< PreviousSCALING NEW HEIGHTS THE GCC REGION IS GRADUALLY BECOMING A HUB FOR TOWER CRANES, DRIVEN BY ITS FOCUS ON BUILDING NEW CITIES, SKYSCRAPERS, SPORTS COMPLEXES, ENTERTAINMENT AVENUES, AND OTHER MASSIVE STRUCTURES COVER STORY PLANT / MACHINERY / VEHICLESwww.plantmachineryvehicles.comAPRIL 2023 10D riven by an increased focus on worker safety, notably in Asia and Africa, the worldwide cranes market size is likely to climb to around $47 billion by 2028, from the current $36.36 billion, thus registering a 4% CAGR, according to a report by Fortune Business Insight. As per the report the rise in CAGR is primarily attributed to an uptick in construction activities in Asia, particularly in India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. As a result of an increase in construction activities to build larger and more massive structures in the region as part of their initiative to diversify their economies to lessen dependence on hydrocarbons and industry, a Strategy& report claims that the GCC region is well positioned to become the global hub of construction equipment, particularly tower cranes. Due to a continued focus on building larger, higher and massive structures, the region has already become home to some of the world’s tallest buildings, including “The Burj Khalifa”, having a height of 828 meters above the ground, which is almost double of Petronas tower. As the region is further gearing up for building even grandier structus, the demand for better, safe, reliable and quality construction equipments is also getting a boost, industry captains are saying while adding as contractors are looking for ways to reduce unwarranted accidents on work places, which result in delays in project completion, the demand for tower cranes along with other equipments are likely to remain strong in the medium term. Tower Cranes are a type of machine that is utlised to transport loads horizontally. The machine is equipped with wires, ropes, sheavers, and hoist ropes that support the rasing or lowering down of heavy loads. The structure is mainly divided into sections, including, hydraulic system, electric system, boom system, turned assembly, operator cabin and chasis. COVER STORY 11 PLANT / MACHINERY / VEHICLESwww.plantmachineryvehicles.comAPRIL 2023 TOWER CRANES HUB As a result of this trend to build massive strututures in the region, Dubai has become home to one of the world’s largest fl eets of tower cranes, with over 25,000 cranes in operation. Besides Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and other cities in the UAE also have a signifi cant number of cranes in use. Other GCC countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Oman are also major users of cranes in the region, with many large construction projects underway, including the development of new cities, airports, and infrastructure. Cranes are widely used in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region for construction activities, as they are an essential component in building high-rise structures and heavy infrastructure projects, construction industry captains are saying. The GCC region is experiencing rapid urbanisation and development, which has led to a surge in construction projects that require the usage of cranes. ADVANTAGES OF USING CRANES As per the report, the regional cranes market is witnessing growth, owing to increasing deman from the construction while the evolving designs and the high load-lifting capacity are likely to serve the requirements of various industries, including complex manufacturing, telecommunication worksites, and shipbuilding. Experts have enlisted several advantages related to the usage of cranes in the construction sector, some of them are as follows: Better effi ciency: The biggest advantages of using cranes is that they can lift heavy materials and equipment with ease allowing companies to complete projects on time, which is very crucial for the GCC region., where many construction projects are on a tight schedule. Improved Safety: Another big advantage of using cranes help is the improvement in safety standards in construction by eliminating the need for manual handling of heavy materials, which can be dangerous for workers. Cranes and construction equipment are designed to lift and move heavy materials in a controlled and safe manner, reducing the risk of accidents and injuries on construction sites. Cost Savings: The use of cranes can reduce labour costs by reducing the number of workers required for heavy lifting and material handling. This can result in signifi cant cost savings over the course of a project. Flexibility: Cranes are available in various sizes and confi gurations, making them adaptable to diff erent construction needs. This means that cranes can be used in a variety of construction projects, from small-scale projects to large infrastructure projects. COVER STORY PLANT / MACHINERY / VEHICLESwww.plantmachineryvehicles.comAPRIL 2023 12NEW INNOVATIONS As the demand for newer, and energy-effi cient equipment from the construction industry is rising, companies are working on several solutions to make the sector more economical, environmentally friendly. “New technology has enabled cranes to be more compact and energy effi cient, and will eventually render legacy systems obsolete, “Theodore Haalstra, director of modernisations and technical support at Kone Crane says in a statement posted on its website. He says some new cranes off er robust, intelligently designed modules that can be easily confi gured to meet a wide variety of needs. “With this type of crane technology, users can change or add new features over time depending on the business need. Additional features could include remote diagnostics, maintenance monitoring or automated positioning. This type of crane technology can scale with the business, enabling companies to be more nimble and realize a greater return on investment,” he adds. MUSHROOMING OF RENTAL COMPANIES The demand for cranes in the MENA region has led to the establishment of several crane rental and leasing companies, providing a range of cranes, including tower cranes, mobile cranes, and crawler cranes. These companies off er various services, including installation, maintenance, and operation of cranes. Overall, the use of cranes in the MENA region is essential to meet the growing demand for construction and infrastructure projects and their presence is likely to continue to increase as the region’s development and urbanisation continue. While cranes off er many advantages in the construction sector, there are also several challenges associated with their use. OUTLOOK According to a report by Economic Intelligence Unit, the construction sector in the GCC is poised for a period of strong growth in the short to medium term, outperforming the wider economy and recording growth in the region of 3.54% a year on average in 2023. As per the report, the total value of projects planned or underway in the GCC was estimated at about $ 2.65 trillion at the end of June 2022. Industry captains believe equipment makers and rental companies are expected to benefi t from a buoyant construction sector and ample opportunities to participate in lucrative GCC contracts from 2022 through to 2026. COVER STORY 13 PLANT / MACHINERY / VEHICLESwww.plantmachineryvehicles.comAPRIL 2023KEY PERSONALITIES Hill International (Middle East), the US-based global program, project, and construction management provider, has announced the appointment of Waleed Abdel-Fattah as president, Middle East and North Africa, and Emmanouil (Manolis) Sigalas as senior vice president, Europe. In a statement, the fi rm said that Abdel-Fattah takes on his new role following a stint as senior vice president and managing director of Africa. During his time in that role, he led Hill into several new market sectors, particularly the infrastructure development space, which resulted in exponential growth for Hill’s Africa operations. He has also overseen the execution of several landmark projects in Africa, the statement continued. Abdel-Fattah joined Hill in 2007 and has 30 years of experience in the construction and management of complex capital projects. His expertise includes airports, hotels and resorts, offi ce buildings, residential developments, retail facilities, civil and infrastructure projects. In his new role as senior vice president, Europe, Sigalas will be responsible for managing Hill’s operations, performance, and profi tability across the continent. He has been with Hill since 2005 and has led signifi cant project management and advisory services appointments internationally. Prior to his new role, Sigalas was Hill’s fi rst vice president and managing director for Southern Europe, leading Hill’s operations in Greece, Italy, Cyprus, and Albania. Promoted to managing director of Southern Europ in April 2018, he has led the region’s organic growth and evolution into a profi table operational platform that delivers major infrastructure, building, and energy projects. Raouf S. Ghali, Hill International CEO,has welcomed new appointments. ACWA Power, a leading Saudi developer, investor, and operator of power generation, water desalination and green hydrogen plants worldwide, has announced the appointment of Marco Arcelli as chief executive offi cer. Raad Al Saady also recently joined the organisation’s senior leadership team in February 2023, in a newly created position as managing director in addition to the role of vice chairman. The changes are a part of the company’s strategy to be well equipped to achieve its ambitious growth goals across the markets it operates. Marco Arcelli, a seasoned C-level executive with over 25 years of international experience in energy and infrastructure, brings a wealth of expertise in growth of multinational companies and digital innovation. In his previous positions, he played a crucial role in the strategic positioning and growth of Enel Trade, Enel’s North American operations, and EP New Energy as chief executive offi cer and chairman. Arcelli’s role as CEO of ACWA Power will involve providing strategic and operational leadership, overseeing global expansion eff orts, and leveraging his expertise in digital innovation to optimise operations and drive growth. Paddy Padmanathan, Arcelli’s predecessor, who steered the company’s strategic growth and expansion as president and CEO for over a decade and a half, steps out of his current role, however, he will remain active as a member of ACWA Power’s board. Raad Al-Saady, who has recently joined as vice chairman and managing director will focus on directing business growth and development, providing guidance on organisational strategy and human capital, managing stakeholder relationships. Gensler, the global architecture, design and planning fi rm, has announced the appointment of Steven Velegrinis as design director of its Middle East operations, where he will take on a global role, but with an initial focus on the MENA region and KSA in particular. With more than 30 years of experience as an urban planner, designer, and landscape architect, Velegrinis’ interests and works revolve around the idea of ecological urbanism, sustainable and resilient cities and places. He has recently worked on a number of high-profi le projects, including leading the Dubai Expo event masterplan, legacy masterplan and public realm design. He has also worked on the Ras Al Khaimah landscape strategy and guidelines; NEOM landscape strategy and guidelines; Al Arous masterplan in Jeddah; the Wadi Safar masterplan in Riyadh, the DGDA supervisory area strategy; and a series of confi dential design competitions in KSA. “As a fi rm we have historically attracted the best in the business; Steven is another example of our success in this fi rm-wide goal. By the same token, hiring Steven is a step forward for Gensler as we continue to grow a global centre of excellence in ecological urbanism and climate change reversal projects,” said Tim Martin, managing director of Gensler Middle East. “Our fi rm’s borderless focus allows our global cities’ teams to off er a broad spectrum of project types. All this comes strategically ahead of COP28 in Dubai and Gensler’s reports of excellence in the sustainability space increasing in numbers. Our global goal is to become the leader in sustainability for the built environment,” he continued, adding that Velegrinis was well placed to build upon Gensler’s current master planning practice. HILL INTERNATIONAL APPOINTS ABDEL-FATTAH AS PRESIDENT, MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA ACWA POWER APPOINTS MARCO ARCELLI AS NEW CEO, REPLACING PADDY PADMANATHAN STEVEN VELEGRINIS JOINS GENSLER ME AS DESIGN DIRECTOR FOR MASTER PLANNING 14 PLANT / MACHINERY / VEHICLESwww.plantmachineryvehicles.comAPRIL 2023 PEOPLEKONECRANES POWERS LTC GROUP’S MATERIAL HANDLING IN THE MIDDLE EAST WITH 21-CRANE AND SERVICE CONTRACT K onecranes’ equipment and services will play a critical role at the heart of Legnano Teknoelectric Company (LTC) Group’s new 30,000 square metre manufacturing plant in Dubai, UAE, supporting the entire material fl ow from incoming raw materials to fi nished products including transformers. The 21-crane and service contract was booked in Q1 2023, with deliveries to take place starting from May 2023, Konecranes wrote in a statement. Konecranes will supply 12 S-series and CXT electric overhead cranes and 9 jib cranes, the statement noted. It will also modernize an existing crane at the site to enhance functionality. In addition, Konecranes will be responsible for the safe and optimized running of the cranes under a 3-year annual maintenance contract, extending a business relationship with LTC Group that fi rst started in 2011. LTC Group is the world leader in magnetic cores and laminations for a wide range of transformers and reactors. As it continues to grow its renewable energy sector business, its new facility in Dubai – which will double its production capacity in the region – will play a prominent role in supplying transformers for wind power, photovoltaic, hydroelectric, cogeneration and biomass facilities. “Our production line uses high quality materials and the manufacturing process needs both reliable and cutting-edge equipment. Konecranes’ products and services meet those needs, which made it natural to choose them for this project,” said Mauro Mereghetti, managing director LTC Middle East FZCo. EXTENSIVE RANGE OF AERIAL LIFTS & MATERIAL HANDLING FOR EVERY HEIGHT • Durable all-steel construction • Industry-leading lift capacity • Versatile performance • Low total ownership costs • Electric models available performance POWERED TO LIFT YOUR ©2021 Snorkel. All rights reserved. EEXTEENNSNSSI LIFTTSS S && FOORRR EEVE • DDuurable ••InIndustry ••Versatil ••Low to ••Electric ct ci ts RIAL LING ion ty FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL Snorkel™at +1 (785) 989-3000 or visit www.snorkellifts.com 15 PLANT / MACHINERY / VEHICLESwww.plantmachineryvehicles.comAPRIL 2023 CRANESM ack Trucks has revealed its Mack® MD Electric, the company’s first electric vehicle in the medium- duty segment of the trucking industry. Mack revealed the truck for the first time during an event at the National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA) 2023 Work Truck Show, March 6-9 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. The MD Electric will complement its highly efficient, MACK TRUCKS INTRODUCES THE MEDIUM-DUTY MACK ® MD ELECTRIC, ADDING ITS SECOND BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLE TO LINEUP diesel-powered MD model sibling, which has experienced growing customer demand since its introduction in 2020. The addition of a zero-tailpipe emissions battery-electric vehicle (BEV) to the Mack medium-duty lineup also supports the company’s long- term sustainability goals. “Mack established itself as an electrification leader with the heavy-duty Mack LR Electric refuse vehicle, and we’re TRUCKS 16 PLANT / MACHINERY / VEHICLESwww.plantmachineryvehicles.comAPRIL 2023excited to add the MD Electric to our zero- tailpipe emissions lineup,” said Martin Weissburg, global president of Mack Trucks. He said,“This is another important step in our efforts to drive decarbonisation and a more sustainable future, and we plan to continue investing in technologies that help improve the environment and society.” The MD Electric is the second electric vehicle introduced by Mack Trucks to the industry. The first was the Mack LR Electric, which went into production in December 2021. The Mack MD Electric will be available like its diesel counterpart in Class 6 and Class 7 ratings. The Class 6 model has a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 25,995 pounds, and the Class 7 model has a GVWR of 33,000 pounds. Both models are exempt from the 12 percent Federal Excise Tax (FET). The Mack MD Electric will be produced at Roanoke Valley Operations (RVO) in Roanoke Valley, Virginia, where Mack began production of the Mack MD Series in 2020. “The Mack MD Electric joins the full lineup of Class 6 to 8 vehicles Mack offers to help customers meet their application needs,” said Jonathan Randall, president of Mack Trucks North America. He said,“Building on the success of the diesel-powered Mack MD Series, the Mack MD Electric will help our customers meet their sustainability goals without sacrificing the durability, reliability and total cost of ownership for which Mack is known.” The MD Electric’s three-phase permanent Magnet Synchronous motor and all on- board accessories are powered by Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) Oxide lithium-ion batteries, either in a 150 kilo watt/hour (kWh) or 240kWH configuration. The MD Electric can be charged through AC or DC charging units. The regenerative braking system helps recapture energy from the multiple stops the vehicle makes each day. Developed specifically for medium- duty applications, the Mack MD Electric is built with the same focus on reliability, durability and productivity customers have come to expect from a Mack truck, the companys said while adding designed with the heavy-duty quality of its diesel-powered counterparts, the MD Electric is available in 4x2 configurations featuring a sharp wheel cut for enhanced maneuverability in tight urban settings. The MD Series cab design features a short bumper-to-back-of-cab (BBC) measurement of 103 inches, an industry best. Similar to the diesel-powered Mack MD Series, Mack matched the bold look and styling of the Mack Anthem®, Mack’s highway model, as a basis for the MD Electric grille and hood design. The Mack MD Electric will be supported by Mack dealers, many of which are already Mack Certified Electric Vehicle (EV) dealers. The MD Electric will meet the needs of trucking applications requiring dry van/refrigerated, stake/flatbed and dump vocations. The MD6 model does not require a commercial driver’s license (CDL) to operate for non-hazardous payloads. TRUCKS 17 PLANT / MACHINERY / VEHICLESwww.plantmachineryvehicles.comAPRIL 2023CONEXPO - CON/AGG 2023 WITNESSES RECORD FOOTFALL HELD EVERY THREE YEARS, CONEXPO-CON/AGG IS THE MUST-ATTEND EVENT FOR CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS FEATURE PLANT / MACHINERY / VEHICLESwww.plantmachineryvehicles.comAPRIL 2023 18 PLANT / MACHINERY / VEHICLESwww.plantmachineryvehicles.comAPRIL 2023 FEATURE 18C CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2023, one of the largest events related to the construction included, concluded on March 18, 2023, after five jam-packed days of innovative product launches and major company announcements, enlightening education sessions and countless networking opportunities. “CONEXPO-CON/AGG & IFPE 2023 have come to a close, but not before taking the construction industry to the next level,” Association of Equipment Makers (AEM), which organises CONEXPO every third year, says in a statement. As per organisers, the event attracted around 140,000 construction and fluid power professionals from 133 countries to Las Vegas, thus making it the largest trade show in the US with more than 2,400 exhibitors from 36 countries spread out over 3 million square feet of exhibit space. As per AEM, this year’s show emphasised how the construction industry is evolving in many ways to adapt to sustainable technologies, products, and practices. Show attendees were treated to sustainability in action, from electric and hydrogen-powered construction equipment to more recyclable materials and waste reduction opportunities. “The innovations in the construction industry unveiled this week will play a role in helping construction professionals drive meaningful and sustainable economic growth,” says Phil Kelliher, Caterpillar senior vice president, and CONEXPO-CON/ AGG show chair. He says, “Live events in the construction industry are very important because you can see, touch and experience the products. That value was reaffirmed this past week across the show floor.” ELECTRIC IN FOCUS As per participants, the rollout of battery- powered and other non-fossil fuel-powered equipment was seen throughout the show, from March 14 to 18, across a number of categories and sizes. The array ran the gamut from early prototype machines that were essentially rough sketches of how certain equipment could transition from diesel power, to commercially viable models for which contractors could place orders today. The promise of a possible rise in the production of hydrogen fuel cells has some big players taking a serious look at the alternative fuel, with Hyundai Construction FEATURE 19 PLANT / MACHINERY / VEHICLESwww.plantmachineryvehicles.comAPRIL 2023PLANT / MACHINERY / VEHICLESwww.plantmachineryvehicles.comAPRIL 2023PLANT / MACHINERY / VEHICLESNext >