Acquiring an articulating crane: what should a contractor consider as the options are investigated?

Concrete Construction, July, 2003 by Jim Darr

Selecting an articulating crane is not as complicated as one might think. Many times, a contractor will stew over different applications that might be faced, or various materials that could be handled. Actually, the decision can be approached intelligently with just two considerations: reach and weight. How. much will typically be lifted, and how far will the crane have to reach to get it? Whether one is lifting forms, tires, palletized materials, or almost anything else, understanding the reach and weight is an excellent first step toward selection.

Reach and lifting weight capacity, when analyzed together, directly correlate to the base crane model. The greater the reach capacity, the larger your base crane must be. Typically, heavier loads are lifted with shorter reach, and some contractors eventually select "more reach" than they'll need. For example, one might choose a model with three or four extensions instead of the two extensions necessary. This may not be money well spent, if the maximum reach is not typically used.

Matching the crane to the jobs

It is inevitable that the reach or weight capacity needed on a project will be greater than that of your crane, at least once in a while. This is when rental is a good option. The cost of renting an articulating crane to handle a project from time to time is a fraction of the increase that one would pay to make the leap from midrange lifting capacity or reach to the highest end of the scale. Any manufacturer or distributor should advise customers to spend their money wisely--to match the crane to the jobs and streamline the fleet to handle the majority of work.

Subcontracting may be another option when an occasional project is more than a selected crane can handle. Larger cranes mean different transportation permits and, sometimes, different training for an operation Subbing out a lift can provide cost efficiencies over buying the biggest crane available--which can be "too much" crane--and having to absorb transportation permits and higher insurance rates.

The bottom line

Once a contractor has determined the reach and weight capacity typically needed, a distributor is an excellent source for assistance. Good dealers are trained to walk a contractor through this process. And, when those "occasional" needs arise requiring equipment a contractor does not have, distributors can help you explore the options.

--Jim Darr, the author of this column, is a product specialist with IMT Material Handling Systems, Iowa Mold Tooling Co. For more information on IMT visit www.imt.com, call 800-247-5958, or circle 9