Previewing June’s TCNA conference

As the program on these pages shows, there will be no shortage of tower crane expertise in Miami, FL, this June for the third Tower Cranes North America conference.

Larry Shapiro, Jim Wiethorn, Philippe Cohet and Bill Carbeau are among the names on the programme. The keynote speech at the start of the day will be given by Aaron Ravenscroft, Manitowoc CEO, who is making his first appearance at a KHL crane conference.

His topic – The Electrification of America – is timely and will argue that European style electric tower cranes represent an “untapped solution” in America to combat climate change.

Manitowoc CEO Aaron Ravenscroft gives the keynote address titled “The Electrification of America.”

Ravenscroft says he will share “Manitowoc’s perspectives on how tower cranes can meaningfully contribute to environmental sustainability strategies while delivering compelling economic benefits to customers in the long-term.”

Sustainability covers a wide range of topics, not least the concept of the sharing economy and efficient use of resources. Many equipment rental business already argue that the rental model is more efficient than ownership and no doubt there will be interest in Manitowoc’s own strategy on rental given its recent acquisition of H&E’s mobile crane fleet.

Fleet management

That theme of how cranes can help with sustainability goals will no doubt overlap with the fleet management topic being handled by Philippe Cohet, CEO at Uperio Group, one of the largest tower crane owners in the world.

TCNA is also a venue for discussion of technical subjects, and this year’s event – the second in-person TCNA following the virtual iteration in 2020 – will cover technology and training issues that tower crane owners confront now and which they will face in the future.

Philippe Cohet, Uperio CEO, will discuss fleet management for tower cranes

Looking at the present, there will be presentations on how to understand wind loadings on cranes (Jim Wiethorn) and the challenges where cranes are operating on high rise buildings in urban areas (Larry Shapiro). Both will draw on decades of detailed engineering experience as they provide the latest advice.

Three wire rope experts from ASC Industries Python America, Bridon-Bekaert The Ropes Group; and WireCo WorldGroup will give a group presentation on development in technology.

“I will speak briefly on the history of the construction of the tower crane hoist crane ropes to the present”, says Tony Fastuca, vice president, ASC Industries Python America, “and my colleagues will discuss new developments on inspection criteria, which is critical for proper use.”

Training for erection and dismantling will be covered by Morrow corporate service manager Chis Smith, while Jean-Philippe Fonck, international sales manager at AMCS technologies, will review the latest developments in anti-collision systems.

Automation and remote operation

Very much looking ahead will be two engineering visionaries from Israel – Lior Avitan, CEO and co-founder of UltraWis, and Aviv carmel, co-CEO and co-founder of Skyline. Both companies have developed systems to remotely control tower cranes and will be sharing their latest developments as part of a round-table discussion.

Aviv Carmel at Skyline, left, and Lior Avitan at UltaWis will discuss remote operation and automation of tower cranes.

Avitan will start that session off with a presentation looking not just at the remote operation of cranes but also the wider topic of automation of cranes and how a tower crane can be linked to a truly ‘connected’ construction site.

Bringing us down to earth, in a good way, will be Bill Carbeau from Linden Comansa America and Javier Militino from Comansa in Spain, who will consider the particular case of tower cranes working on bridge projects in North America and Europe.

Conference schedule

Tuesday, June 21

6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

NETWORKING RECEPTION AT HOTEL

The event opens with a reception at the hotel on Tuesday, June 21.

Wednesday, June 22

8 – 9 a.m.

REGISTRATION and BREAKFAST

9 – 9:05 a.m.

WELCOME

Alex Dahm, editor, International Cranes and Specialized Transport

9:05 – 9:30 a.m.

KEYNOTE ADDRESS

Aaron Ravenscroft, president and CEO, Manitowoc Co. Inc

Electrification of America

9:30 – 10 a.m.

Lawrence Shapiro, co-principal, Howard I Shapiro Associates Consulting Engineers

Challenges for tower cranes on high rise buildings in urban settings

10:00 – 10:25 a.m.

Jean-Philippe Fonck, international sales engineer, AMCS technologies

Developments in collision avoidance technology for tower cranes

10:25 – 11:05 a.m.

NETWORKING BREAK

11:05 – 11:30 a.m.

Chris Smith, corporate service manager, Morrow

Training for erection, dismantling and operation

11:30 – 11:55 a.m.

Lior Avitan, CEO and co-founder, UltraWis

Tower cranes and the connected worksite

11:55 a.m. – 12:25 p.m.

Round-table on tower crane automation and remote control

Lior Avitan, CEO and co-founder, UltraWis

Aviv Carmel, co-CEO and co-founder, Skyline Cranes and Technologies

12:25 – 1:45 p.m.

LUNCH

The third TCNA conference will be in Miami, FL on June 21-22, 2022.

1:45 – 2:10 p.m.

Philippe Cohet, CEO, Uperio Group

Efficient management of tower crane fleets (provisional title)

2:10 – 2:35 p.m.

Tony Fastuca, vice president, ASC Industries Python America; Dave Henninger, global technical customer lead, crane and industrial, Bridon-Bekaert The Ropes Group; and Tim Klein, principal engineer, structures and fabrication, WireCo WorldGroup.

Ropes: key technical trends and developments

2:35 – 3 p.m.

Bill Carbeau, vice president, business development, Linden Comansa America, and Javier Militino, group marketing manager, Comansa

Using tower cranes on bridges

3 – 3:30 p.m.

NETWORKING BREAK

3:30 – 3:55 p.m.

Jim Wiethorn, engineering specialist, founder and chairman, International Crane and Construction Safety Solutions

Understanding wind loadings on tower cranes

3:55 – 4:20 p.m.

Speaker to be confirmed

4:20 – 4:25 p.m.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

4:25 – 6:00 p.m.

FAREWELL DRINKS RECEPTION

Note: Program and speakers subject to change