Sims Purchases First Tadano GT-800XL-2 in the U.S.

Sims Crane & Equipment Co. has been serving the heavy equipment needs of contractors for over six decades with crane leasing and sales across Florida. Sims has a large fleet of Tadano all-terrain cranes, and they are now the first company to own the new GT-800XL-2 Truck Crane (5-section 154.3′ power boom, 33.1 ft / 58.1 ft bi‐fold jib, self-removable counterweight). Tadano announced two new Truck Crane models (120-ton GT-1200XL-2 and the 80-ton GT-800XL-2) at ConExpo earlier this year, and Sims looks forward to renting its new Truck Crane all over the Sunshine State.

Sims Crane & Equipment Co. Vice President Jackson Sims is excited about their newest fleet addition from Tadano, “We have been hoping for many years now to see Tadano enter back into the U.S. truck crane market and have been loaded with anticipation from the day they announced the GT-800XL-2 and the GT-1200XL-2. This is a space we have been needing to update in our fleet and are happy to be able to do this with the Tadano product. Sims looks forward to adding many more units in this class to our Florida and Georgia markets over the coming years and are honored to be the first in the US to do so with the GT-800XL-2 which we will put into action at our Tampa location.”

Tadano America Regional Business Manager Todd Elkins adds, “We are thrilled that the first of Tadano’s new Truck Cranes for the United States and Canada markets will go to Sims. The GT-800XL-2 is an outstanding machine, and it will be the perfect taxi crane for Sims’ customer base across Florida and Georgia.”

With low axle weights, narrow transport width and long boom designs, the new Tadano truck cranes can easily get special permitting for transport – making them ideal for taxi crane service. The GT-800XL-2 is designed to provide customers with superior utilization, return on investment and lower cost of ownership. Built with many of the same field-proven, reliable components as GR Series rough terrain cranes, these new models offer the same high quality and rugged durability that Tadano customers have come to expect.

Tadano America Vice President of Sales Ken Butz is pleased with the Truck Crane line debut starting with Sims, “All of us at Tadano America Corp are extremely proud to have Sims Crane and Equipment Co. as our partner to help launch the new Tadano truck crane lineup in North America. Tadano’s history of providing excellent quality crane products together with Sims Crane’s dedication to providing service excellence makes this a winning combination and a great value for our customers.”

Sims Crane & Equipment Co. and Tadano have enjoyed a healthy partnership for years built on shared values like safety, professionalism, reliability and availability. Sims’ business objective is providing its customers throughout the South with a full crane experience of safe and efficient service, and the new Tadano GT-800XL-2 will fit perfectly into an amazing fleet that is accomplishing that goal.

July 28, 2023

Record Concrete Pour to Happen in St. Petersburg

Concrete trucks numbering 650 will arrive in downtown St. Pete this evening to begin a 20-to-24-hour nonstop foundation pour for the future Residences complex located at 400 Central. To fulfill the demand, four regional concrete plants will continually fill the trucks. Vertical construction will begin after the concrete cures. When completed, the tower will stand at 46 stories and hold the record as the tallest building on the Gulf Coast of Florida. 

That's a lot of concrete!

The Tampa Bay Times reports that crews are expected to pour more than two million pounds of concrete, reinforced with more than five million pounds of steel. The job is said to be the largest concrete pour in the city’s history, second only to the construction of the St. Pete Pier. 

General contractor for this project is Suffolk Construction, whose team has supervised drilling of 90 steel-reinforces pilings that sink 180 feet below the ground level.

Upon completion in early 2025, the building will house 301 luxury condominiums, a resort-style swimming pool, a fitness and wellness center, and an observation deck located on the top floor. 40,000 square feet of office and commercial space will also be available.

Additional details provided by the Tampa Bay Business Journal. The images above courtesy of Tampa Business Journal.

May 12, 2023

Lowering Skin Cancer Risk in Construction

May is skin cancer awareness month. With the arrival of warmer months to the northern hemisphere it is well understood that site-based and outdoor contruction workers are at a higher risk of skin cancer than most other professions. This is due to higher levels of ultraviolet radiation.

Millions affected

Five million people are treated for skin cancer every year in the U.S. According to a study of almost 2,300 agricultural and construction workers, overall use of sunscreen and actively seeking shade was low among participants. Age and other factors produced varying results. Of those who work in construction, only 15% to 21% reported use of sunscreen, 24% to 29% sought shade, and about half wore protective clothing. 

The same study listed simple steps to lower the risk of developing skin cancer:

The study showed that construction workers rarely used multiple methods at the same time, but about two-thirds regularly use at least one. 

Some consider suntans healthy

Separate studies in Canada, Scotland, and Germany produced similar findings with lack of self-care when it comes to construction workers and exposure to UV light. Unfortunately, the perception among European workers has been that a suntan indicated a person was “healthy.” To measure UV exposure through standard erythemal dose (SED), wearable UV sensors mounted to hardhats of workers at nine jobsites in central Scotland revealed that outdoor workers each received an average of 2 SED per day during the summer months. Even those who worked partly indoors and outdoors received an average of 0.69 SED per day. The recommended SED exposure limit per day is 0.3 for light-skinned individuals. 

During the lifetime of a person who works outdoors, these levels of exposure to UV light can significantly increase the risk of non-melanoma skin cancer.

Click here to read the entire story at International Construction’s website. The image above courtesy of Pexels.com.

May 11, 2023

Tadano Unveils World’s First Electric RT Crane

Crane manufacturer Tadano displayed a prototype of the new GR-1000XLL EVolt last month at ConExpo in Las Vegas. The world’s first battery electric rough terrain crane will be available in the United Stated and Canada in 2024–the largest market for rough terrain cranes–with additional markets to follow. Its presence on the jobsite will provide heavy lifting applications with zero emissions and minimal noise.

Visually similar

The superstructure of this 100-ton crane is the same as that found on the standard GR-1000XL. The main boom consists of five sections measuring 151 feet long. When paired with a 33-to-58-foot swing away extension, a maximum tip height of 218 feet is reachable with up to 45 degrees of offset. However, the similarities end with driveline and chassis. The diesel engine has been replaced with the lithium ion battery pack and three electric motors. One motor drives the hydraulic pumps for the superstructure, one powers the front axle and another the rear axle. The simple drivetrain allows for more space in the chassis by reducing the number of shafts needed.

Capabilities and performance

The battery pack will charge in seven hours with the standard onboard system or in only two hours with Tesla fast charger. When fully charged, the crane will have enough power to work an entire shift day, about nine hours. If an AC outlet is available at the jobsite the crane can operate while plugged in with 30-, 50-, 75- or 100-amp imput options. Travel distance totals about 12.5 miles on a single charge with a top speed of 11 mph, just like its diesel counterpart.

In comparison to the GR-XL1000XLL-4, Tadano estimates the GR-1000XLL will save around 2,200 gallons of diesel and reduce CO2 emmissions by 24 tons annually. Toshiaki Ujiie, president and CEO of Tadano said, “This crane will make an invaluable contribution to achieving our goal of reducing the CO2 emissions from our products by 35 percent by 2030.”

More information can be read at Vertikal and Cranes Today. Image above courtesy of Tadano.

April 19, 2023

Number of Women Workers in Trucking Rises

The short-haul and over-the-road trucking industry in the U.S. can trace its roots back to the early 20thcentury. For the entire time, trucking has been dominated by men, and the image of a typical American truck driver is associated with rugged masculinity. This portrait is reflected in classic films like Smokey and the Bandit, Convoy, and Thelma & Louise, as well as on TV with B.J. and the Bear.

Only a man’s job?

Contrary to what has been portrayed, the idea of a woman working in the industry or driving a big rig is not unthinkable. Truckinfo.net recently analyzed data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and found that, though a small percentage, the number of women truck drivers has almost doubled since the year 2000.

Details are in the numbers 

The bureau’s analysis showed that 4% of all male full-time workers in the United States in 2020 were truck drivers, which made it by far the most common occupation for men. Additionaly, more than 9 in 10 truck drivers were men in the year 2021 according to data. 

The portion of the entire U.S. working pool represented by women was 43.5% in 2019, and the number of female truck drivers at that time was around 5.5% according to the Department of Labor data. That number accounts for a slow but steady increase. In 2000, women represented 3.65% of the trucking industry as driver/sales workers and truck drivers. By 2021 that number rose to 6.75% of industry workers, composed of female driver/sales workers, plus drivers of tractor-trailers and light trucks.

Not just truck drivers

According to the 2022 Women in Trucking Index, the role of women in other trucking related jobs has made tremendous progress. This is represented by filling leadership positions in trucking companies, serving on the board of directors of organizations, and working as human resources professionals. However, women in these types of jobs outnumber those who actually drive trucks or work as technicians. 

The industry responds

The American Trucking Asociation recently launched Women in Motion, an initiative to break down barriers and encourage women to pursue careers in the industry. The federal government has stepped in and established the Women in Trucking Advisory Board to support those already employed in trucking and to help bring in new workers. Other changes in the industry include actual truck design to accommodate all body types. Included are adjustable pedals, modified stairs and handrail placement, and adjustable height for seatbelts. 

Tennessee’s The Herald-News website published a story about this trend that can be viewed by clicking here.

High tech training

Last, but not least, Women in Trucking recently posted an informative blog about the availability of online courses. These have become increasingly popular in the trucking industry and provide drivers access to training and certification. Click here to read the entire article.

Image above courtesy of Shutterstock.

April 4, 2023

Why Buying a Refurbished Crane could be Beneficial

In its February issue, American Cranes & Transport Magazine (ACT) posted an article about the potential advantages of purchasing a refurbished crane. If a company is financially unable to acquire a brand new crane but needs to add one to their selection of equipment, buying a second-hand model could be a wise investment.

The author outlined six compelling reasons for buying a used crane:

Higher profits – With challenges to the current economy and shortage of raw materials, new cranes come at a high cost and are not always readily available. Buyers are often required to wait while the crane is being built. A pre-owned crane, on the other hand, is usually available to purchase immediately and sellers can benefit from healthy profits.

Less expense – Some crane manufacturers support the idea of repair and refurbishing of equipment because of the potential cost savings. Refurbishing existing components, according to Liebherr, protects natural resources and costs up to 75 percent less versus creating a new part. When customers take advantage of Liebherr’s Reman program, they can choose from three options for their crane to have a “second chance for a new life.” The first is to replace worn components with brand new counterparts. Second, Liebherr will recondition components and bring them up to the latest technical standard when possible. Third, Liebherr technicians will inspect damaged equipment, perform necessary repairs, and replace or remanufacture parts that need attention.

Better for the climate – Ongoing construction has shown an impact on the environment, and companies looking for opportunities to reuse, repair, and recycle can extend the life of an existing crane instead of buying a new one.

Technical advantages – Refurbished cranes offer many of the same benefits as new models in the way of power, drivetrain, boom length, operator conveniences and high tech features. Many manufacturers like Tadano provide ongoing service for their equipment even when it’s no longer considered new.

Upgrades – Tadano conducts repair and upgrade work as part of their specialist crane workshop.  OEM parts are used and, when possible, updated features can be added to modernize the crane.

Reducing downtime – Manufacturer Manitowoc’s repair division is called EnCore, which has seen an increase in demand for service in recent years. EnCore technicians can rebuild boom cylinders, gear boxes, and motors, plus update hydraulic, mechanical, and electrical systems. Manitowoc offers this as an alternative to a new crane purchase and says it reduces downtime with the assurance that the crane has been restored to industry standards.

Read the whole story at ATP’s website by clicking here. Image above courtesy of American Cranes & Transport Magazine.

March 22, 2023

Link-Belt to Debut New All Terrain Crane 

Lexington, Kentucky crane manufacturer Link-Belt will be introducing a new crane platform at the ConExpo-Con/Agg 2023 show next month in Las Vegas. The 300-ton, five-axle, 300 AT crane features a seven-section boom that extends from 46 to 238 feet with a maximum boom tip height of 369 feet. Need more reach? A two-piece 42 to 71 foot hydraulically offset fly is an available option, as well as two lattice extensions that each measure 25 feet. 

Powerful engine, improved transmission

A Cummins X15 diesel engine with 554 horsepower is paired with a ZF Traxon automated manual transmission. According to Link-Belt, the transmission boasts improved shifting performance and includes paddle shift controls plus an integrated intarder braking system for easy stop-and-go at highway speeds. The engine powers upper hydraulic functions with efficiency and includes a 24-volt electrical system with modern CANBUS communications.

The 300 AT meets EPA On-Highway and CARB On-Road standards with its ability to run on alternative diesel hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel.

Versatile counterweight

The crane’s maximum counterweight is 162,000 pounds with four overflow truckloads, and its configuration options allow for 74,000 pounds with two overflow truckloads. The 300 AT can be transported with its upper 8,000-pound counterweight tray in place and remain under 160,000 pounds of gross vehicle weight (23,000 pounds per axle). 

Operator options

This Link-Belt crane features a two-person carrier cab with air-ride seat, 10-inch touch display, LED lighting, blue tooth connectivity, and cellphone charging stations. An automatic climate control system keeps operators comfortable. Large wipers on the operator’s cab help keep the front and top windows clear of moisture and debris. 

Equipment World has more details at its website; click here to read the story. Images above courtesy of Link-Belt.

February 27, 2023

Sims First to take Delivery of Liebherr Unplugged

Sims Crane & Equipment has taken delivery of Liebherr’s new LR 1250.1 Unplugged crawler crane. The battery-powered model is the first in the Unplugged series to be sold in the U.S. East Coast region. It offers the same performance as the conventional version, while putting off zero emissions and minimal noise. Like the other models in the Unplugged series, the LR 1250.1 can operate via battery (unplugged) or plugged in. Battery life is approximately eight hours, depending on the workload.

A welcome addition

Sims’ new Liebherr 1250.1 crane will include a 242-foot main boom and 311-foot luffing jib with auxiliary tip. The crane is expected to arrive this summer.

Jackson Sims, Owner / VP sales / Market Development at Sims Crane, noted “We are honored to partner with Liebherr and be on the forefront to serve a vastly growing need for alternative energy to Sims' ever-growing customer base.”

Image above courtesy of Liebherr. Pictured left to right at the Liebherr factory in Austria: Dietmar Haemmerle, Michael Neyer, Lukas Burtscher, Michael Flecker, Michael Kuffermann  (Sims Strategic Operations Manager), Timothy McDaniel (Sims Crawler Division Manager), Jared Lester (Sims Commercial Sales Team Manager), Wolfgang Herzog.

February 16, 2023