Koblenz-based Castell-Autokran GmbH is preparing itself for the future: After the management reins were handed over to the next generation, the company acquired not only a new building and much bigger premises, but also its first Tadano® HK 4.070-1 truck-mounted crane to go along with them.
“The new HK 4.070 is the perfect solution for our needs,” Managing Director Nils Prüfert says. He picked up the crane together with his two crane operators in Lauf, with the machine being handed over by Tadano Sales Manager Frank Brachtendorf.
The new Tadano HK 4.070-1 really comes across as though it had been designed specifically for the demanding operating conditions that the Koblenz crane service provider faces every day: “We do a lot of work in the region surrounding Koblenz, so we’re always driving in the massif formed by the Eifel, Hunsrück, Westerwald, and Taunus or in the Rhine and Moselle valleys, and that means we’re always dealing with tight and winding roads that sometimes have some pretty extreme uphill slopes.
The manoeuvrable HK 4.070-1 is simply perfect for this with its Volvo chassis,” Nils Prüfert highlights. In addition, the maximum outrigger vertical stroke of up to 800 millimetres is an enormous advantage in these hilly regions. He also points out that the crane’s ability to handle long distances and the ease of getting road permits for the Tadano HK were compelling factors as well.
In addition, with its H-style outriggers and five outrigger bases, the new Tadano HK eliminates a vital shortfall of many truck-mounted cranes when compared to all-terrain cranes.
In addition to the innovative technology and engineering, Nils Prüfert also mentions the fair negotiation conditions and the fact that the unit was available quickly as crucial factors that helped him decide on the new Tadano HK 4.070-1: “We’ve had a good business relationship with Tadano marked by a trust for a long time now, have always negotiated with each other on an equal footing, and have always found the right solution together with Frank Brachtendorf!”
Accordingly, sticking with Tadano even in challenging times went without saying for him. “We’re currently investing heavily in our company to make it future-proof, and acquiring the new HK is part of this strategy,” Nils Prüfert explains. His company wants to use the crane as an all-rounder, with its applications including installing prefab walls and replacing bigger and more expensive cranes when conditions allow.
It is also worth mentioning that the new HK has already tackled its first assignment like a champ: In a tandem lift with the company’s Tadano ATF 100G-4, it put its impressive performance characteristics on display while tackling a steel construction project at an industrial plant, and the tight space conditions made it the perfect machine for the job.
About Castell Autokran GmbH
The company, which was founded in 1952 and is headquartered in Koblenz, specializes in all kinds of crane and heavy haulage services. It has a diverse clientele that goes from an extremely wide variety of industrial sectors, through structural and civil engineering firms, all the way to customers who have timber construction and assembly projects.
The range of operations is rounded off by the installation of HVAC equipment, cell phone towers, and lighting. To take care of these jobs, Castell uses its state-of-the-art fleet with powerful mobile cranes featuring lifting capacities of 30 to 250 tonnes and various lowbed trailers, loader cranes, telehandlers, and forklifts.
The company’s main areas of business include the greater Koblenz area along the Rhine and Moselle and extend all the way to the mountain ranges Eifel, Hunsrück, Westerwald, and Taunus.
