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Moving Mountains with the Liebherr HS 8300.2 at Fort Myers
CRANES in Action
Vulcan Materials crews use a Liebherr HS 8300.2 to move large volumes of construction aggregates for Florida infrastructure projects.
At Vulcan Materials Company’ s Fort Myers, Florida, quarry, crews relied on a Liebherr HS 8300.2 duty cycle crawler crane to excavate one of the largest gravel pits in the state. The operation produced crushed stone, sand and gravel used in roads, bridges, foundations and other infrastructure projects throughout Florida.
The quarry, a major source of construction aggregates, required high-volume, efficient material handling to keep pace with statewide demand. The Liebherr HS 8300.2 enabled crews to move massive quantities of material while maintaining the pace required for a site that operates year-round.
Jason Jowers, area operations manager for Florida, said the machine fit seamlessly with Vulcan’ s existing fleet. He noted that the scale and longevity of the quarry meant any downtime could have significant consequences, making reliability and performance key factors in the crane’ s selection.
One of the largest duty cycle crawler cranes in the world, the HS 8300.2 handles material using dragline buckets and a variety of grabs. Its widened cab provides operators with improved visibility and comfort, while the hybrid Pactronic drive captures surplus energy, enhancing productivity and reducing fuel use.
Kenny Knowles, vice president of operations for Florida and the Bahamas, said the crane matched the site’ s annual production needs. Its capacity and excavation capabilities allow Vulcan to maintain a steady flow of aggregates to meet construction requirements across the state.
With the HS 8300.2 and other advanced equipment, Vulcan Materials continues to supply essential materials for infrastructure projects, including roads, bridges, waterworks and ports, as well as schools, hospitals, data centers and industrial facilities, all while focusing on efficiency and reducing environmental impact.
PEOPLE
• Tadano has appointed Scott Walter as vice president of sales for its Manitex Inc. business, a move intended to further integrate Manitex into
Walter the Tadano America organization and strengthen sales support for customers.
The appointment follows Tadano’ s acquisition of Manitex Inc. and reflects ongoing efforts to align sales, service and support operations across its North American lifting equipment businesses.
Walter brings nearly 30 years of sales experience and more than 20 years in management to the role. His background includes contract negotiation, business development and global account management. Most recently, he spent 16 years as vice president of strategic accounts in the OEM sector for Ritchie Bros., where he led a team focused on original equipment manufacturers.
As part of the Manitex sales leadership structure, Walter will oversee sales directors Jeff Long and Anthony Hampton. Long serves as director of sales for boom trucks, bucket trucks and sign cranes, while Hampton leads sales for knuckleboom cranes. Both will report to Walter and continue to provide product-specific expertise.
• The Caldwell Group Inc. has restructured its Canadian operations to place direct factory representation closer to customers across the country. The restructure divides Canada into strategic regions, each supported by dedicated Caldwell representatives providing sales coverage, product training and technical support.
Brian Sochocki will cover Eastern Canada, Darrin Noe will represent Central Canada, Jeff Ferchen will oversee Ontario and Jay Schroeder will manage Western Canada. The team will support the Caldwell, Renfroe and RUD portfolios of material handling, lifting and rigging equipment. Each regional representative will work alongside a customer service professional
Sochocki
Noe
Ferchen
Schroeder
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February 2026 • www. cranehotline. com