Assembling an E-Crane usually takes anywhere from three to four weeks. But in a record-setting display of teamwork and virtuosity, a team of 10 people with members from both E-Crane and Weeks Marine took only 6 days to assemble two of them. The mechanical assembly was completed at North American Aggregates, a division of Weeks Marine that has a permit to dredge sand off the lower New York Bay. The assembly team included 4 team members from E-Crane, 4 from Weeks Marine, a crane operator and supervisor. It benefitted from the use of Weeks Marine’s #533 floating crane, the largest on the East coast. The upper and lower sections were pre-assembled.
In early June, when the hoppers/conveyors/power supply are available, these machines will be used to unload the Weeks dredge Eleanor on a regular basis. Weeks processes the sand ashore into materials for use in the construction industry. E-Crane USA CEO – Steve Osborne had high praise for Weeks Marine’s crews. He credits the swift assembly to proper preparation and a meshing of expertise. “Not all of our customers have the same level of experience with heavy lift as Weeks Marine does, especially from a floating platform,” he said. “But Weeks is a specialist in heavy lift, like we are. They live and breathe it 24 hours a day.”Expertise aside, Osborne credits the success of the operation to another factor. “We’re both family-owned companies, and we attract employees for whom this work is a passion. We will work through hard times—from the CEO’s down through the crews.” It’s the first E-Cranes for Weeks, but the experience was so good that it probably won’t be the last. Osborne said Weeks is considering placing E-Cranes on several other platforms.
Click here to watch the crane in action! Source: Waterways Journal Weekly – https://digital.waterwaysjournal.net/Waterways-Journal-05182020-e-Edition/30/