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A HIGH-PRECISION MISSION FOR A TEREX® AC 100/4L AT THE LOUVRE MUSEUM WITH THE CAUVAS COMPANY, PARIS, FRANCE
PARIS, FRANCE, May, 16th, 2012 – At the height of Fashion Week last fall, the prestigious Square Courtyard of the Louvre museum was made available to a major name in international fashion for a runway tent-show that was broadcasted live via the internet worldwide. The Cauvas company and its Terex® AC 100/4L were selected to hoist and place in position the drive unit of a carousel powering a rotating platform.
A delicate and demanding assignment
The unusual nature of the site and the conditions for hoisting a load weighing 3.5 tonnes (3.86 US tons) mandated the choice of a crane that was not only powerful but also compact enough to pass through the museum’s narrow entrance portico. The crane had to be able to position the carousel's drive unit very accurately, lowering it through a very small opening in the top of the tent.
A crane chosen for its compactness and capabilities
Company director Jean-Pierre Cauvas told us why an AC 100/4L was chosen for this task. “First of all, we needed a self-contained crane that could do the job fast, with no need for other equipment. Then we needed a machine that offered a combination of compact size and lifting performance. Our AC 100/4L was the only crane that could pass through a portico that’s only 2.63 meters (8 ft 7.5 in) wide and then lift a 3.5-ton part over a range of 25 meters (82 ft).”
Precision lifting with full flexibility
Placed in position parallel to the tent, the crane began by lifting the load to a height of about 10 meters (33 ft). After slewing 90 degrees, the carousel drive unit was positioned directly above a rectangular opening whose size was limited by the structural metal framework of the tent, such that the gap was barely wider than the load itself. Rigging lines had been secured to the load beforehand, so that crewmen positioned inside the tent could steer the load in order to align it with the opening. Once this task had been completed, all that remained to be done was to lower the drive unit onto the waiting carousel structure. The entire operation took only half an hour.
Versatility and economical operation
“We bought our AC 100/4L last June,” Mr. Cauvas continued, “and to date it has given us complete satisfaction. It’s a versatile crane. In other words, we can easily de-rate it to 60 tonnes (66,1 US tons), and then gradually increase the configuration up to 100 tonnes (110,2 US tons). So, depending on the job, we don’t have to equip it with 100% of its counterweight. Furthermore, the light weight of its boom lets us work with less counterweight at a radius of 15 meters than comparable cranes. I should also mention that the simplicity of its operation makes it easier to change operators, if necessary, at certain jobsites. Last, it uses less fuel than an older-model 50-tonne (55,1 US ton) capacity class crane.
An enthusiastic driver
Carlos Santana, a crane operator at Cauvas, can’t praise it enough. “It’s a very good machine, very competitive. The working comfort of the two cabs is excellent, the ride is nice, and its style is modern and high-tech. ”
Chief Operating Officer Benjamin Cauvas told us about his history with Terex. “Six years ago we bought a company that owned Terex cranes: an AC 35 L and an AC 50. In 2009 we bought a TC 40 L, which today is supplemented by our AC 100/4L. We’re pleased with our relationship with Terex because of the quality of the work that the machines allow us to do and because of the level of after-sales service. We're treated as if we had 40 cranes. Service is prompt, competent, and professional.”
About the Terex® AC 100/4L
The compact Terex AC 100/4L all terrain crane is the only crane in the 100 tonnes capacity class to feature a standard truck width of 2.55 meters, even when equipped with large 445/95R25 tires. With a telescopic main boom of 59.4 meters and the 10-meter section of its 19-meter-long double folding jib, the crane also features one of the longest system lengths (69.5 meters) that can travel on four axles while complying with a 12-tonne axle load limit. Meanwhile, the crane reaches its maximum system length of 81.7 meters together with an extension system characterized by a high level of versatility: The 19-meter-long double folding jib can be mounted directly on the telescopic boom or on an additional 8-meter extension installed between the telescopic boom and the double folding jib, enabling fast setup times at construction sites.
It is possible to offset either the 19-meter double folding jib on the extension or the entire 27 meters (the 19-meter double jib plus the 8-meter extension) on the telescopic boom. This makes it possible to either work with a large working radius or overcome projecting edges of up to 63 meters.
A powerful 335-kW (445 hp) engine is responsible for the AC 100/4L’s cost-effective operation, exceptional road-traveling performance, and outstanding fuel economy.
About Cauvas
Located in Bonneuil, France, a few kilometers from Paris, the Cauvas company has been in business for more than 50 years. Today it has more than 30 employees. Transportation – both routine and extraordinary – accounts for 75% of its activity. The remainder consists of materials-handling and lifting. In the lifting area, Cauvas possesses efficient resources that allow the company to perform lifting operations with cranes whose capacities range from 25 to 100 tonnes, such that its customers enjoy the advantage of cranes that are perfectly suited to various types of lifting operations at sites that are hard to reach or extremely high. A team of skilled crane operators is also available to customers for all types of lifting tasks, regardless of their difficulty and whatever the nature of the jobsite. More information can be found at www.cauvas.com.
About Terex
Terex Corporation is a diversified global manufacturer of a broad range of equipment that is focused on delivering reliable, customer-driven solutions for many applications, including the construction, infrastructure, quarrying, mining, shipping, transportation, refining, energy, utility and manufacturing industries. Terex reports in five business segments: Aerial Work Platforms; Construction; Cranes; Material Handling & Port Solutions; and Materials Processing. Terex offers financial products and services to assist in the acquisition of equipment through Terex Financial Services. More information can be found at www.terex.com.
