CHANGE AND CONSOLIDATION …

Loader crane manufacturers are constantly updating and adapting their products to incorporate new technology, legislation and customer demands. Unlike other equipment that we cover most loader cranes are used daily carrying out multiple deliveries all involving lifts, so anything that can help improve vehicle fuel efficiency, while making operation easier and quicker scores highly with buyers.

Over the past few years, this constant state of improvement and refinement has put pressure on small to medium players in the market, while the fleet nature of the market - which can accentuate normal economic boom and bust cycles - has led to a rising focus on aftermarket and product lifetime revenues - services rather than manufacturing new products. We take a look at some of those changes and a few new products…

Given the competitive nature of the market, it is perhaps not surprising to see two publicly quoted companies at the top, the last leading family owned company Fassi is no longer owned by the Fassi family, but more on that later.

More recently Netherlands based loader crane group Hyva is set to join the stock market through a new owner. Hyva includes the Hyva, Kennis, Ferrari and Amco Veba product lines and has been acquired by German Private Equity firm Mutares, just six months after it became part of Jost. It turns out that Jost was more interested in Hyva’s tipper truck cylinders and off highway component business than getting into the increasingly tough loader crane market.

Mutares was jointly established by chief executive Robin Laik in Munich who remains its largest single largest shareholder, although it is quoted on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

The Hyva crane manufacturing companies being acquired by Mutares have annual revenues in the region of €100 million, with around 400 employee across production plants in Italy, Brazil and China along with a network of sales and distribution offices.

Johannes Laumann of Mutares said: "The crane business unit of Hyva is a very promising new platform for our Goods & Services segment with a globally recognised brand in truck mounted cranes. The business presents a turnaround and carve out opportunity due to recent financial underperformance and operational inefficiencies. With our proven expertise in carve outs and restructuring, we aim to restore profitability and drive sustainable growth. With a hands-on approach and long-term investment strategy, we see the company as a valuable addition to the Mutares portfolio.”

The original loader crane

The company synonymous with the loader crane is Hiab, thought of as Swedish even though these days it is technically Finnish. In some countries it is the generic name for loader crane, as Hoover used to be for vacuum cleaners in some places. Hiab has always been among the top three leading loader crane manufacturers together with Austrian company Palfinger and Fassi in Italy. It is no accident that the first two are publicly quoted.

The company has been around since the earliest days of the hydraulic loader crane, producing its first crane in 1944 and after three years of further development and improvements the Hiab 190 entered serial production in 1947. Hiab - an abbreviation of Hydrauliska Industria AB - pioneered the articulated loader crane concept. During its 70 plus years it has had several owners, some better than others when looking at its development. It remained in family ownership until 1985 when it became part of the Partek Corporation and was then acquired by Kone Corporation in 2002, with Hiab and its sister companies forming the Kone Cargotec division. This was then demerged in 2005 becoming Cargotec which lasted 20 years, during that time many would say that its famous brand identity was diluted.

However, in April of this year, Hiab once again became an independent, standalone company. The Cargotec name has gone following the demerger of Kalmar and MacGregor, and Hiab is now listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki stock market. The new independent Hiab says that “as a standalone company, we retain the spirit of innovation with a focus on agility and customer needs. This allows us to further concentrate on research and development to create smarter, safer, and more sustainable solutions. With our customers’ needs in mind, we will enhance our commitment to providing tailored solutions and building long lasting relationships based on trust and collaboration. Our approach to growth will prioritise sustainability, developing eco-friendly solutions and minimising our environmental impact.” The proof as they say is in the walknot the talk.

Hiab's new HD crane

Prior to its new independence, Hiab launched a couple of new models. The iQ.708 Hipro - a heavy duty 60 to 70 tonne/metre loader crane, which joins its ‘Next generation’ range of cranes - and the Jonsered iZ.18R HD recycling crane, Jonsered being its forestry and recycling brand.

Hiab global product director Stefano Brusa said: “The design philosophy behind the structure of the Hipro crane is to deliver a balance between the crane’s performance and the overall ease and flexibility of installation, enabling customers to benefit from more payload on a wide assortment of trucks, which are key elements for the users in this market.”

With the E9, 10 section boom - base plus nine telescoping sections - the maximum capacity is 11,100kg at 5.1 metres radius. The maximum tip height is just over 25 metres at which point it has a capacity of 8,200kg at a radius of 6.6 metres.

It can be topped by the E8 eight section jib for a maximum tip height of 40 metres at which point it can lift 600kg and take it out to a 21.4 metre radius with the boom extended and the jib horizontal for an up & over clearance of 25 metres. Capacity with boom and jib horizontal is 390kg at a radius of 35 metres. Slew is 360 degrees continuous and the overall weight of the crane with longest E9 boom and outriggers is 7,215kg. The weight when equipped with the E8 jib is 8,390kg.

The new crane is equipped with SPACEevothe company’s most advanced control system which aims to enable all skill levels to operate the crane with greater speed and safety. The new crane also introduces the Synchronised Distance Control (SDC) function which automatically keeps the load at a set distance from the crane’s boom tip with a single controller on the remote. The Load Stability System for vertical movements (LSS-V) compensates for unintentionally excessive lever movement in vertical operations, while the Variable Stability

Logic PLUS (VSL+) function optimises lifting capacity by monitoring the position and pressure of the stabiliser legs actively using the available load on the truck as counterweight. The above functions are all contained in the CD4 remote controller, which provides operators with three large displays, visible in all light conditions, haptic feedback for alerts and crane reactions, as well as battery condition with personalised operator crane settings.

Jonsered recycling crane

Hiab also launched the new 18/19 tonne metre Jonsered iZ.18R HD available with a choice of three total extension lengths - 8.6, 9.0 and 10 metres - with a rising articulated link topped by a three section telescopic boom. Maximum capacities range from 5,300kg at three metres on the short boom model to 3,950kg on the 10 metre boom, while at full reach they can manage 1,900kg at 8.3 metres and 1,400kg at 9.7 metres respectively.

The cranes are equipped with Hiab’s SPACEevo control system along with the Olsbergs Q200 valve, part of a new system of hydraulics, sensors and cables that the company says will provide long-term durability for high frequency duty cycle cranes.

The iZ.18R HD has been designed specifically to withstand a minimum of eight hour continuous daily work cycles, with an S3 classified structure. All models are available with high seat, side seat - left or right - platform or cab configurations. The first model to go into production will be the high seat with middle or side configurations, while the platform and cab versions will be introduced at a later date.

The control stations come with a wide range of options such as mechanical steering (2+2), remote controls and the latest electric joysticks which are fully weatherproof without the need for a protective cover. All control functions including stabilisers are controlled from the joysticks.

Changes at Fassi

Fassi, the leading Italian manufacturer and another of the top three global producers, makes around 12,000 units in a good year. Established in 1965 the company was run by the Fassi family for almost 60 years, then early last year UK international investment firm Investindustrial Group acquired a 70 percent stake in the company. Its “primary objective was to garner fresh resources to bolster Fassi Gru's global standing, building on Fassi’s growth over the past few years in North America and Asia, as well as ongoing expansion in Europe.”

The remaining 30 percent in the company is retained by the Fassi family, with Giovanni Fassi continuing as chief executive. In 2023, Fassi had revenues of €470 million, with 85 percent of sales generated outside Italy. Based in Albino, Bergamo, the company employs 1,600 and operates 18 production facilities in Italy, France, Sweden and Malaysia.

Giovanni Fassi said: “I am extremely proud of the business my father founded in the 1960s and the management team and employees who have contributed to its ever growing success. We are excited about partnering with Investindustrial to support Fassi’s next phase of growth, which will leverage and benefit from its significant expertise and knowledge of improving companies’ operational performance and geographical presence.”

Investindustrial chairman Andrea Bonomi added: “Investindustrial continues to be the partner of choice of Italian, family owned, high quality companies whose entrepreneurs want to bring them to the next level of growth. We have been extremely impressed with Fassi - its strong performance and market leading position and reputation, its growth and international expansion to date, and its focus on quality,innovation and sustainability. All these factors are supported by a strong management team and culture and are all characteristics that we look for in the companies we invest in. We are delighted to have the opportunity to invest in the business and work with them to create the absolute market leader.”

Since then, Fassi has acquired German truck body manufacturer Bavaria Fahrzeugbau and agreed a supply partnership with Swedish steel producer SSAB for fossil free steel building on its existing partnership where it uses SSAB’s Strenx steel in its heavy duty cranes. However potentially the biggest change is the appointment of Victor Gottardi as chief executive of Fassi Gru. Gottardi - who trained as a mechanical engineer - will work alongside group chief executive Giovanni Fassi. He joins the company after more than five years working with Italian company Arag and US based Nordson, a manufacturer of precision technology for production lines. He was chief executive and an investor in Arag until it was acquired by Nordson in 2023, he then became vice president of Nordson Precision Agriculture when it was rebranded.

Fassi continues to push the technology envelope showing six new models for its expanded Techno range at Bauma - the F2350RL-HXP, F1050R.2HXP, F905R-HXP, F805R.2-HXP, F705R.2-HXP and F605R.2-HXP Techno. The new cranes join a range launched in 2021 with the F1450RHXP Techno, followed by the F1750R-HXP and F1250R-HXP T Techno.

The new cranes offer higher capacities and great function precision, coupled with lower overall weight through the use of new materials and advanced structural design. At the heart of the new cranes is an advanced electronic system giving a more intuitive control interface all the way to the integration of new outrigger and stabilising functions aimed at improving both efficiency and operator safety.

Most powerfuL Fassi crane ever

The new range topping 142 tonne metre F2350RL-HXP Techno is Fassi’s most powerful crane ever and, claims the company, the first crane in the world with 18 hydraulic boom extensions. Designed to be installed on vehicles with an overall weight of 40 tonnes, it is compact at 2.53 metres wide by 8.36 metres long and 2.9 metres high.

The inner boom is a metre longer than on its predecessor, the F2150RL, giving a maximum reach of up to 46.35 metres thanks to the use of the new L956L, L957L and L958L hydraulic jibs. The L958L jib stands out for its 17.2 metre hydraulic extension and 10,000kg capacity, allowing extended lifting operations without compromising stability or precision. Combined with Fassi’s X-Design technology, it claims to offer improved performance in the most challenging working conditions. The F2350RLHXP is also the first crane in the range to extend X-Design technology to the hydraulic jib. The FSC Techno stability control system provides dynamic crane stability sensing enabling it to adapt to a range of operating conditions.

The crane also features double linkage, XP device, ProLink system, continuous slew and customisable base available in three versions allowing it to be adapted to any vehicle setup with six legs, two of which extend rearwards for additional 360 degree stability. The F2350RLHXP also features a hydraulic winch fitted under the outer boom with 120 metres of cable as standard, complete with torque limiter and limit sensor.

The technology can make you head spin and includes the IMC integral electronic control unit, the multi-proportional Danfoss distributor and D900 digital hydraulic distributor, V7 RRC radio control unit, ADC automatic dynamic control, electronic flow sharing and XF system all feeding the FX991 touchscreen display.

If that is not enough, the new firmware offers advanced functions, with IoT - or Internet of Cranes (IoC) system - with the crane constantly connected in order to provide real time backup support, as well as helping reduce maintenance time and cost.

The IoC portal - accessible to operators, dealerships and technicians - brings together functions such as telemetry, fleet management and malfunction detection in a single platform. With just a few clicks, it offers an overview of the status of the machines, allowing rapid intervention and thus improving operational efficiency.

Furthermore, the system dynamically calculates working hours remaining before the next service based on actual crane use. This allows machine downtime to be automatically scheduled.

Remote Smart Cam

Another positive safety step is the introduction of Fassi’s Wi-Fi video camera called Remote Smart Cam - RSC - which allows the operator to view improved real time images of the lift on the V7S radio controller display, while keeping a safe distance from critical areas when lifting. It is also useful at times of poor lighting. The RSC provides operators with a Wi-Fi connection which allows them to move the camera with its tilting magnetic mount and a locking mechanism to the most suitable position according to the particular job.

Market Leader?

We have already mentioned two of the ‘big three’ loader crane manufacturers - Hiab and Fassi - but possibly the biggest currently is Palfinger, however sales of all three are normally fairly close year on year. At Bauma, Palfinger hosted the world premiere of its new PK 880 TEC which is now available to order. According to the company the PK 880 TEC ‘punches above its weight’.

“When designing the PK 880 TEC, we focused on creating a solution that truly meets the needs of our customers, especially the operators who rely on our products every day. It advanced design, innovative features and lower weight make it ideal for work in confined spaces,” says chief operating officer Alexander Susanek. “Our TEC loader cranes now range from 24 to 165 tonne metres, further strengthening our position as market leader in this segment. And this is just the beginning - our pipeline is packed with exciting product innovations for various markets.”

As with all the new products from the leading manufacturers, the PK 880 TEC claims to be “lighter, more compact and more powerful” with its lightweight P-profile boom system providing “lifting capacities above its class” allowing higher vehicle payloads while remaining compact and space saving. A new lighting system includes two working lights on the crane plus two working lights on the jib, focused on the load, while the working area is illuminated by additional LED strips under the boom.

A new slew lock is easily adjusted by the operator to prevent inadvertent slewing in restricted areas. A new ‘Memory Position’ stores up to four coordinates to help with multiple repeat lifts, allowing them to be carried out faster and with greater precision. The ‘Levelling Assistant’ is said to save up to 80 percent of the time taken to set up and level the crane through and automatic optimised setup programme for the outriggers.

Palfinger ‘Connected plus+’ apparently simplifies operations and complex project planning. Operators and fleet managers can check the current device status at any time, which is also available to others through a shared database. One of the essential features of Connected plus+ is the Job Planner which optimises the entire planning process by taking the specific crane setup on the vehicle, the planned outrigger situation and lifting capacity data into account.

When using a remoted controller on the PK 880 TEC, operators can choose between the high end P7 or the lightweight alternative, the new P6. Its compact design and ergonomic carrying belt is said to make the P6 remote easier to use, while the integrated colour display provides intuitive controls. Battery life is more than 40 hours.

The crane can also be equipped with the Electric Power Unit 40 allowing operators to switch at any time between diesel and electric power, when using in noise or emission sensitive areas…or just when everyone wants a little quiet on site. The diesel tops up the battery when running. The power unit can be shared between several trucks/cranes increasing fleet flexibility.

Other new things

Palfinger’s optional multifunction adapter (MFA) which allows operators to switch between attachments such as platforms or grapples more easily has been available on the TEC range with P profile, can now be ordered with the SLD, EH and SH crane ranges with the hexagonal boom profile.

Tiltable crane fork

Palfinger has also introduced a tiltable crane fork that can be quickly and easily installed on all Palfinger TEC loader cranes equipped with the Paltronic 180 control system. Its MTCF (Monitor Tiltable Crane Fork) software immediately integrates into the crane system's overload function. It is said to have a significantly lower overall height compared to alternatives and is mounted on the crane’s jib using the multifunction adapter. It is offered in combination with the PZP-H and PZP-V standard pallet fork tops.

Palfinger claims the tiltable fork is the first and only product on the European market that meets EN12999. In the event of an overload, the remote controller provides an active warning and allows only movements that reduce the load moment. These clear warnings simplify operation, prevent accidents, and protect the crane. ■