October 24, 2007 • Minneapolis, Minn.-based distributor C4 Cranes has partnered with IMAI Manufacturing, Colle Umberto, Italy, to bring the Jekko mini crane to the U.S. market. With two models already in C4 Cranes' lineup, the company is in the process of adding a third model, which was approved this week.
The mini cranes, designed for the industrial crane market, can fit through standard 36-inch doorways. Using the cranes, operators can place 1,200 pounds up 42 feet with optional offsetting jib. The ANSI B30.5-certified mini cranes run on batteries and create no emissions, making them an option for indoor use and confined spaces.
Keith Shank, C4 Cranes president, said the mini cranes are well-suited for places where contractors can't operate a normal-sized crane or forklift. He discovered the mini cranes about two years ago in Europe and decided to purchase one for his construction company. “Every time I'd go on a job people were asking about them, so that's why we decided to start importing them,” said Shank.
According to Shank, mini cranes have been used in Asia for about 20 years and Europe for at least 10 years, but C4 Cranes is the first distributor to bring them to the United States. The task at hand for Shank is getting the word out about these cranes. “What's tough is that people don't know they're out there right now,” Shank said. “But once they do see them, and especially once they demo them and see them first hand, they just love them.”
For more information, visit www.c4cranes.com.
