Tower Cranes North America 2022 event update

As the programme shows, there will be no shortage of tower crane expertise in Miami, USA, 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.

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.

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.

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.

Event details
What? Tower Cranes North America (TCNA) conference

When? 21 and 22 June 2022

Where? Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay hotel, Miami, Florida, USA

Who? ICST, ACT and SCRA

www.khl-tcna.com

Register here: www.khl-tcna.com/register.html

Sponsors
Gold Plus+ sponsor: AMCS Technologies

Gold sponsors: Comansa, Jaso, Terex

Technology sponsor: Skyline Cranes and Technologies

Silver sponsors: Liebherr, Potain, Uperio, Wolffkran

Welcome sponsor: Morrow

Lunch sponsor: Dellner Bubenzer

Breaks and water sponsor: NFT

Supporting sponsors: Bondura Technology, Jost, RaycoWylie, Stafford Soima, UltraWis, WireCo, Zoomlion.