MAST CLIMBERS
52
ACCESS, LIFT&HANDLERS
JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2015
working from theM2platform,”O’Shea says.
“Product refinements and innovative design
changes have resulted in themost efficient,
cost-effective and safestmethod of working at
height formasons yet.”
Hydro-Mobilewill have the unit ondisplay at
World of Concrete during theBricklayer 500
competition. (Formore information onWorld of
Concrete, see our ShowGuide in this issue.)
“HydroMobile places great emphasis on the
local support provided through our distribution
[network] and customer service, quality,
innovation and comprehensive industry training
will combine to present an industry-leading
support package to potential customers andnew
distributors,” the company says.
Custom solutions
Klimer, which is celebrating20 years of business
and is located inOntario, has beenbusyworking
on a number of projects, including custom
components for the now-completeCanadian
Museum for HumanRights inWinnipeg.
Klimer designed and engineered custom
pieces that allowed the transport platforms
andmast-climbingwork platforms to travel
up anddown angularwalls formasonrywork.
In addition to handlingmasonry, the transport
platform also liftedmaterials for other trades as
well as debris removal.
TheCanadianMuseum for HumanRights
(CMHR) is a nationalmuseum inWinnipeg,
Manitoba, and is located adjacent to The Forks.
The purpose of themuseum is to “explore
the subject of human rightswith a special but
not exclusive reference toCanada, in order to
enhance the public's understanding of human
rights, to promote respect for others and
to encourage reflection anddialogue.” The
museum opened officially inSeptember 2014.
Transport goals
In another realm, Geda has extended its range in
theMultilift hoist series.
“We are increasing our concept to bring
machineswhich are already assembled, you
only erectmast sections and ties onsite,” says
JohannSailer, generalmanager at Geda.
The company started years agowith its P6unit
but the latest is theP22. It has 2-ton capacity,
can carry 22people andhas amaximumheight
of over 650 feet. The company also has the big
PH rangewith amaximum3.2-ton capacity,
with amaximumheight of 1,312 feet, but they
need to be assembled onsite. “It’s not always
easy to assemble onsite because the situation is
always different,” Sailer says.
TheMultilift series, Sailer adds, “is a different
technology, in the sense that the drive units
were at the top of the car before,meaning they
were too high for transportation. Now they have
been assembled on the side of the cars. It’s a
different drive concept.”
Sailer sees transport platforms as a big area of
development andGeda announced the launch of
a range-topping6,613-pound capacitymachine
at the beginning of this year – the3000Z/ZP.
Themachines have two towers but the tie-in
forces are very lowbecause of its symmetric
design. “So, they canbe used for renovations,
where a lot of problems are foundwith tie-in
forces,” Sailer says. “I think themarket needs
it because they now like to bringup complete
units like awhole bathroom.”
The smallest inGeda’s range is the300Z/ZP,
whichhas a foldable platform that users can
enter throughdoors.
“We have experiencewith twin towers, and it
has a lot of benefitswhengoing for renovation,
like oldbuildings, including churches, whichdo
not have a lot of concrete but have stones, so
if there is a lot of force site, that’s always a big
benefit.”
Specially designedproducts are also
increasingly requested for the company. One
was 6.5-ton-capacitymachinewith a23-foot-
high car at coal-firedpowered station in theU.S.
“They need the bigplatform andbig capacity to
change the filters for example,” Sailer says.
The company also has an explosionproof
machine for oil andgas, which is a growingpart
of the business. “Our intention is to develop
specialmachines for eachmarket to fill the
requirements in thesemarkets,” he continues.
“Construction sites are really changing. There
is a big range of possibilities to full all range of
requirements.”
At themoment themanufacturer is not looking
to increase its puremast climbingproduct
range, which is a relatively small part of the
business. “Youhave tomake priorities,” Sailer
says. “We increase our range dramatically in
other areas. So, it is always a choice,maybewe
will follow it up in the future.”
Heavy investment
AlimakHek has not launched any newmast
climbingplatforms since2007, but it has instead
been extending its transport platformmodels.
The three twinmast HEKTPLmodels from the
light range of transport platformswere launched
at Bauma in2013. The threemodels use the
samemast as theSingleMastmodels, HEKTPL
500 and300, plus landingdoors and anchors
that canbe sued onmultiplemachines. They are
designed to be transported on a truck.
Themanufacturer is looking at the light/
medium and the heavy TPmarket next.
JoseOlguin, executive vice president and
global head of the construction area of the
business, says, “Within the light/medium
AGedaMultilift P18 helps
to renovate South Tower
of Munich’s Frauenkirche
cathedral in Germany.
InAlimakHek’smodular range, transport
platforms andmast climbingplatforms use
the samemast anddrive unit. This can keep
investment low.With this range already inplace,
the company is now focusing on “standalone”
machines in these product ranges. “It is the
aim to bring the best possiblemachine for the
owner anduser to themarket based on the
specific needs for thatmodel,”Olguin says.
“Thesemachineswill all have the best ratios of
technical performance andprice.”
Hoist plans
For Alimak, a new line of hoistswere introduced
during the last yearwith features requested in
these emergingmarkets.
The first introductionwasmade at Bauma
2013 andmoremodels have followed. They
operate on theScando450 and650mast
sections giving compatibilitywithprevious and
existingproduct lines. This is a competitive
rangewith a low cost of ownership, Alimak says.
“The construction industry is looking for
solutions for high capacities andbig volumes
on a regular basis,”Olguin says. “The demand
is on a project-to-project basis and the volumes
are still low. Going forward it is likelywewill see
these bigmodelsmore often.”
However, a trend in the industry sees
operators going for the cheapest price– and this
canbe a challenge. “This oftenmeans
Klimerwas instrumental in designing and
engineering custom components for the
CanadianMuseum for HumanRights in
Winnipeg, Manitoba, pictured here.
Breakthrough of Fraco’s SEH
Ser es co struction hoists in
the U.S. market began in early
2014, th company says.
