Guy M. Turner, Inc. of Greensboro, N.C. has an expanding fleet of cranes and nearly 100 years of heavy and specialized transportation experience. The company purchased a new Link-Belt Cranes 65|HT hydraulic truck crane to assist overall operations. For Guy M. Turner, a significant factor in the purchase of the 65|HT was a crane that could plug into their fleet with no additional permitting required, day or night.
“The improvements to the new 65|HT are pretty clear,” said Vice President of the Crane Division at Guy M. Turner, Bo Loy. According to Loy, the differences from previous hydraulic truck cranes were noticed right away. An additional five feet in the boom was immediately noticed.
“What that (boom length) equates to is time and time is money. If you have a job that can fit within our minimum and shorten the time we’re there, that’s better for us and our customers. That can equate to a half hour or more. The additional boom length is a pretty major factor for us,” said Loy.
While offloading 6,500 to 8,000 lbs. (3 000 to 3 600 kg) steel tanks in Graham, N.C., crane operator Steve Bennett also found the extra five feet of boom helpful.
“Between the extra five feet of boom and the extra counterweight, the crane is more stable when reaching out 100 feet,” said Bennett, who has been operating Guy M. Turner’s HTC-8660 for years. “The whole crane from front to back is hands down a better machine.”
The transportability of the 65|HT is also a factor for Guy M. Turner. With a total counterweight of 18,700 lbs. (8400 kg.) that can be left on while traveling down the road, the crane is ready to go, night or day.
“Many times, we get a phone call at six o’clock in the evening to go to a certain place for an emergency job,” said Loy. “We don’t have to worry about getting the 65|HT permitted. Turn it on and go.” Built for optimization, the 65|HT is designed for any job site. The lightweight nylon head sheaves help reduce weight and increase capacity, and the quick reeve head allows for fast and easy line changes. When night operations come, the lighting and camera setup is superior.
“It’s got great LED lighting on the cab, and I like all the LED lighting on the side for your rigging equipment,” said Bennett. “The outrigger control box, when you operate your outriggers on the side of the crane, also has lights, which is useful. It helps a lot in the morning or if you are working at night.”
Reprinted from Marine Construction Magazine Issue VI, 2023.
