When it comes to heavy industrial lifting there is only one choice – overhead cranes.

They occupy no floor space and require no access pathway. Their ability to access all the working area and most of the building volume, makes overhead cranes an adaptable handling solution in metal manufacture, fabrication, engineering, construction, sawmills and many other industries, says Keith Rainford, a spokesman for Street Crane Company.
The leading UK-based manufacturer of lifting equipment has been supplying overhead cranes to projects throughout the Gulf for more than 30 years and its projects have included cranes for power stations, smelters, shipyards, factories, concrete fabrication yards and many other industries. The company understands the special requirements imposed by high temperatures and dust and has developed cranes to provide reliable long-term performance in harsh conditions and under heavy use, he says.
With factors such as economic diversification and the move to added-value industries making the regional construction industry more vibrant than ever, Street Crane with its local trading partners is deeply involved in these developments, he says.
The local association has allowed Street to remain close to its customer in the region.
Street Crane has already handled several supply orders to the leading fabricators and construction majors in the region, through its partners Syscon Trading in Bahrain and Ace Crane Systems of Dubai.
Recently, Syscon has completed the supply of 30 Street cranes for a new fabrication facility of Bahrain’s specialist fabricator Ahmed Mansoor Al A’Ali (AMA) Company.
The 30 cranes at AMA, which are of various configurations, meet differing workshop needs. These include a combination of double girder, single girder and semi-Goliath cranes, ranging from five to 20 tonnes capacity. All cranes use Street ZX open barrel hoists for vertical lifting and placement of loads. This protects the product and safeguards the crane and hoist from damage, says Rainford.
“Every crane project is different,”  Rainford continues. “This is partly due to the physical variables such as factory bay width and height, but also depends on the users process requirements such as maximum safe working load (SWL), number of loads at or close to SWL and number of crane movements in the working day. Safety is a critical factor and this can affect the control system used and may even call for special equipment to handle unusual loads or prevent crane misuse.”
Street has also made significant inroads into one of the most promising markets – Dubai – where its partner Ace Crane, has supplied 10 cranes to improve product flow and boost capacity for Al Naboodah Laing O’Rourke (ANLR) in Dubai. The company is a world-class supplier of joinery products, which include doors, panelling and both traditional and modern furnishing.
The quality work done at ALNR is recognised internationally and the company presently exports to the US, Ireland, France, the Bahamas and the UK. A majority of the company’s products are used at palaces, corporate headquarters, hotels and commercial projects in the region. The company is also proceeding with long-term supply and maintenance contracts for Street cranes at Dubai Aluminium’s (Dubal), says Rainford.
Syscon Trading and Ace Crane Systems in Dubai are Street’s technical partners. Both companies use Street’s unique software to record and analyse client needs. In addition to working with local fabricators using Street drawings, they make the major structural elements, calling on Street Crane for hoists, controls and special handling equipment.
“This partnership has many advantages for crane users,” he explains. “Existing and potential crane users in the region have immediate access to a local Street partner, who have full technical resources for the design of new cranes. Delivery times for major fabrications are greatly reduced so that lead times on commissioning new cranes are shorter. The local fabrication of key components benefits the Gulf economy by supporting local industry and employment, creating value in the economy and conserving foreign currency.

The CAD edge
To make sure that the company’s cranes meet current and future client needs, great care has been taken to understand the user’s manufacturing process and site environment. Street has developed special software to record site variables, customer needs and special equipment options.
This program makes structural calculations to determine the size and form of crane beam, the power range for motors and characteristics of gearboxes and other mechanical elements. The program can directly reference a database of over 30,000 pre-engineered crane components and prepare a detailed specification, costing and manufacturing drawings, he adds.
While overhead cranes can vary hugely according to the application, Street offers cranes and hoists starting from 25 kg to 150 tonnes SWL capacity. Crane beams are usually single, double or box girder design depending on factors such as load, frequency of lift and special factors such as load stability, Keith says.
Elaborating on the other cranes and equipment offered by Street, he says: “Cranes in buildings are usually installed on rails attached to the portal frame. Freestanding gantries are also used where the portal is too lightly constructed to take the weight of the crane and load. Gantry cranes are also common in steel stockyards and concrete fabrication yards. Goliath cranes – where the beam is supported by a pylon at either end, and travels on fixed track – are also common in open yards. Goliaths and semi-Goliaths – where the beam travels on a gantry at one end and has a pylon at the other – are also sometimes installed within buildings.
“Most Street wire rope hoists are of twin barrel design to ensure better stability and protection of the load. Hoists are fitted to carriages that travel along the beam. This x and y coverage ensures that the crane can service the entire working area. Travelling speeds and hoist speeds are carefully chosen to fit the user’s production cycle and to ensure load stability.
“Hooks are the most common and versatile form of handling device. Used with chains or slings, hooks provide one of the most versatile means of securing common loads. Street can offer special devices for handling loads that are more unusual. Cranes handling materials such as steel plate, glass and marble can be fitted with vacuum devices. Magnets may be used for handling ferrous metals and a variety of special jaws and grabs are available for unusual loads.”