Tower titans: Top tower crane innovations in North America 2024

As the year draws to a close, it’s safe to say the North American construction landscape saw plenty of evolution, with the latest generation of tower cranes pushing boundaries in efficiency, safety and performance.

Tower cranes remain vital pieces of equipment for large-scale projects, including high-rise buildings, bridge and complex infrastructure developments, where their strength and reach can transform ambitious designs into reality. This year, manufacturers have unveiled a variety of models tailored to the unique needs of North America’s construction sector. Key innovations include enhanced luffing capabilities, improved digital control systems and increased maximum load capacities, ensuring these machines meet the demands of today’s high-rise projects.

This product focus explores the newest tower cranes launched across North America in 2024, with offerings from industry leaders such as Wolffkran, Jaso, Comansa, Potain, Liebherr and Terex. This new generation of tower cranes is set to redefine construction capabilities and operational efficiency, raising the bar for the lifting industry.

Addressing key demands

This year, Wolffkran introduced the WOLFF 7021 Clear, a robust flat-top crane in the 224 mt class, noted for its impressive lifting capacity, simplified assembly and maintenance efficiency. Designed based on customer feedback, this crane expands the WOLFF medium load moment range and addresses key demands of operators.

Photo: Wolffkran

The WOLFF 7021 Clear features an innovative ballast frame that can be assembled and disassembled on the stationary crane, reducing assembly weights and transport effort. The counter jib includes quick-attach railings and a variable platform, allowing for efficient space use during transport. Additionally, jib parts can be transported on the counter jib, saving space and reducing the need for additional mounting equipment. The newly designed boom connection—a patented pin-and-wedge system—simplifies assembly by eliminating the need for hammers, while smooth transitions improve load positioning accuracy.

This model provides additional platforms for maintenance, allowing easy access to key components such as guide pulleys and the High-Speed Positioning System (HiSPS) battery without extensive safety gear. Anti-slip, wider walkways further enhance operator safety, particularly during split jib assembly.

Responding to specific customer needs, the WOLFF 7021 Clear offers two options for the tower top section. The divisible, climbable version, compatible with the UV/TV 20 tower system, reduces assembly weight to 6.4 tons and can be equipped with a mounting platform. Alternatively, a non-divisible eco version (10.6 tons) provides a cost-effective choice. Both configurations include standard central lubrication for the slewing ring, with optional features like a lubrication pinion and auxiliary crane for the slewing gear. Available in 8.5, 10.5 and soon 12.5-ton variants, the WOLFF 7021 Clear boasts a tip load capacity of 2.1 tons (2.3 tons with WOLFF Boost) at a 70-meter jib length.

A leap forward

Jaso has unveiled a new luffing model, the J638PA, developed in collaboration with the company’s partners and featuring the JASO Optimus Line technology. The J638PA is ready to redefine the standards of performance and efficiency in the United States, Canada, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Oceania, the company said.

Photo: Jaso

The J638PA boasts a maximum reach of 213 feet (65 meters), providing construction teams with greater flexibility and access to heights. With a robust maximum load capacity of 70,500 pounds (32 tons) and a maximum tip load of 15,900 pounds (7.2 tons) at its full reach, this crane is engineered to handle the a variety of demanding projects.

“Developed in collaboration with our partners, the J638PA is the result of shared expertise and a collective commitment to overcoming challenges,” said Álvaro Urbistondo de Leiva, North America manager, Jaso. “Addressing technical, commercial, construction, logistical, safety and environmental considerations, this crane stands as a versatile, sustainable and technologically advanced solution.”

The J638PA luffer was also designed with a strong focus on environmental responsibility. Its efficient operation and sustainable features align with JASO’s dedication to minimizing environmental impact while maximizing productivity.

Luffer upgrade

The latest tower crane offering from Comansa is the LCL800 luffing jib tower crane, an upgraded version of the LCL700. This is the largest Comansa luffing-jib crane with a maximum load of 141,095 pounds (64 metric tons) and a maximum tip capacity of 19,180 pounds (8.7 metric tons) at 213 feet.

Photo: Comansa

Some of the updates from the LCL700 include an upgraded cat head with larger reinforced steel, and a stronger reinforced slew bearing. With these changes Comansa was able to improve the overall load chart of the crane, the company said. The LCL800 comes in two versions, a 50-ton and 64-ton maximum capacity. With a simple manual switchover, the LCL800 can switch its hoist system from a double pull line to a direct pull line and reduce its maximum load to 32 and 25 tons, gaining in hoist speed, tip load and productivity.

The maximum radius of the LCL800 is 213.3 feet, with boom lengths every 5 meters down to 96.4 feet. The minimum reach of both versions is only 4 meters, allowing the best use of the work area on site. The LCL800 also has an excellent boom radius in out of service mode between 66.9 ft. and 52.5 ft, depending on the maximum radius making it safer when the crane is not being operated.

The counter jib radius is also very small at only 31.2 feet, which can be reduced to 28.5 feet by assembling the crane with steel counterweights instead of standard concrete counterweights. Despite its size, the counter jib has a very spacious distribution, making it very comfortable for operators to perform work and maintenance tasks, the company said. The LCL800 comes standard with the CUBE cab in which the L and XL versions are available. The LCL800 comes ready for quick assembly with factory installed luffing reevings, reducing assembly work and time on site. The towers are joined with quick mast pin connections and share the same mast with Comansa’s larger 2100 series flat top tower cranes.

Comansa has also developed an 8-meter H base for projects with space constraints for both this new LCL800 and the large 2100 series cranes ranging up to the 21LC1400 66t which historically were only suited for a 10 meter base. This base can be manufactured as a standard base or portal base and have traveling as an option for both.

Streamlined assembly

Manitowoc completed its latest generation of Potain luffing jib cranes with the launch of the MR 309 and MR 329. These new models follow the successful introduction of the MR 229 at bauma 2022, which was the first Potain luffing jib crane to come equipped with the Potain Crane Control System (CCS) and Potain CONNECT telematics.

Photo: Manitowoc

The jib on the MR 229, MR 309 and MR 329 can be mounted horizontally, section by section, while the reduced windvane spans make installation on tight jobsites easier. Accessible platforms and steps promote secure and efficient worker movement, and the counterjib ballast is installed at working height. The positioning of the ballast is made easier thanks to slinging rings and a self-centering system. A redesigned luffing mechanism further streamlines assembly, while an integrated jib-end basket further promotes more secure installation, inspection, and maintenance. Finally, the Potain CCS decreases commissioning time, helping the cranes to get to work faster.

Photo: Manitowoc

Customers also requested a greater height under pivot and more powerful load charts, which the MR 229, MR 309 and MR 329 all deliver, the company said. The MR 309 and MR 329 have been introduced with maximum capacity variants of 16 or 25 tons. Despite sharing a common 60-meter jib and a 3.4-ton capacity at the tip, their distinct pivot and mast configurations result in differing heights under pivot and load curves.

The MR 309, with its 2-meter pivot and mast configuration, achieves a height under pivot of 49.2 meters, reaching a maximum capacity of 4.3 tons at 55 meters. In contrast, the MR 329, featuring a 2.45-meter pivot and mast configuration, attains a height under pivot of 55.2 meters, with a maximum capacity of 4.7 tons at 55 meters. In addition, the new cranes address the need for a strongly reduced out-of-service radius (9.5 m to 12 m) and decreased anchorage requirements, delivering improved efficiency and productivity on high-rise and congested construction sites where oversailing is not permitted.

“We’ve received excellent feedback since the debut of the MR 229, particularly for its ease of erection, minimized out-of-service radius and the integration of CCS,” said Thibaut Le Besnerais, vice-president of marketing and development at Manitowoc. “Furthermore, customers have praised the seamless operation of the crane from the Ultraview CCS cab. With these achievements in mind, we have high expectations for the MR 309 and MR 329 as they round out this innovative new generation of Potain luffing jib cranes.”

Luffing upgrades

Manufacturer Liebherr in Germany has released details of a new high-capacity luffing jib tower crane with multiple improvements over the outgoing model. As a replacement for the 357 HC-L, the new 440 HC-L lifts more, takes up less space and uses new materials to save weight. It is better suited to ever faster construction site cycles, Liebherr said.

Two versions are available: the 24 tonne capacity 440 HC-L 12/24 and the 36 tonne 440 HC-L 18/36. The bigger model beats its 32 tonne predecessor by 4 tonnes. The out of service radius is 10.7 meters and a minimum working radius of less than four metres can be achieved, the manufacturer said. It means set up can be closer to surrounding buildings, boundaries, or cranes, potentially enough to get another crane on site.

Photo: Liebherr

A first for this crane is the use of synthetic (aramid) fibre rope for the luffing pendant ropes. Its weight saving over using steel rope reduces dead load and immediately translates into extra lifting capacity. Another advantage of this new model is that time is saved on assembly because it only has one central electrical cabinet for the switchgear and the electronics are connected in a plug-and-play arrangement.

The 440 HC-L has a jib end capacity up by as much as 52 percent over the 357 HC-L. The Load Plus feature increases capacity by 22 percent. As an example, on a 50-meter jib, capacity at the tip increases from 7.5 to 9 tonnes. Freestanding height has increased to 76.4 meters, up 5.8 meters over the old model.

Enhanced efficiency

Construction equipment manufacturer Terex will soon launch a new version of a city class flat top tower crane to the market. The CTT 152-6 is a 6 tonne lifting capacity crane. Its jib lengths range from 25 to a maximum of 60 meters to better adapt to different job sites and it has a freestanding height of up to 61.2 meters.

The crane’s tip load is 1.7 tonnes, or 1.91 tonnes with Terex Power Plus. Terex Power Plus boosts operating capacity by an extra 10 percent, the manufacturer said.

Photo: Terex

It features an easy set up and is provided with an S-Pace cabin with an ABB control system and it is compliant with the tower crane safety standard EN14439-Rev1. The crane features the latest Terex technologies including T-Torque slewing, which the company says will improve efficiency in daily lifting operations.

The new model will have two winch options (18 or 22 kW) to satisfy the different needs of the market and there are new design improvements such as a pinned connection between the jib and slewing unit, and the removal of counter jib ballast to simplify and speed up installation.