Gulf Construction Online - Linden Comansa to add fourth model to range

Cranes & Hoists

Linden Comansa flat-top cranes work at Queen Alia International Airport, Jordan.

Linden Comansa to add fourth model to range

01 August 2011

LINDEN Comansa is looking to complete its LCL series of luffing-jib cranes with the launch of a fourth model, the LCL 165 crane, next month (September).

In a bit more than a year, the Spanish manufacturer has completely renewed its range of luffers (The LCL 190 crane was presented in Bauma 2010, while the LCL 280 and LCL 310 were launched last March) and has retired the models LCL-200 and LCL-250, which were part of its product portfolio since 1997.

The LCL 165 crane will come out with versions of eight and 12 tonnes of maximum load (17,640 and 26,450 lbs). Its maximum jib length will be 50 m, with jib steps every 5 m, and its maximum freestanding height will be 56.6 m, although it will be able to reach higher when its tower sections are combined with those from other series.

The LCL 165 eight-tonne crane will come with a hoist device of 24 kW (37 and 50 kW will be optional), while the LCL 165 12-tonne will have a 50 kW device (with another 65 kW device as an option). All these mechanisms include the Effi-Plus system, which increases the hoist speed with light loads, significantly enhancing productivity compared to previous systems.

The new model features all the characteristics of the remaining cranes of the LCL series, namely a modular design, which allows most of the jib and tower sections to be interchanged with the cranes of the series; a light and compact design, for easier transport and erection of the crane; mechanisms that guarantee that hoist, slewing and luffing movements are always safe and smooth; and electronic coordination between the luffing and hoisting movements – a control system popularly known as “level luffing” – which allows the crane operator to move the load horizontally by just pushing a button while applying the luffing movement.

Queen Alia Airport ... under expansion.

The prototype of the LCL 165 eight-tonne crane, with 50-m jib length and a tower height of 21 m has already been erected at the company’s premises in Huarte (Navarre, Spain), where it is successfully passing the necessary tests before its commercial launch. This includes the analysis of the erection process; static and dynamic load tests; monitoring of limitation and security systems; verification of the use and manoeuvrability of the crane; and a full study of the accessibility for the maintenance works.

Linden Comansa is a leading tower crane manufacturer, with a complete range of flat-top and luffing-jib cranes, and has manufactured nearly 16,000 cranes since 1963. It has exported to more than 40 countries in five continents, including Eastern Europe, Germany, France, the UK, Portugal, Switzerland, the US, Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Algeria, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Korea, Japan, the UAE, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.

The company offers one of the widest ranges of modern flat-top cranes in the world.

Three of its flat-top cranes are currently working on the extension of the Amman’s International Airport, known as Queen Alia International Airport, in Jordan. The cranes – 21 LC 400 models – have a maximum load capacity of 18 tonnes and a jib length of 80 m. They have been erected at various heights ranging from 45 to 65.5 m and on rails in order to work at various areas of the jobsite, says the spokesman.

The $640-million expansion project will increase Queen Alia airport’s capacity from the current three million passengers per year to seven million when the phased construction is completed in 2012.

This ambitious extension has been designed by Foster & Partners and is being built by Joannou & Paraskevaides (Overseas), one of the leading building and civil engineering contractors in the Middle East.