Experts say that 25 to 30 per cent of the world's cranes are in Dubai
They are a permanent fixture in Dubai and are hard to miss. No, we're not talking about the city's innumerable malls, but tower cranes that loom in every corner of the city. Tower cranes are common features at construction sites all over the world, but Dubai, in particular, is overrun with them.
Construction crew use tower cranes to lift steel, concrete, large tools such as acetylene torches and generators, and a wide variety of other building materials.
Tower cranes have to be assembled piece by piece and the base resembles a long ladder, while the boom is perpendicular to the base. Tower cranes are used in the construction of buildings. In the case of skyscrapers, the tower crane is often assembled and affixed inside the building during construction.
Other types of cranes include all-terrain, stacker, rough terrain, loader, truck, crawler, cargo, gantry, floating, truck and mobile cranes.
Tower cranes rate high on the most-wanted list in Dubai and are available only to those willing to get on a long waiting list.
"There is a four-to-six-month waiting list for tower cranes from European companies. Though relatively new to the market, European companies are working towards gaining a foothold in the Middle East," says Emad Subhi, Sales Manager, Al Bakhit Construction Equipment LLC.
Apart from European crane companies, Indian companies too are recognising the potential of the booming market. "Some of the major Indian crane companies are also moving into the region with their products," says G. R. Udupi, General Manager, ACE Crane Systems.
Experts say that though about 25 to 30 per cent of the world's cranes are in Dubai, it has in no way affected the rate of construction around the world.
"I have seen the number of cranes going up over the last 30 years, and since Dubai is one of the fastest growing cities in the world, tower cranes are necessary for its growth," says Jaweed Iqbal, Sales Manager, Construction Equipment Division, Al-Futtaim Auto and Machinery Company.
And if you think you've seen the last of these ubiquitous cranes, think again. "I think tower cranes will be a part of Dubai's landscape till 2010," says Shakil Merchant, Operations Manager-Sales , Kanoo Machinery.
"I believe Dubai has only reached 10 per cent of its potential and there is going to be a higher rate of development which will obviously bring a larger number of tower cranes," says Iqbal.
Crane-wise
- The K-10,000 tower crane by Kroll Giant Towercranes is by far the largest tower crane in the world. It can remain standing against winds measuring 280 kilometres an hour, is nearly thrice as tall as the Statue of Liberty and its operating range covers seven and a half acres.
- An average tower crane has a maximum reach of 230 feet and can lift 19.8 tonnes - the equivalent of three African elephants.
- A bellman is the crane operator's eyes and ears on the ground. The bellman makes sure that the material being lifted or moved is anchored safely.
