Manitowoc in force at ICUEE

Manitowoc introduced a range of new cranes during October's International Construction and Utility Equipment Expo (ICUEE) in Louisville, Kentucky, USA.

They included the National Crane NBT 50 Series boom truck. "It combines the latest in both hydraulic and electronic machine control. It is also our new flagship series with greater capacities to meet customer needs," said Brian Peretin, vice president of sales.

The NBT 50, boasting updated nomenclature and a new colour scheme, is part of the highest capacity series in the National Crane product line. There are two models in the series, the NBT 55, with a 55 US ton (50 tonne) capacity, and the 50 US ton (45 tonne) capacity NBT 50.

Visitors to ICUEE also had the chance to see the latest addition to the Grove YardBoss industrial crane line. The 25 US ton (23 tonne) capacity YB7725 features a 71 foot (22 m) four-section boom with a 17 foot (5.2 m) offsettable swingaway extension. The crane also has a 15 US ton (14 tonne) deck carrying capacity that allows users to carry materials around the yard or facility.

Tom McCallum, director of industrial crane sales at Manitowoc, said this new crane is designed with operator comfort and ease of use in mind. "The upper section of the door swings out to allow more room in the cab. And a tilt steering wheel and smoother operating joysticks have been added for easier operation."

Also on display was National Crane's 45 US ton (46 tonne) capacity boom truck. The NBT 45 was mounted on an International 7600 truck and displayed on Navistar's booth

The NBT 45 features a 142 foot (43 m), five-section boom - the longest in its size range, says the company. When equipped with a 55 foot (16.7 m) boom extension, the combination will provide a lifting tip height of 204 feet (62 m) and a basket working height of more than 210 feet (64 m).

An additional attraction was a National Crane 1100 series mounted on a Prinoth Go-Tract 3000 crawler carrier. The crane is part of a large fleet of similar units owned by NESCO in USA, Canada and Mexico.

"NESCO has opted for the National Crane 1100 series because it has a maximum tip height of 161 ft (49 m) and each is equipped with a wireless remote that allows workers to hoist themselves to the heights required for installing power transmission lines," said a Manitowoc spokesman.