Thomson Prestress adds Shuttlelift gantry crane

The double-beam rubber-tyred gantry crane joins a single-beam Shuttlelift SB50 already onsite in Jackson, Tennessee, and in use since 2011. The manufacturer of precast and prestressed concrete products – for use in bridges, commercial buildings, railroads and marina construction – will use the new gantry to move, store and load-out products at its 50-acre (20.2-ha) facility.  

With a continued backlog of business there was a need for another gantry crane onsite to efficiently cast and deliver product on time to customers. “After purchasing our single beam 50-ton [45.4-tonne] from Shuttlelift in 2011, we had decided that our next gantry crane purchase would also be from Shuttlelift,” said Tory Boston, production manager, Thomson Prestress.

As the products at Thomson Prestress come in a variety of shapes and sizes, the gantry required a custom spreader bar to ensure it could handle a range of configurations. Shuttlelift therefore designed a 75 ft (22.9 m) beam with sliding lift points to accommodate varying pick-up points.  

The Shuttlelift DB70 is also equipped with wireless remote control, automatic variable throttle (AVT) fuel saver and work and drive lights for operating at night or early hours of the morning.  The wireless remote control comes standard on all Shuttlelift DB and SB series gantry cranes allowing the operator free movement for better line of site and allows the operator to also assist in the rigging process. 

The AVT built-in engine programme, meanwhile, automatically adjusts engine RPM to draw only the power you need to complete the task at hand, significantly reducing fuel consumption and increasing component life.