After years of dominance in the market for small-to-mid-sized cranes with lifting capacity under 250 tonnes, Japan’s leading crane manufacturer, Kobelco, is now staking a claim among the heavyweights. In January of 2018, the company shipped its largest-ever multi-purpose crane, a giant crawler with a maximum lifting capacity of 300 tonnes as standard (350 tonnes in the super heavy lift, SHL, specification). That’s a load moment, or point of overturning, that is 40–60% higher than that of a 250-tonne crane.
“Working with a crane demands a lot of precision and a lot of power, so good driveability and good response are vital, as are smooth and consistent power and torque,” explains explains Haruyuki “Cookie-san” Mayama, Engine Sales Manager for Scania Engines, Japan.