Sany Remains Fully Committed to the Australian Crane Industry

Sany remains fully committed to the Australian Crane Industry with a significant presence at CICA’s National Conference and Exhibition. 

Importantly, Mr Yue Yuan, President of SANY Crane Business Unit, Mr Tom Liu, Sany’s General Manager of International Business, and Mr Lawrence Liu, Vice General Manager of International Business attended the conference and show. Cranes and Lifting Magazine was fortunate to catch up with this senior management team as well as Neo Liu, Sany’s Country Manager for Australia, and Chen Wei Ng, Managing Director of Tutt Bryant Group, Sany’s National Distributor.

Sany has been supplying cranes to the Australian market for well over a decade. Over this time Sany has worked closely with Tutt Bryant Equipment (TBE), Tutt Bryant Heavy Lift & Shift (TBHLS), and other customers to ensure the Sany products are up to the task.

Mr Tom Liu made some interesting observations.

“Sany is committed to supporting the Australian market and other major markets around the world. Our global footprint continues to grow as does Sany’s reputation as a global manufacturer. 

“Working with customers and distributors like Tutt Bryant Equipment, we encourage feedback on our products, what works well, and what could work better. This feedback is delivered back to our factory and our engineers and design teams look at how we can engineer these suggestions into our products, improving performance and our customer’s experience of the Sany brand,” he said.

An excellent example of this approach to product development was witnessed by Kyle Greenwood, TBHLS Supervisor. He worked with the newly delivered Sany SCC8000A, an 800t lattice boom crawler. He acknowledged the quality of the product, stating that the technology is “right up there” in the market.

“I was working on a project in Townsville just a couple of months ago with a 2014 model 400t capacity Sany. The difference between the quality and the technology in that model and the 800 was massive. Sany’s technology is well and truly on par with the products you get in a German or American crane,” said Kyle.

“We put the crane together for the first time for the CraneSafe inspection. We completed some test lifts with a calibrated load cell in the line and the weights were reading spot on straight away.

“The radius indicators were also reading perfectly: as an example, we set the stinger to 18.3 metres on the computer. I went out and measured it and it was 18 metres, 200cm, and 90 mm,” said Kyle.

And his satisfaction is not unfounded. Founded in 1986, Sany has risen to become one of the largest construction equipment manufacturers globally, ranking fourth in the KHL International Construction Yellow Table for 2022, and second among crane manufacturers.

By investing between five to seven percent of annual sales revenue in R&D each year, Sany constantly looks for ways to build smarter machines to reduce their impact on the environment and to increase sustainable performance. Mr Yue Yuan explains more about Sany’s continued embracing of innovation throughout the design, engineering, and manufacturing processes.

“Sany has committed to an ongoing investment strategy in all aspects of the business. For example, for many years we have been investing in our manufacturing facilities and today we boast one of the most automated production lines of any crane manufacturer,” he said.

“Almost all of our manufacturing processes, including metal fabrication and welding, are managed robotically. This investment guarantees every weld is precise and that our manufacturing processes are not subject to human error. With this investment in automation, we can maintain high levels of production which enable us to reach our target of between 18,000 to 20,000 mobile cranes per year.

Renewable energy is used extensively in Sany’s manufacturing process, and the company has gone even further by expanding to new energy production with Sany Renewable Energy – an important business division of Sany that specialises in the research, manufacturing, and sales of wind turbines and the design, construction, and management of wind farms and photovoltaic power stations.

As a responsible, visionary, and aspiring global enterprise, Sany supports the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Sany is focused on a sustainable future, says Mr Yuan.

“A sustainable future must be the goal for all responsible manufacturers, and Sany is no different. Much of our investment continues to be around the reduction of carbon footprints in everything we do. We have invested in renewable energy sources, especially solar, and wherever possible we want to ensure our manufacturing processes are powered by ‘clean energy.’ In all decision-making processes, Sany always takes into consideration global trends and challenges, international norms of responsible business behaviour, and stakeholders’ expectations,” he said.

Sany is now leading the wave of electrification in responding to the call for an electrical era that is widely echoed across the industry. The move to battery-powered cranes included the launch of the Sany SCE800TB-EV 80t capacity telescopic crawler and also the SCC400TB-EV 40t telescopic crawler.

Both the convenience and versatility of a hydraulic telescopic boom crawler crane have been proven time and again on urban worksites where space comes at a premium.

Running on a Danfoss electric motor that is rated at 206kW of power and 1310Nm of torque, the SCE800TB-EV enables silent and emissions-free operation when compared to a traditional crane with a diesel engine. These are significant advantages when working in confined spaces, such as tunnels, and where neighbouring residents and businesses can potentially be affected by noise and emissions.

Sany will also be introducing its proprietary power packs to enhance the user experience with the SCE800TB-EV crane. These power packs will allow charging from a variety of sources while the crane is working, to then deliver rapid charging to the crane when required.

Tutt Bryant Group is working with Sany and other partners to reduce its carbon footprint and widen the sustainable options available to customers through its “Go Green” program. Besides battery electric equipment, Tutt Bryant is also investigating new fuel options such as renewable diesel, ethanol, and hydrogen. A hybrid prototype has also been developed to support on-site power needs.

Tutt Bryant’s “Go Green” program was launched to recognise the role it can play in Australia’s decarbonisation journey. Tutt Bryant has identified the internationally diverse expertise that can be accessed through its spectrum of partners and suppliers globally, says Managing Director Chen Wei.

“We are working closely with Sany and other global suppliers on our “Go Green” program. We are particularly excited about the advancements in the electrification of cranes and other types of construction equipment. 

“In Australia, the Sany brand is particularly recognised for its range of heavy lifting lattice boom crawlers which have been involved in numerous projects across the country for many years. The launch of the SCE800TB-EV and now the SCE400TB-EV demonstrates how innovative Sany is as a global manufacturer.

“We work closely with Sany, providing feedback which has helped the product development process. Sany has more than doubled the number of engineers based in Australia and they provide feedback to their colleagues in the various factories,” said Chen Wei.

“The electric telescopic crawlers have been an important development for us but we are also excited about the Sany all-terrain range – and these will be a significant focus for the business. We are going to be deliberate in the range that we target initially to ensure we satisfy the needs of our customers in Australia. As we have done in the past, we will work methodically with Sany, providing feedback on what works and what could work better, and we’ll go from there,” he said.

SOURCE: Cranes and Lifting Magazine

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