Two Manitowoc crawler cranes overcame frigid winter temperatures, powerful winds and mounds of snow to help erect wind turbines at Sandy Ridge Wind Farm in Tyrone, PA. The job was a rigorous test for the Manitowoc crawler cranes, and in the end, they passed with flying colors.
Lomma Crane & Rigging, a Newark, NJ-based industrial rental company, used a Manitowoc 18000 crawler crane and a Manitowoc 2250 crawler crane on the project. In all, it erected 25 Gamesa G87 wind turbines at the wind farm that tower up to 330 ft. (101 m). Some of the equipment weighed more than 99 USt (89 t).
Steve Burkholder, Lomma’s Heavy Lift Manager at its Pittsburg, PA, location, says the Manitowoc cranes handled the job with ease.
“Despite the challenging conditions, our Manitowoc cranes operated smoothly the entire time,” Burkholder says. “The project went flawlessly.”
Lomma chose the 660 USt (600 t) Manitowoc 18000 crawler crane with 320 ft. (98 m) of boom to construct the tall wind turbines. A 300 USt (272 t) Manitowoc 2250 crawler crane with 300 ft. (91 m) of boom was also on hand to lift the turbines’ tower sections, nacelles, rotors and blades.
The seamless installation of the turbines was impressive considering the Sandy Ridge Wind Farm is located atop Ice Mountain, in the middle of the Allegheny Mountains. The cranes battled subzero temperatures, high winds, hilly terrain and large amounts of snow to complete the project.
Use of wind power in the United States has expanded substantially in the last several years and provided ample work for Manitowoc crawler cranes and Wind Attachments. In 2012 alone, more than 8,000 MW of wind power was installed. With a cumulative installed capacity of more than 60,000 MW of wind power, the United States is surpassed only by China.
The northern portion of the Appalachian Mountains has some of the highest potential for wind energy in the U.S. Sandy Ridge Wind Farm is estimated to provide 125 GW h per year and has been operational since January 2012.
With offices in Newark, NJ, Bridgeville, PA, Charlotte, NC and New York City, Lomma Crane & Rigging has grown to a prominent lifter since it was established in 1975. The company’s fleet consists of several Grove cranes that range up to 550 USt (499 t) and many Manitowoc crawler cranes that range up to 660 USt (600 t).
Recently, Lomma added a Boom Raising System to use with its Manitowoc 16000 crawler crane, which allows the crane to raise longer boom lengths without the need of an assist crane. The company also makes use of many Manitowoc luffing jibs and MAX-ER Attachments.
Burkholder says Manitowoc cranes are essential to Lomma’s fleet.
“I’ve been in the business since 1975 and Manitowoc cranes have been a staple since the start,” he says. “The service is great, the team is impeccable and the company’s knowledge is extensive.”
