REPLACING an overhead crane is costly. There is capital expenditure. There is risk. Not only must the buyer consider the scale of financial outlay, but also any possibility of equipment underperformance, or failure if his choice is wrong. The watchwords are care, and caution too.
One viable option, often overlooked, is refurbishment, according to Condra, a leading South African manufacturer of cranes and hoists.
If the function of the crane has not changed, then refurbishment offers at least three clear advantages: cost savings first; improved crane performance second (through newer, faster hoists); and operator familiarity third.
This is because modern refurbishment programmes go beyond basic repairs. They integrate updated controls, safety systems, drives and automation technologies to bring older cranes up to or beyond current performance and compliance standards.
Condra offers a comprehensive crane refurbishment service, as well as the design and manufacture of new cranes. Recent refurbishments have included machines as old as 40 years, installed and recommissioned with the same warranty as a new crane.
The familiarity factor, not as obvious as cost savings and improved crane performance, cannot be overemphasised as a leading advantage of refurbishment. The continued use of an as-new machine already familiar to operators avoids any need for retraining. Production can continue as before, with no change to established procedures.
Condra recommends that, if tempted to buy new, the buyer should ask what the cost might be of lost production in the case of breakdown. Always high, this figure can become unimaginably so if long shipping times are needed for component parts to arrive from a foreign manufacturer. Establish how much production will be lost, and at what cost.
As a South African manufacturer, Condra needs about three weeks to refurbish a crane to top standard, and will incorporate modern technology, specified by the customer, to upgrade the crane’s capabilities.
The overall cost is almost always less than buying a new crane.
Usually, Condra refurbishes only its own cranes, because spare parts from competitor firms are not always available. The company says they are also expensive to import, whereas it manufactures all spares locally.
“If the crane is one of ours, then refurbishment is usually worthwhile,” says a Condra spokesperson. “We encourage it because new crane prices are about 60% higher today than they were ten years ago. If needed, we can change crane capacity and span. Even cranes twenty years old or more can usually be improved by installing variable frequency drives for smoother acceleration and deceleration. We can also fit enhancements such as remote control, and a digital read-out on the load.
“So, by refurbishing we deliver back to the customer a crane much faster and lighter than before, and we can automate it, too, upgrading the mechanicals to work with new electrical equipment.
“These options are offered during any refurbishment, from standard 2M workshop cranes to the higher performing machines such as Class 3 and Class 4,” the spokesperson added.
Condra claims advanced levels of design flexibility and staff availability for all refurbished cranes.
“There are examples of Condra cranes being sold second-hand for their original purchase price, so crane refurbishment makes a lot of sense,” the spokesperson said. “But we’re not doing as many refurbishments as might be expected because our products last a long time, and because we very quickly repair existing crane installations. For a refurbishment we need a little more time, usually two to three weeks.”
Refurbishments carry a two year warranty if authorised Condra agents service the crane, or one year if not.
Condra has a long track record. This year marks sixty years since its formation as a general engineering company offering a range of locally made competitively priced hoists. Crane manufacture began in 1971.
