It’s just as important to use a reputable crane hire company for smaller cranes as for the large cranes.

“We treat the smaller jobs in exactly the same way we manage the bigger lifts – identical standards are applied — and this has resulted in an excellent safety record and a highly satisfied customer base,” says Celenté van Vreden, Johnson Crane Hire Johannesburg branch and Kusile depot manager.

Johnson Crane Hire, which operates the largest mobile crane fleet in Africa, is meeting an increasing demand for hire of cranes below 120 tons by continually adding units to its small crane fleet. The demand for smaller crane hire comes from a broad range of industries, primarily transport, electrical and construction, says Van Vreden. “Small mobile cranes are the solution when it comes to picking up anything that can’t be lifted by a forklift or a truck mounted crane.”

“Operating within a highly competitive market, we differentiate ourselves by providing all customers throughout South Africa and neighbouring countries with a total lifting solution delivered through our ‘SMART’ — Safety, Maintenance, Availability, Reliability and Total Cost Effectiveness — brand promise. These elements are delivered through highly structured company processes that ensure we pay attention to detail and comply with all the necessary legal requirements. Added value is delivered through rigging, logistics, lift engineering and CAD studies, as well as insurance.”

The company sends representatives to customer sites to conduct inspections before each lift to determine the most suitable crane for the job and whether the unit will be able to access the site, as well as to assess the viability of the area on which it will stand.

Safety underpins all of the company’s operations, with comprehensively documented and implemented safety systems that comply with all industry safety standards and thorough risk assessments conducted before each lift. There is a primary focus on proper crane maintenance, supported by the company’s national workshop in Johannesburg.

“We’re able to supply small cranes from our own extensive and growing national fleet and we don’t subscribe to rehiring cranes to meet customer demand,” says van Vreden. “In general, we’re seeing increased demand for cranes of all sizes from short and long-term hire customers alike. For example, we recently established a depot to serve the Kusile power station and the number of units on site has grown from six to 23 in a period of just two months. Our more established supply of mobile cranes to the Medupi power station is also a success story, securing a prominent position in the Lephalale area for our company.”