Crane Business

An 80 tonne crawler crane has been ‘stood down’ in Cumbria. UK after robins were found nesting inside it. Workers on the United Utilities waste water site in Keswick and had been using the crane and were preparing to strip it down and return it to the crane rental company.

More than 150 leading tower crane experts gathered in London last week (12 May) for the launch of International Tower Cranes 2011, the first-ever global tower crane conference and networking dinner. Organised by International Cranes and Specialized Transport, and its publisher KHL Group, delegates attended from more than 50 companies and 17 countries

I have no business plan. I have no spreadsheet with five years of projected earnings. There are two reasons: Most business “plans” never come to fruition, and five-year sales projections are about as accurate as political polls.

Crane manufacturers and contractors are poised to help drive the next big wave of wind energy construction. Jeff Hampton reports. With what most observers agree was a down year now in the rearview mirror, the U.S. wind energy industry is looking for renewed vitality with the help of a strengthening economy and widespread public support

Italian crane manufacturer Locatelli has supplied 20 Rough Terrain cranes – 12, 30 tonne GRIL 8300T and eight, 60 tonne GRIL 8300T over the past 12 months to the consortium working on the widening of the Panama Canal.

Joannou & Paraskevaides (Overseas) Limited (J&P) has put three Linden Comansa flat top tower cranes to work at the extension of Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, Jordan.

The leader of a symphony orchestra knows how to play every instrument. He also knows how those instruments blend together to create a symphonic sound. The leader of a choir knows every note that everybody has to sing, and knows how the voices and notes blend together to make harmony. They’re actually called “conductors” – but you know what I mean.

Arbor Realty Funding, the lender at the site of a fatal 2008 crane collapse in Turtle Bay, has filed a $69 million malpractice suit against Herrick Feinstein, alleging the law firm provided bad advice about the zoning regulations for the planned 42-story tower.

A reader sent us the attached example from Malta of cribbing under outriggers that leaves a great deal to be desired. Certainly a Death Wish.

It occurred to me that most people who write about leadership are no longer leaders. Easy for them to espouse their Monday morning philosophy-harder for the leaders under fire to take ” former leader” direction. I just read an article in a business magazine written by a well-known “former leader.” I was horrified. One of the “key” points was that “clarity is the antidote of anxiety”; therefore “clarity” is the main concern of the effective leader. What a bunch of baloney. If you’re a leader, and clarity is your main concern, nothing much is going on.