As the industry prepares to recover from the supply chain disruption caused by the pandemic, companies face the prospect that the demand for lifting equipment essential to their business will grow rapidly.
One of the key areas where continued safety and reliability when ramping up production and sales requires special attention is in specialty hoists such as cranes and hoists for hazardous environments, says the world’s largest crane maintenance service provider, Konecranes.
“Some of this specialty technology may have been shut down in the last year, or it may have been exposed to intermittent or less than usual loads. But it can now face more stress than ever as operators catch up with new productions when the economic tide turns.
“In the interests of safety and reliability, now would be the best time to focus on such specialty technologies by performing inspections and maintenance before a wave of greater demand arrives that puts resources under pressure,” said Mark Beckwith, Operations Manager. Konecranes and Demag Pty Ltd (a member of the Konecranes Group).
Konecranes has more than 600,000 hoists of all brands under maintenance contracts worldwide. It manufactures a wide range of cranes and hoists specially designed and certified for hazardous environments.
The cranes include EX types for operation in potentially explosive areas. These environments include those used in industries such as chemical plants serving important industries such as agriculture and food and beverage processing, and petrochemical plants, oil refineries, ports, transportation and logistics, mining plants, gas power plants, recycling plants, combined heat and power plants, sewage treatment plants , Automotive and other paint shops and industrial facilities that may be exposed to fumes, gases, dust and volatile environments.
Konecranes offers specialized maintenance services and spare parts for all types of explosion-proof products used in such environments – from individual devices to complete operational sequences. The group also provides modernization services for all types of cranes – hazardous environments and others – to increase operational productivity and profitability by helping modernized equipment operators reduce maintenance costs and control capital expenditures in highly competitive industries.
“If you haven’t looked at crane modernization in general, you might be surprised at the safety and productivity improvements that can be made by upgrading older cranes,” says Beckwith.
“But operation in potentially explosive areas in particular means different requirements for lifting equipment, ranging from standard products to state-of-the-art solutions. For this reason, we have designed our products and services to be optimized for specific and often unique lifting needs.
“All crane components were selected to improve the high level of safety required for the potentially explosive atmosphere and to ensure compliance. Quality is especially important in hazardous environments where safety and efficiency are critical. “
