QWEST Crane Hire recently invested in a new Tadano Demag AC 300-6 to increase its capabilities and place it within the heavy lift market within the Central Queensland region.
QWEST Crane Hire is a privately-owned crane company that in just over two years has grown its fleet to include 25 cranes, ranging from 7t City Cranes up to the recent addition of the AC 300-6, including the only 40t Franna within the Central Queensland market. Qwest currently operates from three depots in Rockhampton, Gladstone and Emerald with a fourth depot on the horizon very shortly.
Grant French, one of the owners of Qwest, works within the business, day in day out as the Operations Manager, overseeing all areas of the business.
“The business prides itself on working in all aspects of the crane supply market, including everything from residential, commercial construction but with a primary focus within the Mining and Industry Sector,” said French.
Relocating to Queensland from Western Australia after the sale of his previous crane company HAGO Crane & Machinery Hire, French believed there was an opportunity to enter the crane industry again and proceeded by purchasing a local crane hire company in Yeppoon in 2017. Since then, the operation has expanded rapidly into Rockhampton, and finally Emerald in the latter part of 2018.
“We had a clear plan to geographically expand our services, activities and upgrade the fleet to meet these demands. In the crane market, we appreciate that if you don’t offer a safe, efficient and cost-effective service and perform to the highest standard, you will simply not win the work,” said French.
Qwest invested in a new six axle Tadano Demag AC 300-6 all-terrain crane. Boasting a 300t classification, with features such as an 80m main boom, this is the first crane of its size in the Tadano Demag range equipped with a luffing jib. This new 6-axle all terrain crane delivers strength, reach and versatility needed for accomplishing the most demanding jobs at lower operational and transporting costs than similar models in its class.
“As a rule, we run Demags, and we already have five Demag all terrains in the fleet, ranging from 100t to 220t. The new AC 300-6 is a big step up in all terrains and will be an ideal addition to the fleet. It provides the extra capacity we’ve been missing,” said French.
The AC 300-6 combines long reach with a strong load chart to give operators the perfect fit for efficient work at height or on reach. The 80m main boom can perform jobs at heights up to 78m or 74m without rigging a jib. It is ideal for Drag Line work, with a class leading lifting capacity of 15t on fully telescoped 80m main boom. Also, the Demag AC 300-6 is the smallest in the Demag range that can be outfitted with a luffing jib for superior reach and fly-over capabilities, bringing the maximum system length to 118m. The well proven luffing jib rigging system is the same as on the AC 350-6 and AC 1000-9 cranes and provides safe and quick rigging.
Packed with the latest Demag innovations like the IC-1 Plus control system and a single engine concept with an intelligent motor management system, the Demag AC 300-6 enhances productivity to help reduce operating costs. The IC-1 Plus control system provides real time calculation of the lifting capacities and supports operators in safe crane operation. It also allows asymmetric outrigger positioning, which enables the crane to perform jobs usually reserved for larger machines. The Demag AC 300- 6 is fitted with a single engine, with start and stop function to reduce idle times and total engine hours contributing to the reduction of fuel costs and preserving the crane’s residual value.
The compact design of the Demag AC 300-6 all terrain crane features a carrier length of 15.3m and a width of 3m. The crane is easy to position on the job site, thanks to its active all-wheel steering that allows excellent manoeuvrability in tight spaces.
On the road, the Demag AC 300-6 crane meets axle load limits from below 12t up to 16t and can travel up to 85km/h. It also has 800kg of extra payload capacity for carrying extra lifting accessories. It includes an axle load monitor, displayed on the dashboard, to help customers drive within the road-legal weight. This model, like all Demag cranes in this product family, can be configured to comply with the variable axle weight limits in most states by connecting different types of boom dollies or removing the boom.
“The support from Demag and its key personnel like James Greenwood and Joe Arena has always been excellent and with Tadano and Demag now under the one umbrella, and with such a strong focus on product support, we are even more confident in our latest acquisition and we are already exploring the next addition with Tadano Demag,” said French.