Environmental concerns in the crane industry

Concerns over the environment are pushing their way to the top of the agenda when it comes to manufacturing and operating equipment. Euan Youdale looks at some of the ways companies are tackling the issue.

UK crane rental company Ainscough Crane Hire aims to recycle almost all of its hazardous waste. The company has contracted OSS Group to collect and recycle the waste from its 26 service centres in the UK. Under its tailored HazTech contract, OSS will collect waste oils, contaminated fuel, used filters, scrap batteries and other engine and plant servicing waste, which will be re-used or recycled.

Ainscough started using the HazTech service early in 2006. "One of the reasons for staying with OSS is because they recovered 96.35% of our waste last year," said Steve Cooke, Ainscough engineering director.

"As the first crane hire company in the UK to be awarded the ISO 14001 accreditation, environmental awareness is very important to us," he added.

The company also uses the OSS on-line paperless information system OSSIS, which replaces paper-based documentation with electronic storage. Customers have instant access, via a secure website, to their files, such as EA consignee returns, which can be downloaded at any time. Collections can also be requested over the Internet.

"The overall package offered by OSS Group was significantly more professional and competitive than any of its competitors," Cooke said.

High standards

Also in the UK, crane rental company Hewden has taken another stride in its quest to become more environmentally responsible. A further 16 of its locations have been certified to the ISO 14001 (International Environmental Management System Standard), meaning 44 Hewden sites have now achieved the accreditation.

To gain the internationally recognised standard, Hewden was required to define its environmental policy and meet a range of objectives. These included: continual improvement and prevention of pollution, compliance with applicable legal requirements, establishment of a clear set of environmental objectives and continuous communication of these policies to anyone working for or on behalf of the organisation.

Mark Moody, Hewden quality manager says, "The latest certifications are great news for our business, as they demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the environment. Many of these locations offer all types of equipment such as plant, access, tools, cranes and accommodation, which made it even more challenging to achieve a common accreditation throughout any one site,"

Jeff Schofield, Hewden head of marketing adds: "You only have to watch the news to realise just how much the environment is growing in importance. We firmly believe that we're in a unique position as a hirer, not only to reduce our own environmental footprint, but also inform and encourage our customers to do the same. What they'll find is that green business is good business and has a significant impact on the bottom line."

Clean techniques

The heavy equipment industry is continually looking to reduce costs and increase productivity as competitive pressures increase. Major goals include increasing the number of hours worked by reducing scheduled maintenance downtime and reducing material costs by extending the life of replaceable fluids in the equipment. Cleantechnics International sells and services what it describes as a revolutionary oil and hydraulic fluid filter system. The CTI system has been installed in over 1,500 sites in the past 12 years and has saved thousands of US dollars for its users, says the company.

"The superior effectiveness of the CTI system extends filter change intervals by a multiple of four and oil drain intervals by a multiple of twenty-four thereby reducing driver and equipment down time, minimizing waste oil and waste filters," says the company.

"The hydraulic, ultra fine filters allow the machine to operate for 2,500 hours on a filter change instead of the normal 500 hours and 20,000 hours without a change of oil, thereby satisfying both goals and increasing service interval and extending oil life by a factor of eight."

This, the company says eliminates down time on site, transport to and from maintenance depots and the problem of oil disposal on site.

"As the environmental issues facing the construction industry grow ever more acute, lubrication audits have been imposed on contractors in some regions, where they must account for every litre of oil taken into an area and must prove that all taken in has been transported out."

Cleaner engines

Engine emissions regulations are also becoming more stringent and environmental concerns are growing in the construction industry. Therefore producing cleaner engines is increasingly important. Engine manufacturers are also looking at increasing the use of bio-diesel in their engines as another way of reducing harmful gases.

In order to comply with the Stage IIIB engine emissions regulations particulate matter (PM) emissions must be reduced by 90%. The legislation also requires a 45% reduction in Oxides of Nitrogen/Hydrocarbon (NOx) and by 2014 - Stage IV - this level will be reduced -90% - near zero emissions.

Stage IIIB legislation comes into force in 2011 and the first engines to be affected will be in the 130 to 560 kW powerband. The 75 to 130 kW and 56 to 75 kW powerbands follow this in 2012 as well as the 37 to 56 kW powerband in 2013. The Stage IV/Tier 4 final regulations will be implemented in January 2014 affecting the 130 to 560 kW and 56 to 130 kW powerbands in January and October respectively.

Some engine manufacturers, such as Cummins, have already revealed the technologies they will use to meet the Stage IIIB emissions standards across the first powerband to be affected (130 to 560 kW). The company's core technology includes diesel particulate filter (DPF) and cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) systems. These form part of a solution that includes air intake to exhaust aftertreatment, a spokesman for the company says. Engine enhancements will also include the use of Cummins variable geometry turbochargers (VGT), advanced electronic controls and high pressure common rail fuel systems.

Adapting technology

Communications director for Cummins, Kevan Browne, says the company is best placed to integrate all the critical engine technologies because it has long invested in them and manufacturers and designs them in-house.

He adds, "When we initially designed the diesel particulate filter it was designed for both on-and off-highway vehicles because we knew at some stage it would have to be used in the latter."

Ric Kleine, vice president of Cummins off-highway business adds, "While exhaust aftertreatment may be new technology for the off-highway industry, it is not new to Cummins. Our Cummins Emissions Solutions business is one of the world's leading manufacturers of this key component technology. For Tier 4 (Stage IIIB) applications of the Cummins particulate filter, we are factoring in off-highway requirements such as high shock loads, angularity, space restrictions and working environment conditions."

Boom system

Loader crane manufacturer Palfinger is also making a conscious environmental effort, it says, with its High Performance series which includes recyclable structural steel components, hydraulic valves, brackets and pipes.

Its maintenance-free extension boom system is also environmentally friendly, adds the company. "The sliding elements are moulded from special synthetic material and have self-lubricating properties. No further servicing work is required after the one-off initial lubrication which uses vegetable grease. All other elements, including slide rails and slide blocks, run without grease. These have only a secondary function as sliding elements and are primarily adjustment and guiding elements."

The High Performance cranes are cataphoretically dip painted which reduces waste, says Palfinger. Air from the furnaces, paint booth and the flash-off zones is thermally combusted and the heat is returned to the cycle. The baths are also subject to an automatic regeneration process; contaminated water is reprocessed by means of vacuum distillation and fed back into the cycle.

The company also claims to work beyond the requirements of the latest EU directives by fitting all its cranes with chromium VI free parts.

"Only hydraulic pipes made from chromium VI free galvanised precision steel tubes are used on High Performance cranes. The special process ensures uniform and improved corrosion protection over the entire length and circumference of the pipes. In addition to their high corrosion resistance, the pipes are also distinguished by their resistance to chemicals, temperature, stone chipping and UV light," explains the company.