American Cranes & Transport (ACT) Magazine published an interesting feature last month about the popularity of telescoping crawler cranes across North America for lifting applications in a variety of industries. ACT reached out to crane dealers in Louisiana, Colorado and Oklahoma to get their take on why this type of crane is in demand.
Reasons to use telescoping crawler cranes include increased stability in soft soil conditions (versus rubber-tired mobile cranes), efficient pick and carry capabilities, fast set up, and retractable footprint. Also, crawler cranes can lift high capacities at a shorter radius than mobile or all-terrain cranes because there are no outriggers to impede access to what needs to be lifted.
Crawler cranes have been widely used by contractors in the power sector for set up of transformers and power poles, plus erecting base tower sections and placing rotors at wind farms. In the oil and gas sector, these cranes work well for unloading and assembling drill rigs. One unique job was erecting a light rail bridge along a narrow strip of land between an oil refinery and wastewater treatment plant near Denver. Railroad tracks and a water canal at one location, combined with a retaining wall and fence at another prohibited the use of a standard crane with outriggers. A Grove GHC75 was the perfect solution with its compact footprint and easy maneuverability.
For more details, read “Telescopic crawlers are go-to tool” at American Cranes & Transport by clicking here. Image above courtesy of their website.
