Choosing the right crane for your job

Every project that requires a crane has a different set of needs. It doesn’t matter whether it’s lifting boats in and out of the harbour, a crane on a commercial construction site, maintenance work at a power plant or a new infrastructure project, it’s imperative that you have the right crane for the job.

Here at Two Way Cranes we have over 20 years’ industry experience… we’re experts in adaptable mobile crane and speciality lifting solutions. Our qualified and certified team knows everything there is to know about crane selection and our extensive fleet holds the answer to your crane hire needs.

John Menendez, Business Development Manager, discusses some of the most common types of projects and the best crane to choose.

Starting big with a tower crane

When you have a major construction project, a tower crane is the ideal solution. John explains,

“Tower cranes are excellent for extended height and large area jobs. Think multi-storey building construction. They are especially useful where the construction site is congested and it would be difficult to get a mobile crane into the space.

Many construction jobs don’t have a lot of real estate, so you need a crane that can provide different configurations of luffing fly, fix fly, main boom… not too big, not too small.

We’ve got two types of cranes that suit that work and between them they offer a variety of configurations.

Together, they allow us to plan the job to fit the environment perfectly.

Our 350 tonne Liebherr-LTM 1350-6.1 and 300 tonne Grove GMK6300L are the best solutions to build a tower crane in the middle of a construction site.”

Narrow or confined job sites

If your project requires precision installation in a tight space, then you need a more versatile and manoeuvrable machine. Again, Two Way Cranes has multiple vehicles that will suit your needs. John continues,

“If the job involves a confined space then you need either our 40 tonne Franna AT40, our 25 tonne Franna MAC 25-3 SL, or one of our Maeda Crawler cranes.

The AT40 and MAC 25-3 have articulating frames which makes them truly multipurpose… they can get around even the most complicated job sites.

For example, these are the cranes you’d use for relocating building materials on a site or installation or removal of machinery within factories. They perform well where there is tight factory floor access.

Or if you have to work in an area with limited space, a crawler is your answer. Both the MC-305C and the MC-405C have a low profile… they will set up in small confined areas… the crawler is a great versatile machine.

Crawlers are perfect for intricate, challenging jobs like erecting electricity poles in tight laneways. Rather than setting up a massive crane and trying to reach into the space, the crawler is able to manoeuvre into the easement between houses to erect the power poles.

You would also choose this crane if you needed small lifts in restricted space – on top of high-rise buildings or on suspended slabs – like erecting steel for extensions. The crawler can go anywhere!”

Long stick reach

For some jobs, boom length is critical and we have two excellent cranes that offer exceptional reach. John says,

“When we need the extra reach we use the new 60 tonne, three-axled Liebherr LTM 1060.31 or the 100 tonne, four-axled Grove 4100L-1. The LTM has a 48-metre telescopic boom and Variobase® outrigger settings and the 4100L has the MEGAFORM™ 60 metre boom, paired with an 18m telescopic swing-away jib… it can also be boosted with an 8m boom extension.

These cranes are ideal for use in the communications sector… they are used to install antennas on top of buildings or to erect large telecommunication towers.”

Crew safety

Safe use is another element you need to consider when choosing a crane. At Two Way Cranes, safety is always our priority. John outlines our dedication to the security and wellbeing of our customers and our team…

“When it comes to safety, CrewSafe is central to our work. This includes the video system that records the operator driving the crane… on the road, on site and how they operate the vehicle. It produces a higher standard of Verification of Confidence (VOC). This is required to be able to work on Multiplex sites and is becoming more in demand from Tier 1 construction companies.

Our team has also completed electrical awareness tickets for working around power lines, as well as assessments in high-risk work and safe working at heights. Plus, most of our operators hold first aid certificates.

We’re incredibly proud of our safety record.”

Ask the crane hire experts

No matter what type of project you are planning, we have the vehicle to suit. We have decades of experience providing cranes and crews on everything from small builds to major civil infrastructure.

We’ve worked for construction and engineering firms, in multiplexes and ports, and on boutique projects, including outdoor cinemas and wind turbines.

And while our focus is on quality, we’re agile enough to provide the perfect solution for any budget.

To find out how we can help… contact us today.

Our fleet at Two Way Cranes

Franna Cranes

Strong and capable, Franna pick 'n' carry cranes deliver strength, flexibility and great load capacity.

All-Terrain Cranes

From challenging gravel to soft sand, our range of all-terrain cranes can handle whatever terrain is thrown their way.

City Cranes

Tackle the challenging demands of a city-based worksite with our range of flexible and capable city cranes.

Contact Two Way Cranes

Get in touch about crane hire today

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