Tidd Ross Todd (TRT) has launched its new TIDD PC28 pick and carry crane featuring the latest in safety and design.
The machine was unveiled to an audience of more than 100 industry representatives and government officials ahead of the Brisbane Truck Show in May.
Nicknamed the ‘site hammer’, the new pick and carry crane is designed to be an efficient and effective workhorse around large mining and construction sites.
It tackles everything from unloading and placing of steel reinforcing to rigging large crawler cranes which can see dozens of truck and trailer movements of heavy equipment.
Improving safety and delivery
TRT chief operations officer Lawrence Baker says the team is very proud of the new crane which is all designed and manufactured in New Zealand.
“We consulted with industry to produce a crane that will work to improve operator safety and deliver productivity improvements across Australasia, and based on the feedback we have from the launch, the industry agrees,” Baker says.
Guests at the launch included representatives from some of Australia’s largest construction companies, suppliers, the Queensland Government and the New Zealand Consul-General for New South Wales and Queensland, Bill Dobbie.
Dobbie says he is “very impressed” by the new crane.
“I spoke with a number of Australian industry and government representatives at the event and they were consistently positive about how well the event demonstrated the TIDD PC28’s safety features, functionality and innovation.”
TRT country manager Stephen Dance says there’s been “overwhelming, positive feedback about the quality of the new TIDD crane”.
Many are commenting that the new level of safety available will improve outcomes for operators and owners across construction, infrastructure and mining sites, Dance says.
The crane was launched with a live interactive demonstration of the patented Slew Safe – a safety feature exclusive to TIDD Cranes.
“Slew Safe, developed by TRT, is a significant new pick and carry safety feature.
“It is designed to minimise the risk of a crane rollover when the crane is lifting on uneven surfaces, a leading cause of articulating crane incidents in Australia,” Dance says.
Slew Safe provides the operator with feedback through the steering wheel that they can feel when the crane moves into an unsafe operating zone, and visually through the dynamic load indicator (LMI).
TRT manufacturing director Bruce Carden says the team has a “real passion for innovation, and the desire to solve problems”.
“This collaboration means we create more relevant industry solutions.
“As such, we will continue to bring more locally developed and manufactured innovation to the Australian heavy transport, mining, construction and defence sectors,” he says.
Carden says the team are currently building two of the cranes per month. However, TRT is in the process of gearing-up its production to build six a month within the next 12 months.
“We see there’s a real market in Australia for the crane … with the infrastructure and mining sector just starting to come back to where it was in the good old days from six years ago, there’s starting to become a real demand for this type of product.”
Carden says the new crane is set to be a big feature of TRT’s and there has also been a lot of interest out of Papua New Guinea.
Heavy transport innovations
TRT also showcased its latest innovations in heavy transport technology during the launch.
TRT’s Electronic Steering System (ESS) for low loaders, platforms, beam and house trailers allows unprecedented steering control for drivers of over dimensional loads.
The new trailer modular Quick Connect system enables large platforms, low loaders and house trailers to be reconfigured for each load, in 20 minutes or less.
Traction Air central tyre inflation system, with GPS technology and axle options was also part of the display. This system manages tyre pressure easily between sealed and site surfaces to improve traction.
TRT have also developed a tyre pressure monitoring variant for the TIDD PC28, another safety feature.
On display were two sections (4x8and2x8) of an 11 x 8 platform trailer with ESS fitted in its modular construction.
Traction Air is fitted to the new prime mover, to provide added traction for the loads.
The new owners, Universal Cranes, will be using the 11 x 8 modular trailer for operations across Australia.
“You may even see it in within their NZ operations from time to time,” Carden says.
An additional TIDD PC28 crane launche will take place with TIDD Crane distributors, WATM Crane Sales & Service in Western Australia on June 21.
