Superior invests in Demag CC 6800-1

Superior Cranes recently purchased a Demag CC 6800-1 crane, equipped with a 1,375-ton lifting capacity. When a challenging petrochemical job in Virginia came up for bid, the timing of the purchase was critical, as the job would require the capacity that only the CC 6800-1 could offer.

“Prior to purchasing the 1,375-ton crane, we could not have completed the lift,” said Joe Everett, president, Superior Cranes. “For that matter, few lifting companies east of the Mississippi River could.”

This was the first project Superior Cranes’ crew would complete with the new CC 6800-1 crawler crane. Demag engineers assisted the company to devise a lift plan for a site with limited access and crane mobility after the load was lifted. Multiple 680,000-pound vessels had to be removed and replaced for the petrochemical company. Everything about the project required diligent planning and flawless execution.

“The crane had to navigate on the narrow job site,” said Everett. “We had to build a pad for the crane, so the counterweight could swing over the top of the building. The lifts took nearly eight months to plan.”

The Demag CC 6800-1 crawler had to be positioned far away from the 20-foot diameter, 40-foot tall vessels. Superior Cranes’ crew then used a 300-ton crawler assist crane to build out the CC 6800-1. Crew members installed 259 feet of main boom and 134.2 feet of Superlift boom. To aid in construction safety, the CC 6800-1 is equipped with the Demag Fall Protection system.

“This system stops a fall prior to the worker reaching the ground, reducing the possibility of injury,” said Hans Hofer, service engineer, Demag. “It is quickly installed from ground level and includes a vest harness equipped with a shock absorber.”

The lifts required 1,719,000-pounds of counterweight – 551,000-pound superstructure, 176,000-pound central ballast and 992,000-pound on the Superlift tray. The lifts were made at 125- and 136-foot radii due to site access limitations.  A total of 12 picks were made in the month Superior Cranes was on site. Wedged between obstructions, the operator carefully kept the boom within lifting radius with the variable Superlift counterweight tray connected to the carbody. After the vessel was secured, the crane boomed up and positioned the load close to the carbody. Crews then disconnected the Superlift tray to rotate the vessel and reposition it to its staging area.