Melbourne’s glass handling experts JA & Son recently took delivery of the first fully battery operated, Maeda MC305Cb mini telescopic crawler to arrive in the country.
Jason Scordo owner and director of JA & Son is delighted to add the Maeda MC305CB to his already extensive fleet of Maedas.
“I am very pleased and very excited to take delivery of the first Maeda MC305CB delivered into the country. It absolutely fits into the journey we have been taking with battery powered mini crawlers,” he said.
“To date we have been successfully operating hybrid cranes with three-phase capabilities, but we are confident the MC305CB is the beginning of a whole new era for mini telescopic crawler cranes. Like all businesses, we are focused on our environmental responsibilities and the addition of the Maeda MC305CB will make a significant contribution to reducing our carbon emission footprint.
“As business we are focused on recycling products. For example, all of the batteries in our electric machines will be recycled. We can see the construction sector moving in a similar direction.
“Although it is early days, I can see construction sites requesting battery operated construction equipment such as mini crawlers to stop emissions and reduce the carbon footprint of a construction site,” he said.
With so many types of equipment operating at any one time this is a going to be a complex and drawn-out process, but it is beginning to happen says Scordo.
“The benefits of battery powered mini crawlers, such as the Maeda MC305CB, include the lack of downtime, the reduction in risk as we won’t need dangerous goods cabinets on site to store fuel, and no need for spill kits, as these issues will be things of the past,” he said.
The development of battery powered equipment has come a long way in the last decade or so, he said.
“The Maeda MC305CB has the same capabilities of the diesel powered model. 10 years ago, when you were operating battery powered equipment you could tell it was underpowered and sluggish. Today, you couldn’t tell the difference apart from the lack of noise, and emissions,” said Scordo.
“This brings into focus another significant advantage. When you are operating the smaller diesel models, you have to bring up the revs to make the lift and the dogman and operator will be yelling at each other to be heard. With battery electric cranes this problem is completely eliminated,” he said.
JA & Son has Australia’s largest fleet of Maeda electric powered cranes, including the MC285CWME, MC305CRME-2, and our MC405CRME. The cranes are great for working in confined spaces, and indoor environments such as refineries, food processing plants, and shopping centres. With these cranes, there will be no worry about annoying exhaust fumes, making the work environment safe.
The business started as a glass equipment hire for the glazing façade industry, explained Scordo.
“We were receiving calls about the 285 Meada managing small glass installation work and for jobs which required getting into tight spots. We sub-hired the crane and operator in for this work. I would dog the crane and supply the glass lifting equipment. The work kept coming and so we took the leap of faith and bought our first crane in 2016. That crane was a Maeda 285.
“Work continued to increase in the façade industry with the bulk of the work being commercial in high rise construction and also shop fronts. We have grown by providing the service our customers have been calling for and the demand for our ‘high level’ of service,” said Scordo.
JA & Son purchased its first three-phase electric crane in 2017 – a Maeda 305 model. This was a second-hand crane that became available to the business, with the three-phase option seen as a bonus, said Scordo.
“It turned out to be the perfect addition as we started getting enquiries for work which required zero emissions. Being a hybrid, and with the option of running it on diesel or three-phase, we quickly saw the potential for this model and ordered another,” he said.
“This meant we had options if one was out on a long-term project for example. We then moved into a 405 with the same diesel and three-phase option and we now have 285 in diesel and three-phase. The addition of battery-operated Maeda 305 mini crawler is another step up.
“We believe this crane will be a perfect fit for us. It fits in with our commitment to be as green as possible. The high performance rate of the crane changes very little with it being battery powered and, when Michael Cawston, national sales manager at Pace Cranes, called and said he had the first battery powered 305 coming, we jumped at the opportunity to grab it. Again, it’s a good fit for us and we know there will be plenty of work for it.”
Scordo explains how beneficial the battery powered 305 will be for a customer.
“The battery powered 305 is designed and engineered to be an outdoor machine as well as an indoor machine. Typical applications will be high rise construction sites and the biggest advantages will be around the availability of the crane, with very little to no down time,” he said.
“Work doesn’t have to stop to refuel the crane. The hassle of having fuel delivered to the site and then have the fuel delivered to the floor where the machine is working is completely eliminated.
“Because the crane is battery powered, they can use the machine, and if the charge in the battery gets low, they can plug it into a standard power supply, recharge the battery, and continue to use the crane at the same time. With all the trades onsite, there are always power cables for the crane to use.
“Long-term, I think the cost of fuel, including diesel, is going to be an issue for many industries. Our move to battery electric Maeda cranes will be seen by many of our customers as a very positive one.”
Scordo discusses the performance of the battery electric crane and what he expects to see from the life of the battery.
“We’ve examined the battery with Maeda and we reckon it will provide a good 10-year working life. There has been an approximate replacement price provided for down the track and we understand this will be quite expensive.
“But, we worked on a business case of a seven to eight-year life for the battery, which will come with the right usage, maintenance and care, all of which is our responsibility.
“It’s a lithium battery, which also provides more peace of mind and we realise if we don’t look after the battery the crane doesn’t work.
“On the seven to eight-year forecast, dividing through the weekly average and calculating how much time it will be out and working, it made our decision a no brainer.
“Based on today’s rates, we see a 50 per cent reduction in operational costs by simply eliminating the need for a person to jump in a vehicle, fill up fuel tanks, take these to site, refuel the crane and then come back to the yard.
“We can see this type of saving only getting greater over the years because fuel prices are only going to increase. For our business, the new Maeda MC305CB is already set at a price which includes the replacement battery and this will happen at some stage.”
The new crane will help with the builders’ reputation said Scordo. Everywhere in the construction sector there is a continued push for more environmentally sound practices. These include ensuring there are less emissions from equipment on site.
“The move to battery electric cranes is going to change the whole game. They are much cleaner and quieter and I can see the construction sector increasingly insisting on battery electric cranes for the type of work that we do,” he said.
Scordo goes on to discuss the features he is most impressed with on the Maeda MC305CB.
“We’ve bought all of the Maedas with the full range of options, which means we are prepared for every scenario. The searcher hook is very beneficial, especially when we are working with the intricate designs from architects where we are in much tighter spaces and we don’t have the full headroom to work with. By using the searcher hook you will reduce your head height by 400mm or 500mm, which makes a massive difference in these areas,” he said.
“In my opinion, the Maeda 305 mini crawler is the best of the models. It is compact enough to fit into most of the job sites and work zones and it provides a good reach and output to work with.
“The weight of the crane is also excellent, and this provides benefits from a transport perspective. The weight of the Maeda 305 is 3.8t and the capacity of most common tilt trays is 4t. If we don’t have our own transport available to move the crane, there is no issue calling any transport provider and get a truck at short notice,” he said.
The new Maeda MC305CB is ideal for a regular job JA & Son has in Melbourne. For some time, the business has been sending a three-phase machine to an art gallery to help set up exhibits. It has proved to be the ideal crane as it fits into the goods lift, which has a 5t capacity, says Jason.
“This crane has worked on a number of exhibitions and the three-phase has added massive benefits with zero emissions and little noise. All of the staff and management at the gallery recently stipulated they will only allow an electric machine into the gallery.
“Now, I can tell them they don’t have to worry about there being a power cable with the crane as we now have a full battery powered crane with the same capabilities as the crane they have been ordering,” said Scordo.
The MC305CB is fitted standard with non-marking tracks, a feature he likes.
“We work inside many buildings with our Maedas. Using the white tracks, we might see some white residue where the crane has been, but this is easily swept up and it’s gone. This is compared to the markings that black rubber tracks leave, which require detailed scrubbing to be removed,” he said.