There are very few crane models that genuinely shift the market. Fewer still go from a cautious launch to becoming the dominant choice on job sites across Australia.
The Franna AT40 is one of them. With the recent delivery of the 300th AT40 to Johnson & Young Cranes (JYC), the model has reached a milestone that reflects not just sales volume, but a clear change in how pick and carry cranes are being used across the country.
For General Manager Danny Black, the significance of the number is less about the milestone itself and more about what it represents.
“It’s been our best new model release as far as industry take-up,” Danny said.
The AT40’s journey was not straightforward. While the crane was first shown at the 2016 CICA Conference, it did not immediately enter the market. Instead, Terex made a deliberate decision to hold the product back.
“We didn’t want to release a product to market that didn’t live up to our Franna expectations,” Danny said.
The AT40 introduced a lot of innovation and new technologies. Early development challenges, particularly around the three axle hydropneumatic suspension system developed in collaboration with Demag. This required significant additional investment into Multi-Body Dynamic Simulation and testing.
“It was Franna’s first three axle machine and our first with that type of suspension, and it was Demag’s first design with an articulated chassis, so let’s just say we learnt a lot,” Danny said.
There were other complexities too. The AT40 introduced an articulating counterweight, which significantly improved the articulated lifting performance but also required extensive validation around on-road rollover stability.
“We developed a system that exceeds the rollover stability requirements for dangerous goods vehicles, which is the highest category requirement level in Australia,” Danny said.
Only after the crane completed 100’s of hours in testing and validation did it begin a limited market entry in December 2018.
Designed for capacity and simplicity
At its core, the AT40 was built to solve a practical problem: increasing lifting capacity without adding complexity for operators.
One of the key design advantages is the three axle design which enables the crane to carry all its required counterweight and still travel on highway, removing the need for additional counterweights with separate transport requirements and manual setup on site.
Compared to earlier models, the AT40 delivers a clear step up in performance while maintaining the simplicity that Franna pick and carry cranes are known for.
Beyond capacity, the AT40 marked a major step forward in operator control systems and visibility.
The crane introduced the IC-1 control system, developed with Demag, which manages not only crane control and rated capacity but also suspension modes and overall machine functionality.
“It became one of the most complex software systems they had developed,” Danny said. That complexity has translated into improved controllability and safety.
The AT40 was also the first Franna to feature innovations such as a 360-degree camera system and advanced safety technologies such as Safety Radar.
“Safety Radar is a game changer, it gives the operator a graphical pictorial of the rated capacity for the entire working zone of the crane, so the operator can plan their next safe move,” Danny said.
Demand outpacing supply
Once the AT40 gained traction, demand accelerated quickly. The AT40 created a totally new capacity class for pick and carry cranes and enabled lifts to be performed more efficiently and cost effectively than larger capacity alternative cranes.
Production ramped from around 12 units in the first year, then more than doubled for the following two years to over 50 per annum.
“The demand came on quicker than we anticipated and we didn’t have the capacity to build them quickly enough,” Danny said.
This led to extended lead times, particularly in the early years, as Terex invested in dedicated production lines and training to support the new platform. The scale of that demand is now reflected in the 300-unit milestone.
JYC: A fleet built around the 40-tonne class
Few companies reflect the AT40’s market position more than Reece Johnson and the team at Johnson & Young Cranes (JYC).
With 12 Franna AT40 units in its fleet, JYC has leaned heavily into the 40-tonne segment.
“That’s what our clients want. Their demand is for the 40s in the infrastructure space,” Reece said.
That demand has reshaped how the company approaches its fleet strategy.
“We nearly run all Franna AT40s these days,” Reece said.
For JYC, the additional capacity is not just about bigger lifts. It also plays a supporting role alongside larger crawler cranes.
“It makes a big difference. They’re a good support crane for some of the biggest cranes,” Reece said.
The most telling insight from JYC is how quickly the AT40 has moved from a new product to a dominant one.
“To see where the 40s have come from when they first came out, they’ve really taken a market stronghold these days,” Reece said.
That sentiment aligns closely with Terex’s own view of the model’s trajectory.
What began as a cautious release has evolved into a platform that now defines expectations in the pick and carry segment.
Backed by service and support
Beyond performance, after-sales support remains a critical factor in fleet decisions. For JYC, this has been a consistent positive.
“The after-sales service has been great, can’t complain,” Reece said.
This level of support has helped reinforce confidence in scaling up AT40 fleets, particularly for businesses operating in high-demand infrastructure environments.
While the AT40 continues to gain ground, Terex is already looking to build on its foundation.
The technologies developed for the AT40 are being extended across new models, particularly in areas such as control systems and safety features.
Danny said: “We’ve got a very solid platform to work from.”
