Spotlight Cranes By Seth Skydel

Carpenter went on to list common and unique applications for mini cranes:

• Construction sites with tight and confined spaces where traditional cranes cannot operate.

• Steel erection where mini cranes are more cost effective and efficient than a larger mobile crane.

• Glass and glazing on high-rise buildings, and to handle large glass safely and precisely.

• Heavy machinery maintenance and installation in industrial facilities.

• Art installations where precise handling abilities make mini cranes ideal for placing large and delicate pieces.

• Film and television production where mini cranes move heavy equipment and set pieces.

• Landscaping where mini cranes assist in moving large stones or trees and maneuver in limited spaces.

• Road and bridge work handling jobsite materials in a small area without the need to block multiple lanes of traffic.

• Aviation maintenance.

• Oil and gas industry station and plant maintenance with tight confined areas that larger cranes, boom trucks and carry decks can’ t access.

“ The most common applications for mini cranes are prefab construction, including truss, frame, and panels, as well as roofing and light masonry,” said Michael Gnazzo, president of Innovativ Hoisting, the U. S. distributor of Böcker mini cranes.“ Those cranes are ideal for these industries because they are compact enough to fit on tight jobsites, yet still have hoisting capacities high enough to lift typical materials

The latest Maeda introductions into the North American market are mini crane models powered by lithium-ion batteries that offer zero emissions so they can be operated indoors and on environmentally sensitive jobsites.

and equipment.

“ Our mini cranes are also used in unique applications where other equipment will just not work,” Gnazzo added.“ One of the most unique applications we have seen was loading the crane onto a barge to install steelwork on a lighthouse at sea. The light overall weight and small footprint of the crane made it the perfect hoist for the job.”

Colt Vacek, special division product manager for the Jekko USA line at supplier Fascan International, said use within the construction industry is the most popular application for mini cranes.“ They are used for many applications because some models are small enough to be lifted into high-rise construction buildings to work from floor to floor,” he related.

“ Once inside, they can reach out openings and hoist materials up as needed,” Vacek continued.“ They can also move from room to room easily and can be outfitted with manipulators to assist the lifting and installation of large glass panels and windows.”

There are also mini cranes geared for a single market. For example, Vacek pointed to a model created specifically for the tree care industry. The articulated, tracked machine is outfitted with a grapple saw. With a vertical reach of over 100 feet, it has a working footprint less than half that of a comparable truck mounted crane.

“ Mini cranes find widespread use in several common applications such as steel erecting, glazing and general construction, and across various industries,” said George Schalk, VP sales at Smiley Lifting Solutions,

28 CRANE HOT LINE ® June 2024 • www. cranehotline. com