“India annually absorbs about 220-230 used and new truck cranes of 25 t to 80 t capacity,” observes Anil Bhatia, Vice-President, Sales & Marketing, TIL Ltd. “Truck cranes of capacity over 100 t are considered too long and un-manoeuvrable on Indian roads.” He lists irrigation, cement plants, metro, rail, flyovers and refinery projects among the leading sectors where truck cranes are deployed. TIL Ltd is a leading manufacturer of truck cranes in India.

Innovation is rife in the truck crane segment.

Today, Escorts offers mobile cranes of capacity 8 t to 55 t and this portfolio is expanding based on the changing requirements of customers. For instance, Escorts has entered into a JV with Tadano to launch truck cranes of capacity 60-80 t, shares Ajay Mandahr, CEO, Escorts Construction Equipment. “For this purpose, last year, we invested Rs 70-100 million in de-bottlenecking operations, creating a new fabrication shop and introducing plasma/laser cutting machines in the second Escorts plant.” To make the machines more versatile, broaden their application base and enhance value to customers, the company offers crane hooks, forks and man baskets on its entire range of mobile cranes, he adds.

“We propose to expand our truck crane offering from models of capacity up to 50 t to 80 t and 130 t, to cater to 80 per cent of that market,” says Pradeep Sharma, President, Action Construction Equipment. “We have launched a 45-t and 55-t truck crane on a dedicated chassis concept for the market. We also offer knuckle boom cranes and straight boom cranes mounted on truck chassis that are sold in India for assorted handling and lighter applications.”

CHARU BAHRI