Manitowoc has unveiled its latest crawler crane: the Manitowoc MLC150-1. It is the latest in a line of crawler cranes that have been very successful in North America, especially for their competitive load charts and job site manoeuvrability. It will be on display at ConExpo next month, and it’s one of six brand-new cranes that the company is showing this year.
The new crawler crane continues the momentum of its predecessor, the MLC100-1, increasing the capacity to 165 USt (150 t) and adding a host of several new features. It was designed to meet the needs of customers that desire a compact, manoeuvrable crawler crane with a strong load chart and easy transport.
“A big component of The Manitowoc Way is listening to exactly what our customers need and want in their cranes,” said Brennan Seeliger, product manager at Manitowoc Cranes. “We have had great feedback on the MLC100-1, so we based the new MLC150-1 on that model, but boosted the capacity for the 165 USt (150 t) class.”
The MLC150-1 features a 165 USt (150 t) base capacity and a maximum boom length of 256 ft (78 m). A fixed jib of 80 ft (24 m) with a 29.5 USt (27 t) capacity is available for the crane, and a 170 ft (52 m) luffing jib with a capacity of 50.2 USt (46 t) is another strong option for the job site.
This new crane features quicker assembly than previous models, too. The boom butt mounted sheave enables self-assembly without the boom top, it features a button style rope termination, and a gantry-raised counterweight reduces components. The boom cap, jib butt and struts ship as a single package for fewer connections. It’s also easier to transport. An increased hook height enables self-assembly with various trailer heights, and the crane is designed to be transported with minimal permitted loads.
Operators will particularly enjoy using Manitowoc’s Crane Control System (CCS), which can be found across Manitowoc’s crane ranges and provides commonality in operation and maintenance. Additionally, the left side console rotates for improved egress inside the cab.
“Users will really like the upgrades to the cab in the MLC150-1,” Seeliger said. “While this crane has great capacity and reach for the 150 USt class, improved transport and erection efficiencies are always something users like to see.”
