The Chemist]

I read a report sometime last year that said 16% of the world's cranes are in Dubai. I don't know where they got their figures from.

China probably has far more, but I think Dubai as a city on its own has one of the highest concentrations of cranes in the world.

As a city, sure. But as a country, I'd guarantee that China has WAY more cranes active than the UAE does. Way more bigger cities with lots of projects than the UAE has.

[dubai 1]

^^ you are wrong about that. UAE has more cranes then china and japan. when i find my link i'll post it to show you

[AltinD]

Doing some googleing, I think they're called "luffing jib" cranes. Not sure if they can lift more or used for tighter spaces. They sure look beefy.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/Cosmopolitan/LuffingJib.jpg



Yes, the jib cranes are used when a tower crane cannot be used, such when a building is being constructed in tight spaces where the swinging movement of the tower crane's arm is not possible.

[tarapoto]

^^ you are wrong about that. UAE has more cranes then china and japan. when i find my link i'll post it to show you

I doubt that very much...Shanghai alone has 2/5 of all the construction cranes in the entire world... or maybe it was 1/5. I read it in lonely planet. Either way, that's pretty insane

[nergie]

I doubt that very much...Shanghai alone has 2/5 of all the construction cranes in the entire world... or maybe it was 1/5. I read it in lonely planet. Either way, that's pretty insane

At one point Shanghi had 1/5 of the world's cranes. But Dubai, with all the mega projects overtook Shanghi sometime back. I have been to both cities and either way they both have tons of cranes. I will try to find the article, the numbers were in a story about the booming tower crane business.

[smurf]

Seems to me the article is referring more to crawler type cranes than tower cranes. Since it refers to 400 ton cranes, we can pretty much make that a conclusion. Tower cranes are nifty for buildings, but are pretty load restricted (some of the largest ones available are limited to 60-70 tons). I recently visited a site, they had a Manitowoc 18000 there, which was rated at 826 tons. I was also informed that it cost "6 figures a month" to keep it out there. There is a steel erection company locally, and I can tell you that the cranes are on the road just about every day of the week. I'm not in the crane business, but as far as I can tell, they certainly aren't hurting right now.

[dubai 1]

I doubt that very much...Shanghai alone has 2/5 of all the construction cranes in the entire world... or maybe it was 1/5. I read it in lonely planet. Either way, that's pretty insane

you have a link that says Shanghai alone has 2/5 of all the construction cranes

[dubai 1]

Dubai's bullish economy might be creating ripples across the world, but there is a suspicion among some pundits that it might get over-stretched in the longer run, in its attempt of gaining invisibility. The policy of developing world-class infrastructure to entice investors, entrepreneurs and tourists might be proving successful as of today, but it has also resulted into soaring real estate rates and city congestion in the recent times.

This may result into some highly expensive office and living accommodations in a few years from now. Dubai hotels and Dubai apartments, a key area for the local tourism industry and economy, might get hit hard due to sharp price hikes in the future.

The desire of having the tallest and largest buildings and the fastest growing economy on its soil has led Dubai into a construction mania. Up to 25% of all construction cranes in the world are currently stationed at Dubai. At least fifty of them are employed at Burj Dubai alone to help it rise atop the Arabian sky as the world's tallest building

link
http://www.bestsyndication.com/?q=081307_dubai_commutes.htm

[Amanita]

Wow, just wow. Too bad I can't afford to move to Calgary..Tower cranes galore!
And yes, the Tower cranes with the angled jibs are called Luffing cranes.

Something interesting that I read somewhere- apparently the demand for cranes is so great that unscrupulous chinese counterfeiters have gotten in on the act, supplying counterfeit parts and even entire counterfeit cranes! Of course, they look just like the real thing, but they look and perform like shit, most likely being accidents waiting to happen.

[mersar]

And Calgary has a huge crane coming. The developers of the Bow couldn't find a crane available for rent that is large enough so they went and bought one instead for a reported $2.4 million. 900' tall, supposedly with a 30MT lift capacity. The base was recently installed and looks to be about 10'x10'. Theres a total of around 50 cranes up currently around the city.

[Amanita]

Is that a Tower crane? If so, SWEET:)
Perhaps I need to come out there. Trouble is, I might miss Halifax too much. Damn being such a homebody!

[smurf]

We have a pretty good sized puppy at work. Obviously we don't build skyscrapers. Its a Manitowoc 2250 with the MAX-ER attachment. Its rated for 500USt. Its got 180' of main boom and a 180' of luffing jib. In the picture its picking up a 95,000lb "can" although it is 165ft from the centerpin of the crane, dropping the capacity to a mere 110,000lb. We also have a second 2250, only without the MAX-ER, so it is only good for 300USt. As well as several smaller cranes ranging from 55USt to 165USt.
http://skyscrapers.ws/100_0913-1.jpg

[Tangsan]

Wow, just wow. Too bad I can't afford to move to Calgary..Tower cranes galore!
And yes, the Tower cranes with the angled jibs are called Luffing cranes.

Something interesting that I read somewhere- apparently the demand for cranes is so great that unscrupulous chinese counterfeiters have gotten in on the act, supplying counterfeit parts and even entire counterfeit cranes! Of course, they look just like the real thing, but they look and perform like shit, most likely being accidents waiting to happen.

PLEASE VISIT
http://www.lewis-equipment.com/products_services.php
http://www.yongmao.com.cn/english/eindex.asp

http://www.zoomlion.com/

SunCrane Flat-Top Tower Crane IS DESIGNED AND MADE IN CHINA.

CHINA HAS AT LEAST 200 TOWER CRANE MANUFACTURERS, SOME OF THE MANUFACTURERS ARE GREAT. THE TOWER CRANES FROM CHINA CAN BE FOUND AROUND THE WORLD JOBSITE.

[Nate the Great]

i know where i live that theres at least 3 cranes

[soory for my bad speling

[mdiederi]

Check out this crane system. (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=18669908#post18669908) Each tower is three hundred feet tall and the highline is about 1,900 feet across and 900 feet above Black Canyon building a bridge in front of Hoover Dam.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/DSC_15870077.jpg
©2008 D_Owens

[Amanita]

Tangsun, I wasn't referring to the legitimate crane manufacturers in China. Oh gods, no! Here in our port, we have several wonderful container cranes built by Zhen Hua Port Machinery Company, and they perform magnificently.
I have no problem at all with legitimate business.

My rant was not aimed at them, but at other unscrupulous companies who counterfeit parts and equipment. That is NOT cool, and only gives good companies like the ones you posted a bad name.

[smurf]

We have a serious issue with Chinese counterfeit crosby shackles. Its not like a cheap knock-off knife or radio or something. This is a critical piece of lifting equipment with 10's or 100's of tons of weight on it. A failure is not only an annoyance, it can literally be a disaster causing millions of dollars of damage and kill people. So you'll pardon me for being skeptical of Chinese equipment, even if it is "high quality" though I've yet to see anything too high quality come from China.

[Tangsan]

We have a serious issue with Chinese counterfeit crosby shackles. Its not like a cheap knock-off knife or radio or something. This is a critical piece of lifting equipment with 10's or 100's of tons of weight on it. A failure is not only an annoyance, it can literally be a disaster causing millions of dollars of damage and kill people. So you'll pardon me for being skeptical of Chinese equipment, even if it is "high quality" though I've yet to see anything too high quality come from China.

You'd better go to Conexpo 2008-USA or other CONEXPO show, BAUMA show in other countries to have a peak if you get chance.

It is good for you to have a look those shows if you work in the heavy duty construction equipment field.

[Tangsan]

Tangsun, I wasn't referring to the legitimate crane manufacturers in China. Oh gods, no! Here in our port, we have several wonderful container cranes built by Zhen Hua Port Machinery Company, and they perform magnificently.
I have no problem at all with legitimate business.

My rant was not aimed at them, but at other unscrupulous companies who counterfeit parts and equipment. That is NOT cool, and only gives good companies like the ones you posted a bad name.


It is ture that some heavy duty equipments from China are very good.

The buyers or contractors should use their professional skills to choose
right high quality products and reasonable price to buy.

[mdiederi]

Crane convention.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/cranes.jpg

[vanhattan]

Wow, just wow. Too bad I can't afford to move to Calgary..Tower cranes galore!
And yes, the Tower cranes with the angled jibs are called Luffing cranes.

Something interesting that I read somewhere- apparently the demand for cranes is so great that unscrupulous chinese counterfeiters have gotten in on the act, supplying counterfeit parts and even entire counterfeit cranes! Of course, they look just like the real thing, but they look and perform like shit, most likely being accidents waiting to happen.

I wonder if the crane collapse in NYC was in anyway related to counterfeit cranes use? I could not find the source of the crane involed in the collapse.

http://http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/03/15/nyregion/20080315_CRANE_GRAPHIC.html#step1 (http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/03/15/nyregion/20080315_CRANE_GRAPHIC.html#step1)

[Tangsan]

Crane convention.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/mdiederi/buildings/cranes.jpg


great picture. thanks

[Tangsan]

I wonder if the crane collapse in NYC was in anyway related to counterfeit cranes use? I could not find the source of the crane involed in the collapse.

http://http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/03/15/nyregion/20080315_CRANE_GRAPHIC.html#step1 (http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/03/15/nyregion/20080315_CRANE_GRAPHIC.html#step1)

There are many reasons relating to any tower crane accidents.

For example : (1) crane counterfeit parts
(2) foundation
(3) anchor bolts for foundation and tie in.
(4) dismanlte and erect tower crane.
(5) engineering stuff relating to tower crane should be done by
qualified engineer, but many tower crane contractors who
are not qualified engineer practice engineering relating to
tower crane by themselves in order to reduce cost as much
as they can.
(6) overload
........etc.

[Amanita]

Tangsun's pretty much on the money here.
I have heard of accidents caused by people attempting things for which they were NOT qualified- designing foundations, planning operations, etc. They think they will save a buck or two, until something like this happens.
And erection, dismantling, and climbing are prime times for mishaps, as the crane is at its most vulnerable at those times.
Proper inspection of any crane is a must. Daily inspections of critical components, and fastidious maintenance is vital. Cranes recieve a lot of stress doing their jobs, and care must be taken to be sure that this does not lead to unsafe conditions- cracks due to metal fatigue being one example. Cracks are inevitable, and because of this, they must be treated when found, and between jobs, the crane must be thoroughly examined for any.

I think of a massive Tower crane as almost akin to a human athlete- they're incredibly tough and capable of awesome performance. However they need a high standard of care to stay that way. The consequences of neglect, carelessness, or negligence are unacceptably high.

[Hed Kandi]

For those in the know about cranes, I was wondering...

Who is the world's largest crane manufacturer?

Liebherr? Terex? Manitowoc?

Also, anyone know if Liebherr is private or a publicly traded company?

[AltinD]

^^ The French company POTAIN is big too.

[mersar]

^^ The French company POTAIN is big too.

Yep. We're getting a number of Potain models in Calgary now, including so far one but possibly as many as 3 in the near future on the Bow. Supposedly one of them (likely the one thats up already) is the largest Potain model available in terms of lift capacity.

As for Liebherr, they appear to be family held still, the parent company is based in Germany.

[NeiNastran]

Any good crane companies to invest in?

[Amanita]

Any of the major crane builders, really- Wolff, Kroll, Potain, Liebherr, Terex- high quality crane builders and the demand for their work is high. Really high.

[Potain]

Potain is now part of Manitowoc.

The MR605B at the Bow is currently Potain's largest luffing boomed crane but it is not their largest crane.

[1ajs]

Potain is now part of Manitowoc.

The MR605B at the Bow is currently Potain's largest luffing boomed crane but it is not their largest crane.

in calgary?

[Potain]

Yes, in Calgary.

Here is an example of a large Potain Hammerhead tower crane.
http://www.clayt.com/images/Potain-at-Chernobyl-hr.jpg

[1ajs]

is that chernoble?

[CanadianCentaur]

:previous:

Yes, that's Chernobyl. Easy to spot because of that white chimney and the fat concrete shielding being built because radiation levels are still dangerously high inside of what was left of the reactor.

[Potain]

Yes, and in addition, the crane was operated by radio remote control.

[1ajs]

so how many abandond cranes do they have there now?

[HOUSTONIAN57]

Dubai is Takin all the cranes.:hell:

http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/3434/smallcustom0rh.jpg

[Hed Kandi]

Any of the major crane builders, really- Wolff, Kroll, Potain, Liebherr, Terex- high quality crane builders and the demand for their work is high. Really high.

Manitowoc and Terex are the only public crane companies I know of. I'd love to see Liebherr become an IPO but I won't hold my breath.

[Amanita]

Wow, that pic of Dubai is mind-boggling. That must be Burj Dubai in that pic.
And cherynobyl is just freaky. Very freaky.

[mdiederi]

Dubai is Takin all the cranes.:hell:

http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/3434/smallcustom0rh.jpg

I know there are clusters of cranes in Dubai, even more than in that photo, but that photo of the tower is fake.

[delts145]

I think Boomin Salt Lake City is probably grabbing it's fair share also.

http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/3958/june20th001vn1.jpg
by SLC Projects

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3128/2580992684_f73d64d77d_b.jpg
by T-Mac

.

[HOUSTONIAN57]

Dubai is Takin all the cranes.:hell:

http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/3434/smallcustom0rh.jpg

I know this wasnt real...lol

But this is...

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm159/mglouis85/2041280623_e4760587fd_b.jpg

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm159/mglouis85/2478220655_27881493c2_o.jpg

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm159/mglouis85/2473975103_72cb6b9b3a_o.jpg

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm159/mglouis85/2479045798_3ca087d7f7_o.jpg

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm159/mglouis85/907204151_a35476b2e8_o.jpg

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm159/mglouis85/2468159224_291210152a_b.jpg

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm159/mglouis85/2462331301_10488d9b27_o.jpg

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm159/mglouis85/2468979723_5b53b5ccdf_o.jpg

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm159/mglouis85/2468982513_ba6befbd98_o.jpg

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm159/mglouis85/2469804352_97c61c25fe_o.jpg

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm159/mglouis85/2275034467_12cce91c10_o.jpg

I dont like Dubai...:no:

[Amanita]

I'm jealous!!

[Colin Giersberg]

Terex Demag is building (it may already be in operation) the CC8800 Twin Boom. It is a crawler crane that has a 3200 tonne (3500 ton) capacity. I am not sure if that is pick and carry, or pick up and swing alone, but huge, never the less.

Regards.

[MathewK]

There are lots of cranes in the City of London - always... Don't know why, but there is always something that has to be done in this square mile.
But there are also some cranes that are not in use - for example those used cranes (http://www.mascus.com/Construction/Used-Cranes) that are waiting for some new tasks ;)