Terex Rough Terrain Cranes has successfully deployed its TRT 35 Rough Terrain Crane in the expansive landscape of the Coleskop Wind Farm, a 140 MW onshore wind power project in Northern Cape, South Africa.

Coleskop represents one of three South African wind farm projects that has deployed a TRT35. Together with the other sites - Phezukomoya and San Kraal – the project plans to produce a total capacity of 420 MW as part of South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Program to supply 420,000 consumers on the country’s national grid.

Transported on a 3-axle lowbed, the TRT 35 covered the distance from Cape Town to Coleskop Wind Farm in Noupoort in 15 hours. Noupoort is in the Karoo, a semi-desert natural region of South Africa which is partly defined by its topography, geology, and climate. The region has low rainfall, arid air, cloudless skies, and extremes of heat and cold—extremely high temperatures in summer and snow in winter.

The crane was provided by Concord Cranes, who specialise in crane hire solutions for many applications across Southern Africa. Their crane hire specialists understand all the intricacies behind determining the correct crane for the job to ensure that the right crane and equipment is provided, with the right team to execute. The team chose the TRT 35 crane as they believed it had the ability to navigate and operate in the rugged, mountainous environment of Coleskop Wind Farm, which along with its changing climate, has steep gradients and uneven ground conditions.

The crane's compact dimensions, with a machine width of only 2.5m, four steering options and rugged terrain capabilities, allows it to traverse the rugged region where conventional road infrastructure is absent. Its 22m main boom gives the operator the excellent lifting performance and its Cummins 4-cylinder engine and Eco Mode function, brings high power and optimised consumption to the job. Adding to its versatility, Powershift (permanent four-wheel drive) enables the crane to have two modes to satisfy operators driving style: manual mode (with three speeds forward and three speeds reverse), and automatic mode (with five speeds forward and three speeds reverse).

The TRT 35 has been instrumental in executing two primary tasks at Coleskop Wind Farm. Initially, within the production facility, it skilfully moved concrete slabs to facilitate the project's groundwork before being moved to the expansive field, where it is positioning 26 sets of electrical poles, essential for channelling energy from the wind turbines to the power station. The manoeuvrability features of the crane helped to overcome challenges such as accessing each unit, handling the semi-fragile electrical poles, and navigating steep gradients and uneven ground conditions in the mountainous terrain.

“Despite the demanding conditions, the crane is exhibiting exceptional reliability, with no breakdowns, loose wires, or blown fuses since its deployment, said Chester Rawstron, Sales Manager at Concord Cranes. “The TRT 35 boasts a capacity that exceeds our project requirements, ensuring the successful execution of lifting tasks with ease. Its smooth mobility enhances the work rate, impressing our client with its effectiveness in movement and operation. We appreciated the support of Terex Rough Terrain Cranes, who were reliable and forthcoming with technical expertise, assisting us with the servicing of the machine in its remote location. The crane's performance aligns with the project's long-term goals, minimising attention to troubleshooting and maximising productivity.”

The Terex TRT 35 rough terrain crane, as in the other models in the range, features the innovative TEOS (Terex Operating System) control system, which thanks to a 10" touchscreen display in the cab, enables the operator to take advantage of an effective visual interface and navigation system. The operator of the TRT 35 at Coleskop Wind Farm has expressed satisfaction with the user-friendly control system, praising its clarity, ease of use, and touch screen functionality.

Bertrand Guillaume, Sales Manager, Terex Rough Terrain Cranes expressed, "The TRT 35 has exceeded expectations in terms of performance and reliability at Coleskop Wind Farm. Its rugged design and advanced features make it an invaluable asset for projects in demanding environments. We are proud to contribute to the success of the Coleskop Wind Farm, and we look forward to continued collaboration in support of South Africa's renewable energy future."

The TRT35 has been in operation at the wind farm since the beginning of August 2023 and is scheduled to continue its vital role until September 2024.

For further information, please visit www.concordcranes.com or www.terex.com/rough-terrain-cranes