Abrolhos Steel, a breakbulk steel distributor based in Western Australia, has enhanced its operations with the installation of a new Konecranes 5-ton CXT crane at its Geraldton facility, reported Industry Update Magazine.
This upgrade is set to improve efficiency and reliability in handling and dispatching steel products, including plates, hollow sections, and sheets. The CXT crane’s versatility is crucial for managing large and irregularly shaped cargo, which is often shipped individually to remote locations due to its size or shape.
Abrolhos Steel managing director Philip Martin highlighted the necessity of the upgrade, citing difficulties in sourcing parts for their 30-year-old crane and the additional work required for standards compliance.
Martin was quoted by the publication saying: “We chose Konecranes for our new cranes because they have a reputation for high quality products, good reliability, and outstanding service.
“Being in a remote area – about 400km north of Perth – reliability was a key consideration when choosing our new crane. We could have selected a cheaper and less capable crane, but if there was a breakdown that caused us downtime, it would have cost us more in the long run. Konecranes gave us the reliability and service availability that we required.”
The new crane, a 5-ton single-girder CXT electric overhead travelling crane, spans 18m, covering the entire width of their steel storage shed. It facilitates the lifting of various steel components, such as rectangular hollow sections (RHS), steel plates, and pipes, both for storage and for loading onto trucks for delivery.
Apart from distributing steel parts, Abrolhos Steel also designs and manufactures workshops and offices for remote mining sites, including dome shelters and containerised offices. The transition to the new crane was accomplished in under a week, ensuring minimal downtime and disruption to the company’s operations.
