AC&T features the JASO J560 Tower Crane on the Back River Waste Water Treatment Plant in Baltimore, MD. A great way to start 2017.

1. 47JANUARY 2017 ACT
T
he $500 million expansion of
the Back River Wastewater
Treatment plant in Baltimore
involves the construction of one of the
world’s largest nitrogen-removal filters, a
dozen clarifiers, six large sludge reactors,
new pump stations and upgrades to
existing facilities. Archer Western/Walsh
won the contract for the construction that
started early in 2016 and is expected to be
completed by mid-2017.
The project involves the excavation of
more than 1 million cubic yards of dirt,
the pouring of 225,000 cubic yards of
concrete and some 7,500 16-19 inch auger-
cast piles. In some areas of the jobsite #14
rebar is used, which is generally too heavy
for a worker to carry.
While there are several cranes on the
job, one brand is a newcomer to the North
American market. It’s a new JASO J560
hammer head tower crane, the first such
unit working in the United States.
The JASO J560 has a capacity of 5,500
pounds tip load at its 85-meter jib and
can free stand at 240 feet. The crane is
operating at 110 feet tall with a boom of
246 feet.
“All the feedback we are getting
regarding the crane is extremely positive,”
said Robert Kohler, vice president of
Crane Tech Solutions, the exclusive U.S.
distributor for JASO, which is based in
Idiazabal, Spain. Crane Tech Solutions
(CTS) is based in Portsmouth, VA.
Erected in April 2016, the J560 is known
as a low profile hammer head crane. It
was assembled in one day by a crew that
had not previously erected a JASO. This is
good indication of how easy the crane is to
erect, Kohler said. The operator, who has
been running the crane exclusively said,
“This JASO has the fastest, most powerful
hoist unit I’ve worked.”
“We’ve delivered four JASO tower cranes
this year to the United States and we are
very impressed with the quality, advanced
technology, value and after-sales support
we get from the JASO team,” said Kohler.
The design of the crane is a plus due to
the low profile tower top, Kohler said.
“It is between a flat top and a standard
tower top,” he said. “The benefits are
that it can work near airports and the
jib components are lighter and easier
to transport than similar-sized flat top
designs. All JASO cranes are designed with
variable frequency drives which allows for
smooth handling of the crane and loads.
JASO offers a full line of tower cranes
manufactured and designed to European
and U.S. safety standards, and they are
competitively priced.”
Kohler said the CTS team liked the
electric design because it is easy to work
on and doesn’t require extensive training
of technicians. As the U.S. market for
tower cranes expands, Kohler expects
JASO to become a major player.
“An opportunity exists for a
manufacturer that will modify
their designs to meet or exceed U.S.
expectations,” he said. “JASO has done this
in several markets around the world and
when JASO agreed to do this we knew that
we could get a piece of the market here.
A case in point is that they created the
J560 because CTS saw a need for a crane
between their largest hammerhead, the
J600 and the J420, at a competitive price.”
CTS’s Robert Hileman said the crane
is lifting rebar, concrete forms and other
materials needed in the construction of
the wastewater pools.
“We’ve been very pleased with the
production of this machine and we expect
to see strong interest in the JASO brand,”
Hileman said. ■
LIFTING SITE REPORT
The first JASO J560 tower crane in North America is
handling a variety of lifting assignments at the Back River
Wastewater Treatment plant expansion in Baltimore.
Efficient
lifter
The JASO J560 is designed with a top that is
between a flat top and a standard tower top.
Variable frequency
drives allowing for smooth
handling of the crane
and loads.
Crane Tech Solutions’ Vice President
Robert Kohler was on hand when the
new JASO tower crane was erected.
ACT 01 2017 Site Report Jaso Lifting Final.indd 47ACT 01 2017 Site Report Jaso Lifting Final.indd 47 21/12/2016 12:06:1421/12/2016 12:06:14