Truck Mounted Cranes from Palfinger

Growth story of the Indian economy during the past decade or so, is no more a new discussion. After going through a slow pace of growth rate almost for five decades after independence, India has now woken up in a world, where it found itself, years behind the progress of developed nations and even developing ones like China. To cover up the gap, it is now the time for high pace run in all possible spheres of business.

At the core of it is the high demand for the development of infrastructure, be it the urban faced development like building new cities, flyovers, airports or connecting the cities and villages and constructing the artery for transportation of input or output materials for Industry or Agriculture or be it providing basic amenities to its billions of people.

The growth of infrastructural development is also working as catalyst for core manufacturing industries like Steel, Cement, Power and Mining.

The inclusive growth including transport and handling of goods in fast, efficient and safer manner, is a big challenge for all stake- holders. The age old practice is to have trucks for transportation and Cranes at loading and unloading points. This process needs lot of coordination and any lapse in between, cost money and valuable time to either the transporter or the Crane Hirer or to the final user. It is a conventional thinking, owning cost of a simple truck or conventional "Pick N Carry" cranes is lower, thus it's economical. But, on the hindsight, it is the operational cost, which is a big spoiler of the so called "economical arrangement."

Also, another conventional thinking is, in countries like India, where manpower is available in plenty at reasonable rate many jobs can be executed by deployment of more hands. Gone those days–! Manpower is no more an easily "exploitable resource". Safety is no more a "book word" and more importantly, speed cannot be "compromised" Project deadline is the key word for maintaining profitability and to avoid cost overrun.

To counter this situation, in developed nations, decades back thought came to make a Truck, an independent equipment, to handle its own loading and unloading job and many products got "developed" to make trucking a more powerful and self-dependent activity.

Truck Mounted Loader Crane is a very significant contributor to this development. Standard Characteristic of Speed, Mobility and Fuel Efficiency of a modern truck is now combined with the power of lifting and unloading virtually any load and almost at any distance or height ! Seems apparently unbelievable. But, it comes true with the World leader Palfinger's dynamic offering of wide range of products in their capacity, utility and construction. These Truck Loader Cranes are widely popular in developed nations and almost 1/3rd of total truck population is fitted with such equipments.

Palfinger's global strategy encompasses on "innovation".. "internationalization" and "diversifi- cation." After 50 years of relentless innovation and evolution, the company still remains young and energetic to define new technology to make these cranes more safe in all applications, more precise in operation and lighter, but stronger in construction. However, while developing the "next generation" cranes, Palfinger has never forgotten its responsibility for emerging markets, which demand much simpler, basic and economical proposition, but not at the cost of safety or life cycle of product. Today, Palfinger, has taken the lead of developing and introducing a simpler "fit to market" Crane and that too not only for India, but for whole of Asia and from very Indian soil using Indian raw materials and resources.

The other dimension of this "Innovation" is making these Cranes a versatile equipment to handle almost all materials handling situation. It is no more handling the load under a 'hook' only, Crane can be attached with many Mechanical & Hydraulic accessories. It will be interesting to discuss a few here.

For Construction Sites

Cranes are widely used for handling Building Materials like Hollow Brick Grabs, Pre-fabricated structures, Panels, Steel Structures, Shuttering and many other construction site materials.

In India, almost 50 Cranes are already working with Brick Clamp Attachments. These cranes can also be fitted with Clamshell Buckets for handling loose construction materials.

Road Construction companies also find product like our Barrier Lifts a useful proposition for quick installation in the mid or side of roads.

Also, attachment like Jibs, can even give the power to the crane to do a job at great height of 30-40 meter.

For Electricity Companies

Besides general materials handling like Cable Drum Handling, this can be extremely helpful and versatile equipment. If correct capacity is chosen, the same crane can be used for handling Transformers and their installations, Digging Bore for Electric Post erection (Augur attachment), Erection of Pole (Pole Grab) or going to a height for installation or maintenance of lighting arrangement (in conjunction with Personal Basket).

No wonder, not only Private Electricity company but also the Govt. run Electricity Boards are increasingly choosing these equipments.

A simple fact, though a conventional manual method of boring hole, erection of poles and fixation of lighting arrangement can be made for maximum 2 units per day, while with the new arrangement of Truck Loader Cranes, it can be anything between 6 – 8 units per day. Now, imagine the huge demand of electrification required by urban and rural India and utility of these machines making our progress faster and profit for the contractor or company too.

Industries

Palfinger Loader Cranes have relevance and application in almost all industries–whether it is building the infrastructure like factory shed or for general materials handling from one corner to another of big plant or deploying a Crane with Man Basket for access to maintain structures at a height—use is everywhere. In a short span of time, Cement, Steel, and Power sectors have started recognizing these equipments and finding them of great help.

Mining Segment

With the spread of activity and increasing pressure on effective running of their fleets, it is important to have such a Loader Crane on Truck in Mining areas, which can rush the maintenance support materials in flash of time and there is no need of deploying an equipment like excavator as a loading device.

Also, a very interesting application, is Cranes with Tyre Handling Equipment.. experimental usage has already started by certain industry pioneers and it will be worthwhile watching growth of these application, particularly when more big wheeled equipments are being bought by Mining companies and manual handling no more possible for a 2 T to 7.5 ton weight Tyres.

For General Hirers / Transporters

However, the biggest opportunity of business lies for the sectors like Crane Hirers / Transporters. It will be nice to say that they can now extend their business in other's domain with a Truck combined with Cranes thus improving the work opportunity and growing the business.

Conventional thought that these two segment of buyers have their own set of equipments (either a Crane or a Truck) and dependent on each other's efficiency / inefficiency. But, now a hirer can take up a job of transporter or vice versa.

Also, both of them enjoy the opportunity of making their equipment "special" and "versatile," thereby exploring newer application oriented business opportunity.

Palfinger Special Cranes

Palfinger is always keen to develop and provide solution to special demands of special customers.

Recycling Cranes

Industries of Forestry, log or bamboo handling for paper mills, Industrial Waste handling demands a special Heavy Duty and High Performance Crane. Palfinger supplies special cranes for these Industries and already started being visible in Paper Mill Industry in India.

Bridge Inspection Cranes

Hundreds of Bridges have been or being built across the country on which lies the future of our connectivity. Palfinger Bridge Inspection Cranes mounted on a Truck or a Railway Wagon gives the authorities the right access for the maintenance on the bridge or under the bridge.

Railway Cranes

Country's largest organization and world's second largest railway network, surely need an efficient and reliable equipment, loaded with high safety features for their jobs, whether laying of sleepers or laying of electrical cable or erection of electric post or signal masts. Palfinger has the answer in its repository and surely look forward their future in this business.

For Palfinger, it is just beginning of journey and we approach aggressively and work patiently to explore the opportunity in this new giant economy in India.