ICUEE: What’s New Review

The International Construction & Utility Equipment Exposition (ICUEE), also known as the Demo Expo, is the utility industry’s largest trade show, covering 28-plus acres of indoor and outdoor exhibits, and bringing together more than 18,000 utility professionals every two years.

Several OEMs in the crane, rigging and specialized transportation sector exhibit at ICUEE, especially those machines that work in the utility and power line sectors. The October issue of ACT will feature our full blown ICUEE Show Guide with a select exhibitor list of products and services that apply to our readership.

For this issue, we wanted to drill down to see what will be all new at ICUEE. We did some digging around and here’s what we discovered.

Load King Stinger

We are excited to see the Load King Stinger line of boom trucks for the first time since this division was purchased from Terex Cranes. The Load King Stinger 25-92 was designed for lighter lifting and day-to-day usage, the company said. Formerly the Terex BT 5092, the Stinger 25-92 travels at highway speeds and features trouble-free operating features that are easy to use, Load King said.

Equipped with a 92-foot, fully synchronous telescopic keel boom, the Stinger 25-92 features a maximum lifting capacity of 25 tons (50,000 pounds) and has a quick-reeving boom head and an electronic rated capacity indicator. This new model was designed with a modular, dual-control console that allows operation from either side of the machine, and the operator can define boundaries for boom rotation, lift and lower. A warning alarm sounds if the boom moves outside the defined area.

It features a keel boom design that has four sections. The self-centering design optimizes strength and delivers performance for high lift capacities at all lift radii, the company said.

Tadano Mantis GTC-500

Tadano Mantis will exhibit two telescopic crawlers in its GTC Series, the 88-ton GTC-800 as well as the all-new 50-ton capacity GTC-500, which is making its trade show debut. The GTC-500 features a 4-section full power boom that allows continuous telescoping with load to the maximum extended length of 113 feet 10 inches. The main boom is complemented with a 28.9 foot to 49.9 foot bi-fold jib. An optional heavy configuration (28,200 pound) counterweight package provides increased lifting performance at longer radiuses, the company said. The GTC-500 has an operating weight of 103,900 pounds, so it can ship in one standard truckload.

Both the GTC-500 and GTC-800 are equipped with Opti-Width, which allows for limitless combinations of symmetrical and asymmetrical track width setups with no requirement for pinning of the track frames in fixed positions. Both cranes also feature pick-and-carry capacity through 360 degrees, automatic switching load charts for operating on slopes up to four degrees and base load charts for work on slopes of up to 1.5 degrees.

Elliott Equipment cab

Elliott Equipment Company will introduce an all-new tilting crane cab on its model 40142 boom truck. The new cab was designed to provide unobstructed visibility and operator comfort. The 40142 has a state-of-the-art control package, featuring full hydraulic controls monitored by a system that provides essential load information as well as the ability for remote Bluetooth diagnostics and performance tailoring to the operator’s preference, according to Elliott. Creature comforts in the new cab include heat, air-conditioning, heated seats, cupholders, storage space, ease of entry/egress and more.

The 40142 crane has a maximum lifting capacity of 40 tons, a 152-foot main boom tip height and 207 feet with its two-stage jib. The 40142 can be equipped with a hydraulic dampened work platform and radio remote controls. Designed for severe duty applications like transmission construction, the 40142 is designed with substantial operator input, to ensure maximum uptime and productivity.

Manitex TC600

Manitex International will debut its newest model in the TC-series lineup, the TC600. With a base rating of 60 tons and a maximum main boom height of 141 feet and a 194-foot maximum height when equipped with an optional jib, the TC600 expands Manitex’s heavy-crane product offerings.

The TC600 incorporates a 4-section boom and offsetable lattice style jib utilizing high strength steel and components providing high strength-to-weight ratio for increased capacities at a long radius. The TC600 includes a spacious, high-visibility cab and the advanced hydraulics of the Manitex TC line of lift solutions with increased lifting capabilities. Featuring a removable counterweight system and uniquely designed trapezoid subframe, the TC600 provides added stability and precision control, Manitex said.

Little Mule 322C/344C

The Little Mule 322C/344C strap hoist is the next evolution of a long line of Little Mule products. The 322C/344C Series features simplified enhancements to its rugged and durable design. The strap hoist features a non-conductive fiberglass handle with polyester webbing for hot line handling. The handle bends to alert the operator of a possible overload and includes pegged thumbscrews for added security. The 322C/344C Series is equipped with a lightweight cast aluminum frame as well as corrosion-resistant stainless-steel springs and frame shafts. Roller shafts are stainless steel plated and all rotating shafts are mounted on bronze bushings for reduced wear.

Manitex MAC 47.5

Manitex’s articulating crane line, now known as MAC, will feature the MAC 47.5 knuckle boom crane. Manitex’s articulating crane products combine the versatility of a knuckle boom crane and the dependability of the Manitex brand to bring users a highly engineered machine to get the job done, the company said.

Altec AC30-53T

Founded in Birmingham, AL in 1929, Altec will celebrate its 90th anniversary at ICUEE. Altec will announce the launch of the AC30-53T, a tractor-mounted telescopic boom truck crane designed with versatility and jobsite flexibility in mind. Event attendees are invited to the Altec demo lot to view a live demonstration of the AC30-53T, which offers integral safety features and productivity benefits. With a 53-foot boom and a maximum lift capacity of 60,000 pounds, the AC30-53T can pick up and transport heavy materials across any distance.

Palfinger TEC cranes

Palfinger will feature its TEC cranes with the new P-Profile patented boom system. Palfinger’s HPSC add-on module recalculates and defines the working range and stability of the crane, and its patented AOS system dampens the boom system of the crane, compensating for vibration and shock.

Vortex simulators

CM Labs’ lineup of Vortex simulators for construction equipment will be on display for visitors to operate the immersive Vortex Advantage and desktop Vortex Edge Plus simulators. Both simulators can run CM Labs’ full catalogue of utilities equipment training packs (including boom truck, backhoe and excavator, along with CM Labs’ new mobile crane).

Spectrum controller

HBC-radiomatic will unveil a new generation of its spectrum controller series. The renovated spectrum versions will come with completely updated radio technology and numerous new features for enhanced safety and operating comfort, including high-performing color displays, additional category 3 PL d safe commands according to EN ISO 13849-1:2015 and new batteries with significantly increased operating times, the company said. The spectrum 4 transmitter for the control of the largest machinery will be presented as the latest addition to the spectrum series.

HBC-radiomatic will also present newly developed expansions of its live camera assistance radiomatic photon including a two-camera switch and a mobile solution with portable cameras. A new version of the patrol handheld transmitter series for small hydraulic applications will also make its ICUEE debut.

Lift Safety Zone

From crane and rigging safety demos in NCCCO’s Lift Safety Zone to written NCCCO exam administrations, NCCCO will be promoting crane safety and the benefits of NCCCO crane and rigger certification at this year’s International Construction and Utility Equipment Exposition (ICUEE), October 1-3 in Louisville, KY.

Subject matter experts will be available throughout the show to answer questions about all NCCCO programs, as well as how OSHA requirements – including the final personnel qualifications crane rule published last November – impact the utility industry. Qualified attendees will have an opportunity to try their hands on the controls of a service truck crane courtesy of Liftmoore Truck Cranes and to test their skills on an NCCCO practical exam course.

BigFoot Construction

Bigfoot Construction Equipment, an American family business and the only major manufacturer of both custom composite and wooden outrigger pads, will show its BigGrip pad. This pad has multi uses. If used face down, The BigGrip pad bites into the surface area of contact and reduces slipping, which is great for various ground conditions. When the pad is used face up, the teeth bite into additional cribbing/dunnage for the right height needed on the equipment’s shoe/float for vertical pressure only.

Grove GHC30

Manitowoc will show its Grove GHC30 telecrawler that will be shown with a pole claw and auger attachment. The 30-ton capacity crane is the smallest member of the GHC range and offers the same 100 percent pick-and-carry function as the rest of the line. With its full-power, three-section 83-foot telescoping boom, operators can easily handle a variety of lifts at various radii without setting up on outriggers like traditional hydraulic boom cranes, saving time on the jobsite. The pole claw and auger attachments are particularly effective when working at electrical substations and surrounding distribution lines, for example. When equipped with the auger and pole claw, the crane is adept at off-loading, lifting and installing the poles needed for these projects.

Power Traxx RT18

Scott Powerline will display the new PowerTraxx RT18 rubber-tracked vehicle, which features joystick steering, back-up/rear view camera, 7-inch color touch screen display, troubleshooting/fault code readings and diagnostic capabilities.

The Power Traxx RT18 is a 95,000-pound GVWR vehicle with a ground pressure of approximately 6.0 psi. It has payload capacity of 50,000 pounds and is powered by a 350 HP Cummins T4F turbo diesel engine.The ICUEE unit is equipped with the industry-leading Terex TM125 insulated aerial device – the RT18 can also be mounted with 45 to 50-ton cranes as well as a vast array of other large construction devices. 

National NBT30H-2 TM

The National Crane NBT30H-2 TM will be represented at the Manitowoc/Grove stand. The 30-ton boom truck sports a 69-foot boom and is well-suited to the utility sector, where construction often requires both a crane and an aerial lift. The primary application for this machine will be oil fields, but it will also be viable for everyday taxi crane service. The NBT30H-2 TM features a tractor mount for oil field and taxi crane work. It was designed to be road legal in all 50 states without special permitting. The NBT30H-2 TM offers 360-degree stability, with and without the trailer attached, thanks to the out and down main outriggers and stabilizers, as well as a fully integrated heavy-duty front outrigger; all of which can be used with full, mid and retracted span chart configurations. The hoist features a two-speed planetary winch with a 390-foot, 9/16-inch rotation-resistant wire rope.