Konecranes delivers African industry first reach stacker to APM Terminals in PE

Article courtesy of www.plantandequipment.com

Konecranes, whose products are distributed in South Africa by EIE Group’s Heavy Lift division, has delivered its Konecranes SMV 4531 TC5 reach stacker to APM Terminals in Port Elizabeth.

A first of its kind in operation in Africa, the product is part of APM’s plan to reduce emissions at its port terminal operations. Further, the implementation of the product emphasises APM’s on-going commitment to offer versatile and flexible container handling solutions at its port terminal operations.

Craig Childs, EIE Group Sales Executive says that the group understood the customer’s mandate of instilling green practices. “It is by truly understanding the customers’ business and the challenges that they may be confronted with that we were able to come up with the best solution possible, and we believe that the Konecranes SMV 4531 TC5 reach stacker meets all these requirements and more,” he says.

Lenny Naidoo, Key Account Sales for EIE Group and Product Specialist for Konecranes products, says Konecranes has an extensive history as a trusted supplier to the container ports and intermodal terminal sectors. “Our container handling customers, in particular, demand a lot from our products and expect them to add value to their operations. To date, we have an impressive track record of successfully meeting and exceeding customer requirements year on year.”

The significance of the Konecranes SMV 4531 TC5 lies in its implementation of technological advanced innovations such as the Konecranes Flow Drive driveline, which features Hydrovariable Transmission technology, courtesy of prominent Dana Rexroth transmission systems.

By combining the smoothness of hydrostatic transmissions with the fuel economy characteristics of torque converter type transmissions has resulted in a product that encapsulates the best of both worlds. This, coupled with a smaller, but more powerful Volvo TAD-853-VE engine, provides greater efficiency and overall lower running costs than that of convention type reach stacker machinery.

“Konecranes invests significantly in reach stacker R&D to be the first to offer new technologies that improve performance and safety,” says Naidoo. “We also ensure that our reach stackers are fully compliant with emissions regulations, anticipating their evolution as a normal part of our product development process.”

The multifunctional capabilities of the reach stacker means that Konecranes can be used across multiple industries and applications. This said, they feature a number of attachments for the majority of applications, including steel handling clamps, pipe and tube handling attachments, as well as lifting hooks. Their load lifting capacities are impressive, with the first row managing up to 45-ton, the second row up to 31-ton, and the third row lifting a remarkable 16-ton.

The patented Optima cabin design is spacious and allows customers the ability to easily accommodate additional equipment should the application require. Additionally, the cabin provides greater operator visibility through the large lowered window, which does not have corner posts, but boasts a thin, exceptionally strong cross-member and curved panels.

The industry-leading and state-of-the-art Konecranes TRUCONNECT Remote Monitoring fleet management system enables the operator to track the real usage of the product, providing an online view and PDF reports for scheduled maintenance, thereby greatly improving product uptime. With safety being a prominent concern in the industry, the system provides safety alerts on various issues such as overheating, attempted overloads, and emergency stops, with the notification delivered automatically via email or text message to safety personnel.

Andre van den Berg, Area Depots Assets Manager APM Terminals Southern Africa, says that the Konecranes SMV 4531 TC5 reach stacker has greatly improved operational turnaround time and cost savings by using less fuel than previous equipment. He adds that the CHE Specialist in particular is impressed with the performance, technical specifications, visibility and comfort of the reach stacker.

“With Konecranes products being utilised across multiple industries globally, including for container handling and industrial application, APM Terminals’ investment in this product, particularly during the global pandemic, bears testament to its confidence in the product to provide them with not only a more efficient means to do business, but one that will ensure continuous longevity and reliability,” concludes Naidoo.

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