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They may seem like just the smaller siblings of their larger family members, but crawler cranes under 200 tons are a class of their own. Their value, according to users, is rooted in the ability to operate in tighter spaces and handle a variety of picks on construction and industrial sites, especially for energy and other infrastructure projects.
Such is the case for Sprague Energy, one of the largest independent suppliers of energy products and related services in the Northeast to commercial, industrial, utility and wholesale customers. Today, the more than 150-year-old company headquartered in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is leading a large-scale project to unload and transport massive wind turbine components from its Mack Point terminal in Searsport, Maine.
The operation, which began in January 2024 and is expected to wrap up this month, involves the use of Manitowoc crawler cranes to move components from sea vessels to holding yards and then onto trucks that will take them to various wind energy farms across the state. Maine is set to significantly expand its renewable energy infrastructure in the coming years. The new wind energy projects will further reduce CO2 emissions and power more than 62,000 homes.
For the Searsport project, Sprague is using Manitowoc crawlers to perform up to 30 lifts per day of loads from 24.2 to 101.4 tons. The process of unloading and moving the parts demands exceptional coordination and precision. Some larger components, like turbine blades, can reach lengths of up to 250 feet and require two cranes working in tandem.
“Our Manitowoc cranes work together to lift the windmill’s tower sections, blades, hubs, drives and nacelles,” Cameron Giroux, terminal supervisor at Sprague Energy, explained. “Due to the significant distance between pick points on the turbine blades, we are fortunate to be able to execute two-crane lifts. We rig the components with slings, shackles and hooks, and use a block and tackle at one end to maintain even pressure and prevent twisting of the blades. After that, we use the cranes to stage loads for the next phase.”
The complexity of the work also underlines the importance of precision and control, noted Brennan Seeliger, Manitowoc’s product manager for crawler cranes. “Manitowoc’s Crane Control System (CCS) offers improved operator efficiency and accuracy with intuitive controls and advanced diagnostics,” he said. “With CCS, new and experienced users alike can harness precise load monitoring, customizable configurations and automated functions to enhance jobsite productivity and reduce the risk of errors.”
For Cameron Giroux, also vital to the Searsport project is the collaboration between Sprague Energy and local Manitowoc dealer Shawmut Equipment. “We worked together to assess each component’s specifications — weights, lengths, styles — and matched them with the appropriate cranes,” he explained further. “Using the load charts as our baseline, we executed a highly coordinated operations plan that’s proving to be quite successful.
“We’re managing a continuous flow of components from ship, barge and rail so the logistics are complex, and these cranes are essential for a seamless workflow,” Giroux added. “Without dependable cranes, we’d face significant delays.”
Rehabilitating a Nearly 100-Year-Old Bridge
With more demand coming from construction, infrastructure and energy projects, Brian Elkins, Link-Belt product manager for telescopic crawler and lattice crawler cranes, sees a strong outlook for mid-size crawler cranes. “Telescopic crawler cranes are becoming more popular because they’re compact, easy to move and can work well in tight spaces,” he said. “As cities grow and more industrial projects get underway, the need for these versatile cranes is likely to keep rising.”
As part of a major effort to rehabilitate bridges across Georgia, Griffin Grading & Concrete LLC has acquired Link-Belt 110-ton 218|V and 150-ton 238 HSL crawlers from the manufacturer’s dealer, Atlantic & Southern Equipment.
In its hometown of Cordele, Georgia, for example, Griffin has the two cranes operating in tandem to replace a nearly 100-year-old bridge. Originally built in 1928 and designated as part of the Dixie Highway, this structure was evaluated and selected for replacement out of a pool of 2,300 Georgia state bridges.
The bridge to replace it, a single-span concrete structure that’s 90 feet long by 40 feet wide, will stand above Georgia’s Cedar Creek and feature two 12-foot lanes, four-foot-wide shoulders and exterior barrier walls. The Link-Belt crawlers are helping construct abutments on the bridge’s north and south sides, first auguring 16-inch diameter holes that are 20 feet deep and then driving 80 foot-tall, 14-inch shell composite steel pile.
The cranes have been especially efficient working in tandem to place 90-foot-long, 116,000-pound precast concrete bridge beams, noted Griffin Bridge Division Manager Darryl Jaquith. “Without needing to move a single crane to either side of the creek as work progresses,” he said, “we’re saving time and money by using both cranes at once.”
According to Griffin’s crane operator Teddy Webb, a veteran with 50 years of experience, the 218|V is capable of auguring and driving pile effectively while still being mobile and easy to access. “The Link-Belt handles the auger with leads and the hammer in the 60 foot-tall leads well,” he said. “On the smaller jobs, the 218|V is easy to get in and out of and on dirt roads and places like that.”
Webb related that he especially likes the 218|V’s features, such as its line pull controls and its thumb button to control the hydraulic pump. Paired with the crane’s winch functions and controls, he added that the crane operates smoothly and is easy to adjust as needed.
The crane’s fine metering and computer systems and cameras, which feature a rearview, side-view and drum-view angle, are also extremely helpful for Webb. “Compared to older cranes, operating the 218|V is much simpler,” he said. “There’s really no comparison; it’s like night and day.”
For Jaquith, crawlers that offer new and advanced crane technology are paramount to the future of the construction industry. “With our new Link-Belt cranes, we can be more efficient,” he said. “They will lead to greater productivity and lower costs.”
Ideal Use as Multi-Purpose Machines
At Liebherr, according to Wolfgang Pfister, head of strategic marketing & communications, a stable market outlook and the quick availability of crawler cranes help drive their ideal use as multi-purpose machines on any construction site.
The newest crawler crane in the Liebherr lineup is the 110-ton LR 1100.1 lattice boom model with a maximum hoist height of 195 feet. The smallest crawler crane in the company’s LR series features independent and quick assembly of the side frames, the car body and rear counterweights, two hoist winches and boom elements and is easily transported with boom foot and crawlers on the crane and catwalks folded down.
The LR 1100.1 is powered by a Liebherr diesel with the manufacturer’s Eco-Silent Mode system so engine speed can be reduced to a predefined level, and has Automatic Engine Stop Control during longer work interruptions. For operations on slopes and inclines, the new crane is fitted with Gradient Travel Aid, a control system that automatically calculates the machine’s center of gravity and warns the operator of any unsafe conditions.
A Wide Range of Choices
In the U.S. small crawler crane market, crane operators have a range of choices, including:
Kobelco’s most popular models in the small crawler crane market are the CK1100G-3 (110 tons), CK1600G-3 (160 tons) and the CK2000G-3 (200 tons). “The primary applications for this size and class of cranes are road and bridge, power and commercial construction work,” Jimmy Hodges, general manager – cranes at Kobelco Construction Machinery USA, said. “The CK1600G-3 and CK2000G-3 are mainly working on road and bridge jobs while the CK1100G-3 works mainly in the power sector as well as on foundation work.
“We see the small crawler crane market as strong throughout the end of 2024 and into 2025,” Hodges added. “This year we did see a decline in commercial work due to high interest rates, but we are forecasting a bounce back in 2025.”
