Krandienst Lange, based in Grimmen, near Greifswald, has stood for precision-fit lifting and heavy-duty work for almost 25 years. With over 120 vehicles in its fleet, the company serves regional as well as international projects and stands for quality and efficiency – values that the Tadano HK 4.050-1 also encapsulates. It quickly became clear that the new truck mounted crane from Tadano would become the newest addition to the fleet.
Stefanie Lange, managing director of the crane service from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania remembers: ‘When the new HK 4.050-1 vehicle concept was presented, it was immediately clear to me that we would acquire such a model. We are particularly excited about the tridem axle. We already had an HK 50 with this axle and it really makes the cranes great to drive.’
Krandienst Lange from Grimmen relies on the well-known and robust Tadano technology. The company has a total of around 30 cranes from the Lauf-based manufacturer in its fleet, three of which are truck-mounted cranes. ‘The Tadano cranes are just great. They run and run and run. When I look at the records we have for the cranes, I only see a maximum of two or three maintenance entries for the Tadano machines. I expect the same from our new crane – and my impression from the first few weeks with it is that it certainly meets my expectations, says Stefanie Lange happily. The maintenance-friendly dual-engine concept contributes to its efficiency. This means that visits to the workshop are short, and the machines are back in action quickly.
Excellent driving characteristics
Over the course of almost 25 years of company history, Stefanie has developed Krandienst Lange from a small family business into one of the market leaders on the Baltic Coast with an ultramodern fleet of vehicles. The location of the crane service is a particular challenge. As Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is a large area with long distances to travel, the company, which has its headquarters near Greifswald, primarily needs cranes that can handle the roads too.
‘The HK 4.050-1 is very comfortable to drive. With the truck mounted crane, you can get to the job site quickly, and the compact dimensions and manoeuvrability help on cramped construction sites. And thanks to the clever vehicle concept, you have everything you need with you. The machine is an excellent taxi crane’, says Stefanie Lange, explaining the advantages of the four-axle machine. The HK 4.050-1 can be moved with a counterweight of up to 4.5 tonnes without a special permit in many European countries. An optional trailer is available for more counterweight.
Thanks to the tridem axle with a controlled trailing axle, the crane is particularly dynamic and has a very small turning radius. Two drive axles also ensure optimum traction and the air-sprung rear axles provide a particularly smooth ride.
Intuitive operation
But it’s not only great on the road; the crane also exhibits the typical Tadano qualities on the construction site too. High load capacities, robust construction and a particularly user-friendly driver’s cab – the latter ensures that the HK 4.050-1 is quick to master. Stefanie Lange: ‘The HK 4.050-1 is driven by a colleague who has only driven a truck so far – and he familiarised himself with the crane and how to operate it within a very short time. After a few outings, he’s now as confident on the road with the crane as if it were the only thing he’d been driving for years.’
The truck mounted crane is used flexibly by Krandienst Lange for everything from prefabricated houses to basement construction – fast-moving projects that the HK 4.050-1 can handle comfortably and economically thanks to its quality and efficiency as a taxi crane.
