HIAB has been a popular name among businesses with varying lifting requirements for over 60 years. The company, which invented the first hydraulic crane the world had ever seen, is today known for the reliability, quality, and sheer precision of its products.

One of the best line of cranes from HIAB, called the Sea Crane, was developed just after World War II. Since then, for over 60 years, it has been applied in a number of areas. Some of these are in the coast guard, dredgers, icebreakers, trenchers and military ships. A few other industries where the HIAB Sea Cranes have been used are in fire and rescue, oil and gas, adventure tours, army supply ships and commercial fisheries.

The HIAB Sea Crane is preferred in these industries and applications for several reasons. It has a compact design, is versatile and offers a long life. The cranes have been designed to function in even the harshest of conditions, especially in a salt water environment. The chrome plating, double chrome treatment and unique seals that have been provided with the cranes enable it to withstand tough marine conditions.

Some of the features that make the HIAB Sea Crane a top performer is its marine valve (to facilitate easy service), double duty slewing systems (to allow users to operate it at 2 degree trim and 5 degree heel, without any restrictions on lifting capacity) and extension booms that are galvanized.

An oil bath slewing system offers the crane a long life and allows for easy maintenance. With its stainless steel hose, pipes and pipe fittings, the crane remains protected from corrosion. Based on the purpose you need the crane for, hydraulic power packs can also be added to the crane.

 

 

Ford Motorsport has inaugurated a new kind of hospitality facility for use at racing events, and they relied on a HIAB crane to assemble this unique building.

At racing events, factory teams need places to sleep. Teams also play host to media and other guests, and have staff to house. Ford Motorsport designed a new temporary structure that meets its needs for portability and easy assembly.

The structure consists of six semi-trailers (called pods). The pods are arranged in a horseshoe shape with three on the bottom and three placed on top to create a second level.

To position the pods on the second level, the company chose a HIAB crane with a lifting capacity of five tonnes at 18 metres. The results are pretty impressive, as the picture in the attached article shows.

The many varied applications of HIAB cranes never cease to amaze!

 

 

The HIAB XS 622 truck crane is front and centre in the latest issue of HIAB Method magazine.

The cover story on the crane focuses on the great features that we outlined last month in a blog post about the XS 622: improved, smoother movement thanks to redesigned full sequence cylinders; new side supports on each boom extension to stabilize lateral movements; new couplings, new seals and optimised piping diameters to reduce the risk of leakage and ensure a longer service life; and exceptional precision and performance.

The HIAB XS 622 is also, despite its robustness, a light crane: “A major difference in the HIAB XS 622 compared to its predecessors is the fact the new generation of HIAB cranes in this segment is slimmer and lighter. They are compact and low and can also be installed on 3-axle vehicles.”

Another article talks about how one business in Stockholm is using the XS 622 truck mounted crane. ComEast Logistik AB specializes in transporting boats and other fragile items. The company uses the XS 622 and its owner says of the crane: “Despite the capacity, it feels like driving a small crane and is very sleek. Having a crane this size on a 3-axle vehicle is no doubt unique.”

More information on Atlas Polar’s selection of HIAB products is available on our HIAB truck cranes page.

 

 

The product brochure for the new HIAB XS 622 truck mounted crane says that this crane is “probably the best crane” ever invented by the company. We think that all of HIAB’s cranes could be given that lofty designation, but it’s true that the XS 622 is a pretty impressive machine. We talked about the crane’s new features in our last post, and here we’ll look a little more closely at some of the options and other features that make this crane stand out from the pack.

• This crane is fast. It takes just 55 seconds for the nine extensions to extend.
• The optional P-boom (EP configuration) can be fitted with up to 6 extensions, offering 17m of outreach with a lifting capacity of more than 2.7 tonnes.
• An optional jib lets you reach high places easily. Imagine delivering 680 kg up to 23 metres above the ground and placing it precisely inside a building!
• The variable pump extends the life of the crane’s hydraulic systems by keeping it at least 20ºC cooler than a traditional pump. It also offers tremendous reductions in fuel consumption—4,000 litres less fuel gets used per year with the variable pump.
• The Variable Stability Limit, which is optional outside the EU but highly recommended, automatically regulates crane capacity in relation to actual stability while working. As the product brochure for the XS 622 says, “the position of each stabiliser leg is monitored and, if necessary, capacity is reduced for certain slewing angles.”

The HIAB XS 622 truck mounted crane “reaches farther than most and delivers to places where many others cannot.” It is proof-positive of the excellence of HIAB products and we are pleased to offer it to Atlas Polar customers. Visit our XS 622 web page for more information.

 

 

Even though HIAB cranes are the best in the industry, the company has found a way to make improvements. The new 58 tm HIAB XS 622 truck mounted crane incorporates the latest in HIAB technology and boasts many innovations:

• The design of the full sequence cylinders has been refined to prevent jerky movements when the crane is extended or retracted.
• A new type of side support on each boom extension provides more stability in the boom system.
• New EO2 couplings with soft seal fittings minimize leakage.
• With the HIAB Jib 150 X, the XS 622 offers a full 32 m of outreach. The jib itself can be angled at 25º upward.
• Even with all of its innovations, its excellent reach, and its power, the XS 622 has a low weight and takes up little space on the truck, giving you more room for cargo.

The HIAB HiPro control system comes standard, as does the E-link system, “a kind of lever connection between the column and the first boom, as well as the first and the second boom. This is beneficial when lifting heavy loads straight up to high places, such as on scaffolding.”

The specs on this crane have led HIAB to call the XS 622 “probably the best crane” they’ve ever invented. We’ll explore more of the crane’s features in our next post.

For more information on the new HIAB XS 622 knuckleboom crane, we invite you to read the product brochure on our website or contact a member of our sales team.

 

 

When the team at Peel Region’s Waste Management Division began looking for equipment to transport and place mobile signage, they chose a Multilift hooklift and HIAB truck crane.

The job requires workers to move and place signs in all kinds of weather. To carry out this task, the Region chose the HIAB XS 044 truck mounted crane and the Multilift hooklift XR4.

The HIAB XS 044 has a small profile, leaving more room for payload. But with a lifting capacity of 980 kg at 3.5m, this small crane is a powerful performer. It is also incredibly versatile, giving operators a choice of two boom systems and three HIAB control systems.

The Multilift XR4 can move loads of up to 9,000 lbs in containers 10-12 ft. in length. It mounts and demounts quickly, and its lower operating radius during mounting and demounting makes it ideal for use in areas with low heights.

Operator safety was given the highest priority when deciding on transportation solutions. In addition to safe and easy operation, the hooklift (like the crane) offers the team tremendous versatility: “[w]ith the hooklift, the flat bed body used to carry the mobile sign racks can be replaced with other bodies like a roll-off container box for material haulage or a specially designed fork lift system which can be used to transport front-end waste containers.”

Together, the crane and hook lift tandem (nicknamed ‘Optimus” by staff) “provide[s] the Waste Collection and Processing team with increased capabilities to attend to a wide array of service requests.”

We have another great package on our Demo & Used Equipment page: a HIAB 055-2 CLX truck mounted crane with a Ford F550 XL 4×4.

The crane is new, with a lifting capacity of 4,010 lbs at 23’ 7”. Its maximum outreach is 23’ 11”. Among the accessories included on the crane are: same sequence controls on both sides, load holding valves on all hydraulic functions, oil bath slewing, and 410 degrees rotation.

The Ford truck is a 2009, with a V8 Powerstroke diesel engine and 42,000 km. Its 9’ deck is steel checker plate with rub rails & stake pockets, two new locking tool boxes, and outrigger pad holders. The truck also offers a Reece receiver and trailer plug connection, rear facing work lights, and an optional boom rest over the head board.

To learn more about this great truck crane package, read the listing on our Demo/Used Equipment page.

Get a Quote on a HIAB Crane

It seems that use of HIAB truck cranes in animal rescue is becoming more common. In a blog post in April we talked about the rescue of Heidi the donkey in Corringham, England. Now we have news that Avon Fire and Rescue also employs HIAB cranes in its animal rescue unit.

A recent article in the Weston, Worle & Somerset Mercury noted that Avon Fire and Rescue responded to 132 animal-related incidents in 2009/2010. Incidents ranged from rescuing cats in trees to saving the life of Whisper, a horse who became trapped in a ditch near its stables, and had to be extricated with a HIAB truck crane.

Animals under stress can be dangerous. Due to the potentially volatile situations they face in rescuing stressed animals, Avon Fire and Rescue has a team of 100 firefighters who are specially trained in animal rescue techniques. They also work closely with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to ensure they are handling the rescue in the best possible way.

To read more and see a photo of Whisper being rescued, click the image to the right.

Get a Quote on a HIAB XS 144 Truck Crane

ThyssenKrupp Palmers, a UK-based scaffolding company, was looking for a truck mounted crane that could handle all of their delivery requirements. The crane they chose was the HIAB XS 144.

The XS 144 has lifting capacity of 5,000 kg at 2.6 m, and 720 kg @ 15.0 m. ThyssenKrupp Palmer chose it for a number of reasons:

• Competitive pricing. HIAB won a competitive tendering process by offering an affordable yet comprehensive package that included crane training.
• Past experience with HIAB products. The company had worked with other HIAB products and knew all about their reliability and the excellent customer service that HIAB provides.
• Versatility. The XS 144 can be specified with an 8.2m reach, ideal for their trucks, which have an 8m bed.
• Flexibility. The company used to use cable lifts, but wanted the flexibility to deliver in multiple areas on site, which the HIAB XS 144 provides.

ThyssenKrupp Palmer provides another example of the many possible applications for HIAB cranes. Take a look at the pictures to see just how well-suited the XS 144 truck mounted crane is to the job of moving scaffolding boards and supplies.

Get a Quote on a HIAB XS 288 Truck Crane

HIAB and Multilift was showcased at CTT Moscow, the leading construction equipment and technologies event in Russia, the CIS, and Eastern Europe. The exhibition ran from May 31 until June 3.

HIAB is the global market leading brand in on-road load handling solutions. At the CTT show, HIAB focused on solutions for the construction industry, including the HIAB XS 288 truck mounted crane and the Multilift XR 5S.

The XS 288 knuckleboom crane on display at CTT Moscow included the Duo control system, which gives an extra boost of capacity and improved productivity. That extra power comes from the Automatic Duty Control (ADC) function in the control system which senses the job being done. It was also selected for display because of its superior performance in terms of reach and lifting capacity.

The Multilift XR 5S has a unique, innovative design, incorporating a single-plate subframe, outstanding geometry, and simplified construction that creates a totally new concept for demountable users. It also boasts a low weight and easy installation.

Congratulations to HIAB for making its mark in a new region! For more information on the HIAB and Multilift products featured at CTT Moscow, click the links above, or contact Atlas Polar.