A Manitex Valla pick and carry crane has proved it has what it takes to lift the biggest and bulkiest loads in very confined factory spaces.
A Valla 180E mini crane was put to the test lifting parts of storage and processing tanks being assembled at a factory in the United Kingdom.
The lifting power, flexibility and manoeuvrability of the pick and carry crane, with its safe lifting weight of 18 tonnes, quickly demonstrated what it was capable of in a manufacturing environment.
The 180E compact crane was fitted with a fly jig, extending its reach and enhanced its ability to lift items within a space confined by the factory ceiling.
Cranes Sales and After Sales Manager Carl Cooper, of Hird Group, the authorised distributer for Manitex Valla pick and carry cranes in the UK and Ireland, said the 180E impressed all who saw the lift.
He added: “We were pleased to be able to demonstrate the capability of Valla mini cranes in this sort of environment.
“The 180E is a DC electric-powered crane, so is fume-free and ideally-suited for operation in this sort of internal environment. Its highly-efficient battery system means it can operation for a whole day on just one charge, if need be.”
Often, in these sorts of manufacturing environments, lifting operations needed to assemble large manufactured objects are carried out with gantry lifts. Or, they might be managed with a range of lifting solutions, such as using forklift trucks or telehandlers.
Carl Cooper said: “Gantry lifts are fine, but are fixed lifting systems so are limited in their scope. If a mini crane like a Valla is not used, other lifting options, like using forklift trucks, are often not optimal.
“This can add to lift complexity, with extra operational steps, often involving greater use of manual handling. This reduces lift productivity and introduces additional potential risks.
“Industrial mini cranes like the Valla 180E are designed specifically for this kind of lifting work, in the confined space within a factory, which maximises safety.
“Also, because they are mobile cranes they can carry out a wider range of lifting tasks than a gantry crane, which customers often find opens up new and previously unforeseen ways to improve the manufacturing process.”
The Valla 180E pick and carry crane has a four-section hydraulic telescopic boom, is just 2.2 metres wide, and is fitted with the latest 3B6 electronic load monitoring system.
