Palfinger crane passes the test in Tbilisi

Road 2015’s Palfinger PK 17.001 SLD 3 loader crane at work delivering blocks in Georgia. Photo: Palfinger

A fleet of Palfinger PK 17.001 SLD 3 hydraulic loader cranes has proved itself in a tough application to deliver pumice and concrete blocks for construction projects in Georgia.

The company, Road 2015, based on the north side of Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi, has been using the hydraulic loader cranes from Austria for the last three years. The manufacturer has proved to be a strong partner for reliable and efficient operations, the company said. Reliable loader cranes are crucial to the company’s day-to-day operations to efficiently deliver building blocks across the country.

Strong boom profile

SLD cranes have a strong hexagonal boom profile to make them last in fast and simple applications like that of Road 2015.

The company started in 2010 and is now a market leader in building block production in Georgia. It employs more than 200 people and the delivery fleet includes five PK 17.001 SLD 3 cranes mounted on the rear of rigid dropside trucks. The PK 17.001 SLD 3 is a workhorse with an outreach of around 13 metres and a lifting moment of nearly 16 tonne-metres.

Its Single Link Plus feature is a link on the boom to improve lifting power at the end of the boom. It also allows a reverse boom angle to be able to poke loads in horizontally through window apertures and similar. Radio remote control was also specified by Road 2015.

Such is the success of the models in the existing fleet the company said it is looking at adding more, maybe a PK 20.501L TEC 3.