The new 55 tonne Tadano GT-550E was purchased to fill the gap that an existing Kato 25 tonne rough terrain could not satisfy. Company Director, Glenn Tasker, carefully weighed the options and found a new Tadano would present better value than a used 50 tonne Kato alternative.

“We had specific crane requirements and the Tadano GT-550E was available at the right time. Our new Tadano crane will pick up the slack that our 25 tonne Kato couldn’t do,” said Glenn.

“We considered a few used alternatives but realised a new Tadano is better value in the long run, is compliant with our vehicle mass regulations when fully loaded and it is road registrable.”

Already at work between two local coal mining sites in the booming mineral district of Bowen Basin, the GT-550E is supporting lifting requirements by lifting up to 30 tonne sections of mine equipment in and out of the mine for servicing.

Weighing in at 39.8 tonne, the GT-550E hydraulic truck crane is one of the most versatile cranes in its class. The boom extension spans from 11.1m to 42m and is capable of lifting up to 55t in weight. Boom elevation from -20° to 80° is achieved in just 68 seconds.

The Nissan carrier runs a powerful, yet economical 6 cylinder, 256kw, water cooled, direct injection, turbo charged engine putting out 1460nm of torque. The turning circle of the carrier is impressive and will prove versatile within the tight confines of coal mining sites.

An established boiler maker for over 20 years, Glenn Tasker has a broad range of skills in fabrication, steel erection, rigging and working as a dogger. The transition across to cranage brought about new business opportunities for Glenn, and the Central Highlands Fabrications company continues to grow.

“We needed a specific crane to meet our lifting needs and Peter Shelton from James Equipment suggested the new Tadano alternative,” said Glenn.

“The crane gives us the highway speed and lifting capacity we needed and even with all the extras loaded, it still comes under the required 40 tonne road regulation limit.”

Establishing a solid reputation over 15 years, James Equipment has a broad knowledge base of crane engineering and a large network of international suppliers to draw upon. Serving the crane industry right across Australia, Melbourne-based James Equipment has an excellent range of used cranes in stock from international manufacturers including Demag, Kato, Liebherr, and Kobelco.

For further information on this story contact:

Glenn Tasker
Central Highlands Fabrications
Tel (07) 4986 4012
Mob 0417 764 425
Email chfabs@westnet.com.au

or

Peter Shelton
Manager, James Equipment
Tel (03) 9369 6823
Fax (03) 9369 1777
Email pshelton@jamesequipment.com.au
Web www.jamesequipment.com.au