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Liebherr delivers first MTC 78000 heavy lift offshore crane

Constructed in the company’s Rostock manufacturing facility, the MTC 78000 is one of the biggest offshore slewing cranes worldwide. With a maximum dynamic torque of 78,000 tonnes, the MTC 78000 is the most powerful machine within the extensive range of cranes and material handling machines offered by the Liebherr group of companies. Four units of the new heavy-lift crane have already been ordered to date.

Despite its size, the MTC 78000 has been designed as a slewing crane and is supported by traditional large diameter anti-friction bearings. With a weight of 70 tons, the swing ring has a diameter of approximately nine metres.

Some special challenges were involved in the onsite erection and assembly of the huge crane onto the heavy lift vessel OSA Goliath; planning the individual hoists so that the maximum permitted ground pressure of the pier was not exceeded, for example.

Two Liebherr LHM 600 mobile harbour cranes were used in tandem operation for the heavy duty lifts. Both cranes with their maximum load capacity of 208 tons each enabled parts weighing up to 400 tons to be mounted in tandem operation. The machines were equipped with the recently patented Liebherr “sycratronic” control system. This Dynamic Anti Collision System controls the simultaneous operation of the mobile harbour cranes, so ensuring best possible performance and protection for the cranes.

The assembly of the MTC 78000 required several spectacular heavy duty lifts. First, the slewing platform was mounted – at 370 tonnes, the heaviest of the components. Then, the machinery compartment with the drive components (approximately 240 tonnes), the mast lower section (about 250 tonnes) and the mast upper section (around 160 tonnes) of which the lowest point needed to be hoisted up to over 43 metres above the pier level.

The last step in the assembly process involved putting the boom in place. In a tandem hoist operation, the 87 metre-long boom was positioned with minute precision at the respective connection points enabling the boom to be pinned to the slewing platform on both sides. The sheer size of the pins required a specially developed hydraulic pinning machine.

The heavy lifting test of the large crane was carried out in the open sea with a 1,760 tonnes test weight – corresponding to 110% of the nominal load capacity. The test loads consisted of two water filled pontoons which were lifted out of the water and turned around.

After the successful test, the client, Handel Maritime S.A. could deliver the heavy load vessel OSA Goliath to its purchaser, the Mexican company Oceanografia. The OSA Goliath is one of the largest heavy load vessels worldwide and is being used for platform reconditioning, pipe laying and to set up offshore wind power plants.

Equipped with its new MTC 78000 heavy lift offshore crane, the OSA Goliath is scheduled to work in the Gulf of Mexico on behalf of the Mexican oil company Pemex over the next few years.

The MTC 78000 achieves a maximum lifting capacity of 1,600 tonnes at up to 35 metre radius. This corresponds to a maximum dynamic moment of 78,000 tonnes, the crane still being able to slew over 360°. At a maximum radius of 74 metres for the main hoist the crane achieves a lifting capacity of almost 530 tonnes. In addition to the main hoist, the MTC 78000 offers two auxiliary hoists with lifting capacities of up to 500 tonnes and 50 tonnes respectively.

The size of the MTC 78000, which is in response to customer requirements, represents a new dimension in product development for Liebherr.

http://www.heavyliftpfi.com/content/NewsItem.aspx?id=533

July 27, 2009 | Leave a comment | Permalink

New 212 tonne Sennebogen 880 Equilibrium material handling crane for Shoreham Port

New 212 tonne Sennebogen 880 Equilibrium material handling crane for Shoreham Port

Shoreham Port has officially received the keys to the latest addition to its development plans.
The new 212 tonne Sennebogen 880 Equilibrium material handling crane is all part of the port’s ambitious plans for the future and the important role it plays in the local economy. In particular, the crane will be used to support the development of a new 12-acre steel processing facility by ParkerSteel, which will create 280 new jobs.

Capable of lifting 38 tonnes, with a reach of 24 metres, the new Sennebogen crane will complement the new Demag Steelmaster cranes recently installed by ParkerSteel. The crane was brought over from Sennebogen’s manufacturing facility in Bavaria on 12 HGVs. Once on site, it took engineers seven days to build and commission.

Erich Sennebogen junior, Managing Director of the crane manufacturer, has travelled to Shoreham Port to officially handover the keys to the port’s Chief Executive, Rod Johnstone.

Rod Johnstone, said: “Shoreham Port handles approximately two million tonnes of aggregates, sawn timber, steel, oil, locally-grown cereals and scrap metal cargo each year.

“It was, therefore, vitally important for us that we chose a reliable, finely engineered crane that could handle increasingly large and heavy lifts and service the needs of the port’s customer base. Sennebogen has over 50 years’ experience and is at the forefront of design and development and we know that the new crane will support our operations efficiently for many years to come.”

The port also operates a highly successful commercial and warehousing property portfolio enabling the employment of over 1,400 people by the port’s tenants.

http://www.mhwmagazine.co.uk/LatestNews/New_212_tonne

July 27, 2009 | Leave a comment | Permalink

Tata associate to acquire MNC trailer manufacturer

TRF Ltd, an associate company of Tata Steel, has signed an agreement to acquire Dutch Lanka Trailer Manufacturers Ltd (DLT).

In the first phase, TRF would acquire a 51 per cent stake for $8.67 million and also sign a call and put option agreement for acquisition of the balance 49 per cent at $8.33 million.The deal marks a foray into the trailer manufacturing business for TRF. The company’s core business is engineering and supply of material handling equipment and systems.

DLT has a manufacturing facility in Sri Lanka and sells trailers in as many as 30 countries. Further DLT, through its joint venture with Tata International Ltd, in India, has a manufacturing facility at Pune.

Sudhir Deoras, managing director, TRF, said, the joint venture had acquired additional land at Pune for expansion. At present, the Pune facility has a production capacity of 3,000 trailers, while the total capacity of DLT would be around 6,000 trailers.

Dutch Lanka Engineering (Pvt) Ltd, a 100 per cent subsidiary of DLT in Sri Lanka, is engaged in repairs, maintenance and service business for trailers. DLT also has a subsidiary in Oman which manufactures and sells trailers in West Asian markets.

The acquisition of DLT would help TRF move towards its target of achieving a turnover of Rs 2,500 crore by 2013. In 2008-09, the company had a turnover of Rs 723 crore.

Recently, TRF also entered into a shareholders’ agreement with Tata Capital and Jasper Industries to form a joint venture, Adithya Automotive Applications, for providing end-solutions through fabrications and machining for vehicles to be used as tippers, load bodies, trailers, refrigerated bodies, among other items. However, Deoras said, the core business would continue to account for the bulk of its turnover.

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/tata-associate

July 27, 2009 | Leave a comment | Permalink

MTS Places £900,000 Order for Bobcat Compact Loaders and Mini Excavators

Wakefield-based MTS Group has placed an order with Bobcat worth around £900,000 for a mixture of compact loaders and mini-excavators for the company’s hire fleet. At the core of the new investment comprising 54 machines, is a tranche of new Bobcat skid-steer and compact tracked loaders to meet continued high demand for this type of product from hire customers.

Peter Watson, Managing Director of MTS Group, said: “Our investment in the Bobcat brand and, in particular, the company’s market-leading skid-steer and compact tracked loaders recognises the excellent returns against capital employed for these machines, even in a recession that is one of the most difficult I have known in the 22 years I have been dealing with Bobcat equipment. I think the Bobcat skid-steer loader is a necessity in every hire company’s fleet.”

It is the diversity of applications in demolition, utilities, landscaping, groundcare, farming, foundry work, ship trimming and mining among many others that keeps the MTS fleet of Bobcat skid-steer and compact tracked loaders busy, with over 100 machines out on hire every day to all types of industry.

With the new order, the MTS skid-steer loader rental fleet has been enhanced with the very latest S70 and S330 skid-steer loader models. With a width of 901 mm, a height of 1814 mm, an overall length with standard bucket of 2553 mm and an operating weight of only 1291 kg, the new S70 skid-steer loader ticks all the boxes for compactness, transportability and manoeuvrability. The rated operating capacity of the S70 is 343 kg (ISO 14397-1). At the other end of the scale, the 4.2 tonne S330 is the highest performing skid-steer loader now offered by Bobcat, powered by a 62.5 kW (84 hp) Kubota liquid-cooled diesel engine and providing a rated operating capacity of more than 1.5 tonnes, or 1542 kg (ISO 14397-1).

The new ultra compact T110 compact tracked loader and the largest in the range, the T320 compact tracked loader are also now available for hire from MTS. At just 1.2 m wide and less than 2.3 m long without attachment, the new 2.3 tonne T110 will transform prospects for contractors, landscapers and a host of other users thanks to its ability to be transported on a light trailer towed by mid-sized vehicles. The T110 offers a rated operating capacity of 505 kg (ISO 14397-1) and a tipping load of 1443 kg. Driven by a powerful 67.6 kW Kubota V3800-DI-T turbo-charged, liquid-cooled diesel engine, the new T320 has the highest power-to-weight ratio in its class. The 4401 kg T320 model is a vertical lift path loader offering a rated operating capacity of 1461 kg.

Complementing the skid-steer and compact tracked loaders, MTS has the largest fleet of Bobcat attachments for hire in the UK. The MTS range covers a wide selection of Bobcat attachments from standard and 4-in-1 buckets, hydraulic breakers and road planers to stump grinders, the latest tree transplanters and snow-clearing accessories.

Peter Watson continued: “The increasing number of Bobcat attachments continues to create new opportunities for the skid-steer and compact tracked loader markets, which we intend to fully serve throughout the UK. The utilisation of our rental fleet is a testament to how bullet-proof our investment in the skid-steer market has been in the face of the toughest of recessions.”
Cont…

Joining the mini-excavator fleet at MTS are the Bobcat E08 and E10 micro-excavators which, in the year since they were launched in the UK, have gained rapid market share and an enviable reputation for high performance and productivity.

The E08 micro-excavator is a conventional model with a machine weight of 1028 kg and a maximum digging depth of 1.82 m. The E10 model is a zero tail swing micro-excavator with a maximum digging depth of 1.82 m and a machine weight of 1066 kg.

Easy to transport, the E08 and E10 micro-excavators are the smallest models in the Bobcat range. Both have a retractable undercarriage that takes the width of the machine down to only 710 mm, allowing easy access through a standard pedestrian doorway for work inside buildings or entry into back yards and gardens through narrow gates. In addition, passage through low headroom openings is aided by the integrated foldable TOPS on both machines. The minimal width of the machines allows for excellent manoeuvrability in confined spaces, while the zero tail swing design of the E10 is an additional advantage when working in tight areas.

To complement the machines and attachments in the company’s hire fleet, MTS Group can offer full training for any product from the Bobcat range through its subsidiary, MTS Training. Nationally approved, MTS Training can provide training for operating Bobcat® skid-steers, excavators, compact tracked loaders and telehandlers as well as over 60 different types of Bobcat attachment for use with these machines.

The security of the equipment can be safeguarded by a satellite alarm system jointly developed by MTS, which protects the machines 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Designed specifically for the plant market, the unit is very cost effective to use and is proving very popular with MTS Bobcat customers.

Mr Watson added: “This substantial investment is testimony to our close allegiance to the Bobcat brand. I believe that there has never been better value for Bobcat products on the basis of the price, reliability and the excellent residual values when you come to trade in for a new product.”

http://www.mhwmagazine.co.uk/LatestNews/MTS_Places

July 27, 2009 | Leave a comment | Permalink

Caterpillar® Commissions First RM500 Rotary Mixer to North-western Russia

Caterpillar® Commissions First RM500 Rotary Mixer to North-western Russia

The Federal Highway M-8, connecting Arghangelsk to Vologda in northwestern Russia in the Arghangelskaya oblast, had definitely seen better days. In the 25 years since its original asphalt surface was laid down, M-8 had been periodically overlaid with hot mix asphalt, but had been poorly maintained for over two decades. In addition to a weak aggregate base, the M-8 was now riddled with “halls and cracks.” It had literally “not been touched in the last ten years,” said Dmitry Kuritsyn, currently Road Construction Sales representative for Zeppelin Russland. “That [neglect of maintenance] almost ruined the road’s surface.” This created both a significant challenge and a real opportunity for any contractor willing to take on the project.

Many years prior, officials tell the story of a pioneering contractor who tried to repair a section of the M-8’s deteriorating surface using a cold planer with its discharge conveyor switched off, while at the same time adding milled stones to the planed material. Although the concept was admirable, it was neither efficient, nor completely successful. The new Cat® RM500 Rotary Mixer takes the reclaiming/mixing concept a step further and provides the perfect one-step solution.

Any contractor considering an attempt at the project would require a highly specialized piece of paving equipment; one machine that could easily tackle the unique rehabilitation challenges of the project. With the addition of a Cat RM500 to their fleet, Russian contractor Vologodskaya DSU-I (known for building and rehabilitating roads across northwestern Russia) agreed to rehabilitate the Federal M-8 highway. The project would be ambitious-a 6 m width for a total length of 500 km-stretched out over four years.

Vologodskaya DSU-I placed the order through Russian dealer Zeppelin Russland for a new Cat RM500, with its 457 mm (18 in) universal rotor-designed for asphalt reclamation and soil stabilization-plus a bituminous emulsion and water spray system. Eager to get the project rolling, the firm commissioned the machine to be delivered directly to the jobsite where it was prepared and tested, and the Vologodskaya DSU-I crew received hands on operator training. And thus, the machine could be immediately put to work. Evgeniy Mihailov was one of the contractor’s first operators to climb aboard the newly acquired rotary mixer. Mihailov, who was completely new to Rotary Mixers, was engaged in learning the machine’s functions and operations. Explains Kuritsyn, Mihailov was extremely “interested in understanding all the capabilities the RM500 could perform.”

Upon startup, the RM500 was immediately put through its paces and began the process of reclaiming (”cutting”) the deteriorated surface (a total depth of up to 30 cm) of the M-8 and stabilizing the base aggregate (by mixing in a cement-distributed on top of the surface-and water, sprayed in mixing chamber through water spraying system). The contractor is said to be thoroughly pleased with the productivity and performance of the machine, and Kuritsyn notes that it has become a critical piece of machinery in this important project. “A terrific result is being achieved within the timeframe required.”

With an operating weight of 28145 kg (with ROPS and universal rotor), the Cat® RM500 Rotary Mixer is a powerful, productive and versatile addition to any contractor’s road reclamation and construction fleet. It was designed to deliver superior performance and reliability in even the most demanding job specifications. It works exceptionally well in both full depth reclamation and soil stabilization applications. Three innovative rotor designs (Universal, Soil or Combination) are available, matching the rotor to exact project specifications (one rotor for asphalt reclamation, one for soil stabilization, and a combination rotor handling primarily soil stabilization with light cuts of asphalt reclamation). Rotor designs incorporate mounted in, drive-in, knock-out holders for quick and easy replacement as required.

The rotor moves independently within the RM500’s large volume mixing chamber, allowing the capacity of the chamber to increase in deeper cuts, and therefore, producing better material mixing and excellent gradation. The mixing chamber is designed to ensure depth control, proper sizing, and thorough blending of reclaimed material. What’s more, machine weight is well distributed to provide optimum cut stability, as well as contribute to uniform depth control.

An electronically controlled on-demand variable speed cooling fan delivers the lowest overall noise levels, while the RM500’s ergonomically designed operator’s station equates to comfort, visibility and ease-of operation. Machine controls are conveniently grouped to enhance operator productivity and reduce fatigue, and they are just a few of the RM500’s innovative features.

A Cat C15 engine with ACERTTM Technology powers the RM500. ACERT Technology provides clean burning power and innovations that work at the point of combustion to optimize engine performance and provide low exhaust emissions. The C15 engine provides a full-rated gross power (SAE J1995) of 403 kW (540 hp) at 2000 rpm with a torque of 2356 Nm (1738 lb/ft). The combination of large displacement and high torque allows the RM500 to propel through even the toughest materials. And, this engine meets European EU Stage IIIA emissions regulations for off-road applications.

http://www.hub-4.com/news/1826/caterpillar-commissions

July 27, 2009 | Leave a comment | Permalink

416E Backhoe Loader

Caterpillar’s Backhoe Loaders set a high standard for operator comfort, performance, versatility and jobsite efficiency. With a more comfortable operator station, new extendible stick design and increased performance, the 416E Cat Backhoe Loader allows for more work with less effort.

The completely new E-Series backhoe delivers impressive digging forces. Its rugged design provides durability in the toughest applications. Serrated edges on the stick provide improved material clamping for clearing and demolition applications.

Single pin bucket linkage contributes to rotation of 205 degrees, this eliminates the need to change pin positions when moving from loading trucks to vertical wall trenching.

Caterpillar’s state of the art closed centre hydraulic system, variable displacement piston pump and load sensing hydraulics improve implement response and speed while still providing high forces at any engine speed. New flow sharing hydraulic valves also improve multi-function performance.

Optional Caterpillar Ride Control provides a comfortable ride at all speeds, both on the jobsite and on the highway. The system is designed to provide an improved ride whether the bucket is full or empty meaning improved material retention, increased productivity and a cleaner jobsite.

WesTrac offers a wide variety of Caterpillar work tools specifically designed for the backhoe Loader. Built for performance and durability, these tools deliver high productivity, long service and excellent value.

Backhoe Work Tools: Standard Duty Bucket, Heavy Duty Bucket, Heavy Duty Rock Bucket, High Capacity Bucket, Soil Excavation Bucket, Coral Bucket, Ditch Cleaning Bucket, Cold Planer, Hydraulic Hammer, Vibratory Plate Compactor, Ripper, Thumb, Auger.

Loader Work Tools: General Purpose Bucket, Multi Purpose Bucket, Side Dump Bucket, Light Material Bucket, Loader Forks and Caterpillar’s expansive bucket line. Caterpillar’s Backhoe Loaders are available from Westrac.

http://www.ferret.com.au/c/WesTrac/416E-Backhoe-Loader-n844743

July 27, 2009 | Leave a comment | Permalink