As any crane operator knows, every centimetre and gram counts – particularly on the way to the construction site. A large proportion of the weight and size of a mobile crane is made up by the main boom; however, the practical design of the Tadano ATF-220-5.1 means this can actually be removed. For construction company Giersbach und Stoll, this feature is now making a world of difference.
With its headquarters in Eschenburg, nestled between the German towns of Marburg and Siegen, Giersbach und Stoll GmbH specialises in all aspects of construction, renovation, dismantling and disposal. Its core area of business, however, focuses primarily on the assembly of precast concrete elements, with its diverse range of contracts extending from the erection of domestic garages to the construction of entire industrial buildings. Having secured an ambitious contract of this kind in Cologne-Kalk, it was most definitely an occasion for the company to call upon the flagship of its fleet. This project involved lifting heavy concrete parts for an industrial hall to a great height, which meant only the Tadano ATF-220-5.1 with its long, strong boom was considered from the Giersbach und Stoll fleet.
A win-win situation
But the 220 wasn’t just selected on account of its lifting height and lifting capacity. Even the approach to the site presented Giersbach und Stoll with a number of challenges, as it proved difficult to find a suitable access route with the standard 60 t weight of the crane. The A45 and A4 between Eschenburg and Cologne are home to a number of weak bridges, which means that heavy goods vehicles are not permitted to cross them. According to the German road traffic licensing regulations, a heavy goods vehicle is defined as a vehicle combination with a total weight exceeding 41.8 t or a vehicle with an axle load of at least 12 t. As such, the ATF-220-5.1 is not permitted to use these bridges due to its axle load of 12 t.
Fortunately enough, however, the main boom of the ATF-220-5.1 can actually be removed to reduce its axle loads from 12 t per axle to less than 8 t, meaning even derated bridges no longer pose a problem. With the main boom removed, Giersbach und Stoll were able to take a direct route to the construction site in Cologne, some 120 km away. What’s more, depending on local regulations, the lower axle loads even allow for simplified and longer-lasting driving permits. An absolute win-win situation thanks to the removable main boom.
Jens Stoll, Managing Director at Giersbach und Stoll, knows only too well that, “the low total weight of less than 40 t of the 220 without the boom gives us all the flexibility we need and more. We can get on the road from one day to the next without having to wait for permits, which really is a big deal in this industry.” A total of four vehicles were used to transport both the entire counterweight and the crane boom to the site.
Easy assembly
Anyone thinking that the main boom assembly would call for a lot of manpower or time would be mistaken. Giersbach und Stoll were able to set up the 220 in under two hours with two technicians and a crane operator. Once the crane was ready to go, it was put straight into operation with a full counterweight of 71 t. Lifting the concrete walls and ceilings weighing up to 17 t to heights of up to 13 m did not present a major challenge for the crane in this configuration. “We know we can always rely on our Tadano cranes. And we can also rely on the friendly and competent service of the Tadano team. I just love the lifting capacities and the flexibility that the 5-axle crane gives us, and these have proven particularly advantageous on this project,” enthuses Jens Stoll.
The ATF-220-5.1 spent a total of four weeks on the construction site in Cologne-Kalk. Four to six members of the 34-strong Giersbach und Stoll team were on hand to ensure that everything ran smoothly during the assembly of the large industrial hall. So in the end, it was once again a case of job done, customer satisfied and – above all – an easy ride home – no matter what bridges had to be crossed along the way.
