Servicing the Mornington Peninsula since 1988, Laurie Patterson has cultivated a clientele that turn to him for challenging lifts and niche projects. Patterson Mobile Cranes regularly use their Jekko mini cranes and mini crawlers for these lifts as Laurie Patterson explains.
“Working in and around the Mornington Peninsula we have some of the best views in the country, this means that majority of our work is with glass. These can be 500-to-800-kilogram panels and no one around us really does anything similar,” Patterson said.
“A lot of our work can also revolve around challenging and extremely delicate lifts into brand new homes. A recent lift we completed was for a well-known racing identity. He had a life size bronze statue of his daughter on a horse that needed to be brought in through the rear of the house.
The statue came in at an impressive 2600mm high and weighed a staggering 700 kilograms.
“We utilised our Kato city crane for the initial lift in between the trusses in the entertaining area of the backyard, then we used our Jekko SPX424 and the MPK06 to take control of the delicate procedure of bringing it inside. This included turning the statue 90 degrees to get it through the rear sliding door and utilising the MPK06 to move it through the house with a great deal of control as to not damage the statue,” Patterson said.
The whole lift was a delicate procedure that required a strong amount of forward planning and communication between the team, but these traits are what Patterson Mobile Cranes has been built on.
Started in 1988 with a little 12 tonne Coles crane, Laurie Patterson has grown his company by taking calculated risks. Patterson Mobile Canes brought in one of the first Jekko SPX424’s to the country, which Patterson explains was an incredible opportunity for the company. It then recently took delivery of an MPK06 minipicker which again was one of the first in Australia.
“We have had a few Japanese mini crawler cranes in the past and we were limited in what we could do with it so we turned to 600 Cranes and the Jekko’s to see what they could offer.
“We looked at the specs on the Jekko SPX424 back in 2017 and thought to ourselves, let’s take the risk and see how it performs and it has opened so many doors that we did not even think of,” Patterson said.
The SPX424 has a capacity of 2400 kilograms and a maximum height of 15.2 metres and a reach of 11.8 metres.
A challenge facing most mini cranes is the ability to operate in confined spaces such as in and around building sites or indoors. With outriggers extended the SPX424 has a footprint of only 3710mm x 3710mm. To aid getting indoors it is only 775mm wide and even with tracks extended it still comes in at an impressive 1065mm in width.
With a top speed of 1.8 km/h the SPX424 has a gradeability of 20 degrees and has a 360-degree ability to rotate.
Patterson Mobile Cranes decided to opt for the lithium battery in its SPX424, allowing them greater ability to operate indoors and making the machine truly versatile.
The SPX424 comes with three different jib options including an 800 kg hydraulic flying jib, 800 kg mechanical flying jib and an 800kg searcher hook depending on what the user desires for its specific applications.
The mini crane comes with a range of added safety features to protect the operator and those working in tandem with it, the SPX424 has an Anti Two Block (A2B) which prevents the hook from blocking or being pulled against the boom end. It comes with a system that interlocks the functions of the crane and of the carrier and an onboard diagnostic system for troubleshooting.
“We have found the more time we spend with the crane we understand how to rectify any issues, so much so that we get other operators calling us to ask how to fix an issue and I can tell them in a matter of seconds, that is how simple these machines are,” Patterson said.
The fully electric MPK06 which was recently delivered to Patterson Mobile Cranes is an impressive piece of machinery and has been put straight to work by the team. The MPK06 is the only minipicker with the capability to be used with a manipulator with suction cups or in hook mode. With the ability to complete up to three movements at the same time without losing power it is extremely versatile.
The MPK06 is the only pick and carry crane with +/- 10° electric rotation of the main column. Also coming with a removable counterweight, it gives the user plenty of adaptability for any task.
The minipicker is slight when on site with a width of only 760mm,with narrow wheels and 835 with out door off road tires a length of 1845mm and a height of 1470mm it is perfect for indoor use. The option for white wheels is a major plus to provide a clear indication of dirt before it is brought inside. With a capacity of 600 kilograms and a reach of 2.1 metres it is surprisingly dexterous for its size.
For Laurie Patterson all of these features are what drew him toward the Italian made Jekko mini cranes and mini crawlers as he explains.
“With the SPX424 we were impressed by the amount of boom it had for a machine of its size, the fly jib was a big plus along with the versatility of that jib.
“Its extendable tracks were a massive benefit, and it is so stable along with the 240-volt battery system and its fully remote control, meaning we can get it into some pretty impressive spaces.”
“Three months after we had purchased the machine, we had a thorough understanding of its capabilities and word of mouth started to get around with people talking about our Jekko and just what is was capable of.
“One of the best aspects has been the communication between both 600 Cranes and Jekko in terms of feedback we can provide for the machine. Once we had the SPX424 for a short period they asked if we wanted to change anything for future models. They have brought in the small changes we recommended for the Australian market which shows how intent they are on the success of the machine here.
“The Italian flair of Jekko means they are extremely passionate about what they do and coupled with the passionate team at 600 cranes we always find the support we need for our machines,” Patterson said.
Both the SPX424 and MPK06 came with USB ports to allow operators to charge phones and other pieces of machinery such as tools on site, thus creating a machine that can be the pillar of any site.
Patterson Mobile Cranes continues to service the Mornington Peninsula, always willing to take on a challenge with the company receiving great feedback from clients.
“It is simple for us; we offer good cranes and strong service. We will never skimp on gear, if we need to purchase gear, we will go out of way to source it and bring it to the job, the challenging lifts are the kind of thing that gets me up in the morning,” Patterson said.