WestRock Paper Mill Adds New Broderson Carry-Deck Crane

Oct. 20, 2020 - The WestRock Solvay Mill in Solvay, New York, has taken delivery of a  Broderson IC-100-3B from Empire Crane Co. to use in construction and maintenance operations, primarily repairing the paper mill’s rotating equipment and screens. 

The new 2020 Broderson IC-100-3B replaces a 1999-vintage Broderson IC-80 that has long been working reliably at the mill.

WestRock decided to upgrade because it now needs more lifting capacity than the IC-80 offers.

According to Empire Crane, WestRock looked at other brands but chose the Broderson IC-100-3B for its combination of lifting capacity and small footprint.

Cory White, senior vehicle maintenance technician and mobile equipment safety trainer at WestRock provided technical expertise for the decision process. It offers more lifting capacity, reach, and is within the required footprint.

The Broderson IC-100-3B is a 10 U.S.-ton industrial carry-deck crane designed for in-plant lifting and material handling. It features a 49’4” maximum sheave height, 5.6 U.S.-ton pick-and-carry capacity, continuous turret rotation, 6’6” width for travel, and fully hydraulic controls.

WestRock opted to include a 10’ boom extension, operator guard, and the dual-fuel (diesel-propane) option. “This unit will run indoors 99% of the time, so we run strictly propane,” White said. 

The IC-100-3B has Broderson’s auto-throttle feature, which lets an operator set the throttle to 1200 or 1800 rpm, freeing the operator to focus more on the crane’s movement surroundings.

Empire Crane CEO and vice president Luke Lonergan said “We’ve serviced WestRock’s IC-80 for years. We’re so happy they’ve been satisfied with the unit and are glad to help them put the higher-capacity unit into their fleet.”

Photo Caption: From left, are Luke Lonergan, CEO, Empire Crane Company; Cory White, senior vehicle maintenance technician, WestRock; and Scott Walrath, vehicle maintenance technician, WestRock.




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