Orders for Condra in Chile and Bulgaria

Production began in mid-April of a 70/10t double-girder high-lift crane for a hydroelectric power station in Chile, with production of a further three cranes beginning in May. Production of the fifth order, received in May, is due to be scheduled.

The order for the 70/10t crane, valued at $200,000, was taken by Condra’s authorised distributor in Chile, Mantex. The crane will be used for hydroelectric turbine maintenance by customer Besalco, a construction and energy business. Manufacture of the crane is taking place at Conda’s Johannesburg factory and was due to be shipped at the end of June, with Mantex overseeing installation and commissioning in July.

The crane features dual operating levels—16.7m on the 70t main lift and 7.8t on the 10t auxiliary lift—as well as frequency drives throughout the long- and cross-travels on both hoists, full-length walkways, a ramshorn bottom block on the main lift, a stairwell, and option of control by pendant or radio remote.

The entire crane will ship in a single 12m container, thanks to an innovative crab design that allocates individual frames to each of the main and auxiliary hoists, instead of mounting both on a single crab frame. With the two crabs pinned together to form a train, the overall dimensions of the main hoist are sufficiently reduced to enable all components of the dissembled crane to fit into a single container, with the girders packed on their sides, and the two crab units inserted above them.

Condra Bulgaria took orders for three single-girder cranes: a 5t unit for the storage area of engineering company Yotov, based in Razgrad, and two cranes, with capacities of 5t and 3.2t, for furnace work at the heat treatment plant of Bulgarian steel company Metal Group Elite. Spans of the three cranes range from 11m and 13.8m.

The furnace work cranes feature hear shields on the bottom blocks and motors, to allow operation within the furnace environment.

Further orders include a 10t crane for an undisclosed customer, with an order for a further fifth crane anticipated by Condra soon.

The manufacture of these five cranes will be divided between Bulgaria and South Africa, with hoists and end-carriages to be manufactured at Condra’s main works in Johannesburg, and the steel structures, crane electrification, installation and service provided by the Bulgarian works in Gabrovo.

Condra’s Bulgarian subsidiary is now aiming to secure orders in Serbia, Romania and Montenegro.