Two Raimondi hydraulic luffing jib cranes assigned to prestigious restoration project in Melbourne

• Two Raimondi LRH174 hydraulic luffing jib cranes have been deployed by Clark Cranes for the restoration of the Parliament of Victoria in Melbourne, Australia.

• Clark Cranes, an official Raimondi agent, has been a partner of Raimondi Cranes for 15 years and rented the cranes to project contractors O’Connor & Sons and Harris HMC.

• The cranes were installed at different stages of the decade-long refurbishment project, with the first erected in 2019 and the second in 2020.

• The LRH174s are erected on a ballast base with a 36m mast and maximum radius of 50m, and can lift at a maximum speed of 190m/min.

• The cranes' installation on a ballast base minimized site disruptions and avoided unnecessary excavation, while their piston system makes them quieter than mechanical luffers.

• The LRH174 model is easy to install and offers advantages such as a small out of service boom of only 10 meters, making it ideal for narrow jobsites, and a hydraulic system for smooth and speedy luffing movement.

• The cranes are set to be dismantled in the upcoming months as the restoration project nears completion, and are already scheduled for reallocation to two other jobsites in early 2024.

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Official Raimondi agent, Clark Cranes, deployed two Raimondi LRH174 hydraulic luffing jib cranes for the restoration of the Parliament of Victoria, in Melbourne, Australia.

“As a valued partner of Raimondi Cranes for the past 15 years managing the Victoria district, we are delighted to rent one of the most in-demand models amongst the Clark Cranes fleet to project contractors O’Connor & Sons and Harris HMC. It is an honour for us to participate in the restoration of a such valuable landmark for the city of Melbourne by deploying two of our machines,” said Michael Clark, Managing Director, Clark Cranes.

With the refurbishment being divided into stages, and operations being underway for the past decade, the two luffing cranes were installed at different phases by the Clark Cranes commissioning team; the first machine was erected in 2019 and the second shortly thereafter in 2020.

The LRH174s have been erected on a ballast base with a final configuration of 36m mast and maximum radius of 50m. The 10t luffers have a tip load of 2.25t and can lift at a maximum speed of 190m/min, as the cranes are equipped with 45kW hoisting gear with a drum capacity of 600m.

“With the building in use daily for government operations, it was essential to offer a solution that would minimize the chances of site disruptions. Installing both cranes on a ballast base helped avoid unnecessary excavation that would have been required if the machines were installed on permanent footings. This, along with the LRH174 working on a piston system, results in being much quieter in comparison to a mechanical luffer,” Clark explained.

The LRH174 boasts ease of installation, contributing to smooth onsite operations; the crane’s jib, hoisting winch, and rope reeving can all be performed at ground level. The company’s first-ever hydraulic luffer, the LRH174 comes with advantages such as the small out of service boom of only 10 meters, ideal for the narrowest jobsites, and its hydraulic system providing end users with smooth and speedy luffing movement.

“We are currently experiencing high demand for luffing jib cranes of this type, where there are oversailing issues and the 10m out of services radius plays a significant role during the decision-stage,” concluded Clark.

Both machines will be dismantled in the upcoming months with the restoration of the Parliament reaching its final stage, with the LRH174s already set for reallocation across two other jobsites at the beginning of 2024.