Northland Crane uses NBT60XL boom trucks for statue swap

Two NBT60XL boom trucks helped Northland Crane replace a statue atop a Minnesota church.

Northland Crane Service recently completed a precision lift at a church temple in Oakdale, Minnesota, USA, replacing a 1,200-pound (544-kilogram) angel statue perched high atop the structure. The project required careful coordination and the use of two National Crane NBT60XL boom trucks from the company’s fleet.

One of the boom trucks hoisted a crew member in a personnel basket to rig the statue, while the second crane executed the lift. The original statue was removed for refurbishment and replaced with an identical replica.

“Both boom trucks were set up with 150 feet (45.7 meters) of main boom,” said Erik Peterson, owner of Northland Crane Service. “We needed strong capacity at that length, and using two of the same model streamlined our planning. We were able to lift from the driveway and stay off the grass — which the customer appreciated — and we were in and out in three hours.”

Based in Elk River, Minnesota, Northland Crane Service operates a fleet of 10 National Crane boom trucks, including NBT1300A, NBT45-2, NBT55L and NBT60XL models. The company’s two NBT60XLs each offer a 60 USt (54.4 metric ton) capacity and feature a 151-foot (46-meter) boom.

The company recently expanded its fleet beyond boom trucks, acquiring a Grove GMK6300L-1 all-terrain crane to support work in precast, cellular infrastructure and refinery settings.