Tower cranes: Electric power, precision control and safety breakthroughs

The first two of four new Jaso J390 low top tower cranes being erected in Cardiff, Wales, by Falcon Tower Crane Services. (Photo: Falcon Tower Cranes)

Several new tower cranes have already been launched to the market this year, including models from Liebherr, Stafford, Terex and Wolffkran, among others.

Bauma luffers

Manufacturers Liebherr and Manitowoc launched new luffing jib tower cranes at the Bauma trade show in April. Liebherr’s is the 620 HC-L 18/36, which is the second biggest in the luffing jib model range after the 64 tonne 710 HC-L 32/64. The latest addition takes the range of luffers to nine models, starting with a 12 tonner.

Liebherr’s new 620 HC-L 18/36 is the second biggest in its luffing jib model range. (Photo: Liebherr)

Manitowoc’s latest is the Potain MR 819, which offers a jib length of up to 70 metres and a lifting capacity of 64 tonnes. Zoomlion’s new 40 tonne capacity R800-40 flat top tower crane was also at the show. 

Increased safety

At the start of the year, we reported on Terex Tower Cranes’ new high capacity luffing jib tower crane – the CTL 702-32, which already complies with the future revision of the EN 14439 standard and it includes all the newest Terex crane technologies.

The Italy-based manufacturer says it meets requests from operators and erection crews for increased safety, plus easier and quicker erection. Typical applications will be infrastructure and energy-related projects. Over time it will replace the CTL 630B.

Terex says its new model will make construction projects safer and allow them to be completed more quickly. Precise control of the crane’s motions is the key to this, Terex said.

“The more precise the control, the safer and smoother the operation, minimising downtime and maximising efficiency,” says Angelo Cosmo, Terex Tower Cranes product manager. “We embedded this philosophy in the design and functionality of the crane to provide a more seamless experience for operators and crews alike.”

The maximum jib length on the CTL 702-32 is 70 metres, at the end of which capacity is 6 tonnes. Its 32 tonne maximum load is achieved on a 28 metre jib.

Electric power

As a fully electric machine, the crane can help minimise a construction site’s environmental footprint and offers overall energy efficiency.

Electronic control is a big part of the new model, too. The new T-Line system helps with load placement by allowing the boom to luff while maintaining the same load height. For better slewing there is the T-Torque function on the inverter which the operator can also adjust. Crane motions can be adjusted to best suit different lifting requirements.

The hoist and luffing winches are each 110 kW. Maximum hoisting speed on two falls of rope is 197 metres a minute. Rope capacity on the hoist drum is 990 metres.

From a safety angle, work has been done to provide enclosures and handrail protection to reduce the chance of falling objects. A captive mechanism stops the pins from being dropped. Protection is also improved for workers at height on the crane.

The CTL 702-32 luffing jib tower crane from Terex Tower Cranes, launched in January 2025. (Photo: Terex)

Show ground

Then back in February this year, we reported on Wolffkran’s latest 900 tonne-metre rated model in its Compact series of low top tower cranes. The Wolff 8095 Compact is the first saddle jib model from Wolff in the 900 tonne-metre class.

“With the new Wolff 8095 Compact, we have succeeded in designing our largest trolley jib crane to date with an impressive lifting capacity. Thanks to its tower top section, which is about six metres shorter than the cross-jib version, it is very compact and economical,” says Dr Mohamed Abouelezz, Wolffkran head of business development and product management.

Two versions are available, with lifting capacities of 25 and 40 tonnes. The 8095.25 lifts 25 tonnes on two falls of rope and 10.5 tonnes at the end of an 80 metre jib and using the Wolff Boost function.

The 40 tonne (on four falls of rope) Wolff 8095.40 version has a double trolley. It can be separated and coupled automatically at the push of a button for two- or four-fall operation. At the end of its maximum 80 metre jib the maximum load is 9.4 tonnes, increased to 10.3 tonnes with Wolff Boost.

The new Wolffkran 550 B luffer is in the higher load moment range. (Photo: Wolffkran)

“This makes it not only stronger than our largest Wolff cross-jib crane, the Wolff 8060, but also a clear leader in the 900 tonne-metre class compared to competitors,” Abouelezz says.

Its 110 kW hoist winch gives a maximum operating speed of 160 m/min. Where lower power is sufficient, the hoist winch can be up to 50 per cent smaller, saving energy.

The manufacturer also announced a new 30 tonne capacity luffing jib tower crane, also shown at Bauma. The 550 B fits in the range between the well-established 355 B and the 630 B. Wolffkran says strong demand around the world for larger tower cranes informed the decision to add this size of luffer.

“Our customers are increasingly requesting cranes in the 500 to 600 tonne-metre range for infrastructure projects, industrial plants, and data centres. Despite a weak economic outlook, there is still a lot of construction happening in these sectors,” adds Abouelezz. This crane will be available from June.

Growing demand

Chinese manufacturers are upping the ante and working on tower crane developments.

XCMG says it is developing new tower crane technologies for oversized lifting. (Photo: XCMG)

XCMG says it has created a new range of large-scale tower cranes designed to meet the growing demands of bridge, hydropower, thermal power, and other infrastructure projects. It comments that it has developed new technologies for oversized lifting and height, as well as improvements in digital and intelligent technologies, such as AI-driven remote control and unmanned operation systems.

Patented design

Manufacturer Zoomlion says it has made significant technological breakthroughs in the development of super-large tower cranes. It says it has developed over 10 core technologies, including heavy-duty split structures with large-scale cross-section designs that enhance crane stability and strength, high-lift and high-torque lifting systems that improve the cranes’ ability to lift heavier loads to greater heights, and efficient, precise control systems that enable better handling and safety during the operation of ultra-large tower cranes.

Zoomlion’s luffing jib tower crane at work on the Yilan wind farm in China. (Photo: Zoomlion)

It has applied for over 1200 patents for tower crane design including, 587 invention patents, 102 design patents and 15 software copyrights.

Tech up

There’s been new developments in tower crane accessories, too. For example, manufacturer Wolffkran has unveiled its new wireless crane control system for tower cranes, Wolff Intuitive Control.

“Until now, crane operators using wireless control had to manually translate the desired overall movement of the load into individual commands for each crane axis,” says Wolffkran. “They had to control the trolley, jib, and hoisting operation separately. They needed to mentally convert their own viewpoint into the crane’s coordinate system. For example, an operator standing at the front of the jib, facing the crane, who wanted to move the load to the left from their perspective, had to move the remote control to the right - an operation requiring significant experience and concentration.”

The manufacturer says that its new remote control system makes this process automatically, and allows the operator to move the load directly in the desired direction. It improves the precision of the positioning, even in poor visibility. Its Wolff Cam display can also be integrated into the control unit.

Tower rope

WireCo has introduced its latest hoist rope, Casar Lazerlift, which can be used on high-capacity tower cranes.

WireCo introduced its latest hoist rope Casar Lazerlift. (Photo: WireCo)

The rope was developed to address the growing need for higher durability and strength in rotation-resistant hoist ropes, particularly in industries like wind energy, where lifting heights and loads continue to grow.

“The Lazerlift hoist rope represents our latest breakthrough in rope design, and one that we expect will follow in the footsteps of our other well-known crane ropes,” says Johannes Weirich, WireCo’s chief engineer for crane ropes. “We have met crane operator needs with a rope that has superior spooling behaviour along with a superior MBF (minimum breaking force).”

Tested both in the lab and in real-world crane operations, Lazerlift has been built to withstand extreme radial stress and maintain high breaking strength over time. The company says this results in a longer service life and reduced maintenance needs for crane operators.

Industry moves

• Maxim Crane Works has finalised a strategic acquisition of tower crane assets from a wholly owned subsidiary of Sims Crane & Equipment Co., a major force in Florida’s crane market. This move is part of Maxim’s ongoing push to modernise its fleet, broaden its product lineup and strengthen its footprint in key regions. Sims says the sale reflects a sharpened focus on its core operations and strategic alignment with long-term business goals.
• Tower crane rental specialist Falcon Tower Crane Services in the UK is expanding its fleet with nine new cranes from Jaso. The first four new cranes from the Spanish manufacturer are already erected on site in Wales. They are the 24 tonne capacity J390 low top saddle jib model with a 3.8 tonne tip load. Contractor Sacyr is using the cranes to build a new cancer hospital in Cardiff. They replace the slightly smaller J300N.A models sold out of the fleet in 2023 and 2024. Maximum jib length on the J390 is 75 metres and the counter jib options are between 15.3 and 19.9 metres. The other five cranes ordered are all J235.12 flat top models.
• Tower crane rental firm Groke is expanding its presence in Canada through a new agreement with Linden Comansa America. Beginning in 2025, Groke will serve as the exclusive distributor of Comansa tower cranes in British Columbia. The move builds on Groke’s ongoing partnership with Comansa, which began when the company started operations in British Columbia in 2022. Headquartered in Mexico and founded in 2007, Groke has supported more than 1,000 projects and now operates one of the largest Comansa fleets in North America, with nearly 200 units.

Witches broom

Photo: Liebherr

A Liebherr 340 EC-B 16 tower crane played a crucial role in constructing a 70 metre high viewing tower in the Harz Mountains, known as the “world’s largest witches’ broom.”

Located in Rothesütte, Germany, the crane, with a 57.5 metre hook height and a 40 metre radius, tackled challenging site conditions to lift 12.5 tonne steel sections onto the concrete base. The project required precision planning due to limited access and involved assembling 2,560 steel parts with over 22,300 bolts to form the 452 tonne structure.

The Harzer Hexenreich project is scheduled for completion by the end of 2025.

Irish towers

Photo: Raimondi

Six Raimondi MRT573 flat top tower cranes, supplied by Irish Cranes, are driving the construction of a landmark mixed-use project in Rathborne, Dublin.

“To enhance jobsite safety and efficiency, all six cranes have been integrated with advanced zoning and anti-collision systems, preventing potential interference between machines and nearby structures,” says Robert Coffey, director general of Irish Cranes.

“Some of the cranes have been de-rated to 75 % of the model’s maximum lifting capacity, aligning with existing safety regulations while maintaining optimal performance for the project’s lifting requirements.”

With jib lengths ranging from 40 to 50 metres and a maximum freestanding height of 72 metres, the cranes will remain onsite for around 24 months to support the construction of six buildings up to 14 floors high.