Jekko at work

Jekko SPX532 “enlisted” by the us air force   In August 2022, the US Air Force had to deal with damage to an aircraft used for special operations. The CV-22 Osprey – belonging to the US Air Force 7th Special Operations Squadron headquartered at the RAF Mildenhall Air Force Base, UK – performed an emergency landing due to technical problems and got stuck in the Senja Island, in the Stongodden nature reserve, Northern Norway. On-site repairs weren’t possible therefore the $90-MIO broken-down aircraft – weighing almost 7 tons, 17-m long and 7-m high – had to be dragged by about 80 meters in order to reach the shore and be later removed. Those “really challenging” 80 metres - as defined by Jim Slife, head of the US Air Force Special Operations Command – were possible by building a makeshift path made of gravel and wooden planks stacked next to each other, making an improvised road for the Osprey down to the shore. A Jekko SPX532 minicrane owned by the Norwegian company Yngve Simonsen Transport was “enlisted” to handle the materials needed to build the pathway to the shore. A crawler minicrane was the ideal solution to handle heavy materials, preventing the installation of a tower crane and ensuring as little harm as possible to the reserve environment. Recovery activities have been carefully and jointly planned by the US Air Force, the Norwegian Army and local environmental officers to cause minimum damage to the vulnerable environment of the nature reserve. The use of a Jekko minicrane was crucial not only to move and lay the materials to build the pathway from the boat to the aircraft but also to reduce the environmental footprint, which is a major aspect to take into account since the yard was in a protected nature reserve. The electrical Jekko SPX532 is a lithium-battery powered telescopic crawler minicrane featuring compact size and maximum lifting capacity of 3,200 kg. A crane with reduced size and weight combined with elevated lifting capacity is the perfect solution in yards such as this, where a handy and performing machine easy to transport is essential to carry out works as fast as possible. The use of this model in the outdoor yard at Senja Island ensured a minimum environmental impact and the protection of the Stongodden nature reserve, without harming the surrounding environment and working at zero-emission condition due to the lithium-powered motor. The recovery operations lasted about one month. Once on its way towards the Norwegian Sea, the US Air Force CV-22 Osprey was floated to the NATO Norwegian air base for maintenance and restarting.   Photos by Norwegian Armed Forces, Tiril Haslestad

A jekko SPX532 to install a pipe organ in the USA The tradition of church music, pursued by the organ makers Fratelli Ruffatti Organ Builders, and innovation, promoted by Jekko machines, have come together in the USA, at the St. Katharine of Siena Parish Church in Wayne, Pennsylvania. Fratelli Ruffatti Organ Builders is a Padua-based company that since 1940 has been designing, developing, making and restoring historical pipe organs. Already well-known on an international level for their craft masterpieces such as the imposing 16,000-pipe 5-keyboard organ at the Christ Cathedral in California, this time the company was commissioned an organ for the St. Katharine of Siena Parish Church in Wayne, Pennsylvania. Fratelli Ruffatti dedicated several weeks of intense work to install the instrument. This is a middle-sized yet extremely valuable hand-made organ built on purpose for the St. Katharine of Siena Parish Church. It has 3 keyboards and 2,242 pipes as well as two identical consoles, one located in the choir loft and the other one in the side nave. The crane needed to transport the instrument into the church, and above all to position a 2-ton console in the choir loft, had to be a solution to fit through the church's standard-sized doors and to be light enough that it wouldn't damage the terrazzo floors. That’s where Jekko came into action. Colt Vacek, Service Manager of Fascan International, Jekko’s US dealer, declared: “Size, load capacity, smoothness and precision were crucial to the desired outcome. The SPX532 was no doubt the best choice. A single-door model that easily fitted through the church main door and, as a plus for this type of machine, that can work in electric mode so it carried out its work without producing any emissions. The radio control operates the machine from any angle and distance. Today I’m glad to say that the work done at the St. Katharine of Siena Parish Church exceeded by far our expectations!” “Special care and smoothness are needed to transport and install an organ”, said Michela Ruffatti, responsible for design and manufacturing supervision at Fratelli Ruffatti Organ Builders. “All the parts of an organ are hand-made from fine and valuable materials that need to be treated carefully, especially during transport. The Jekko crane work was simply outstanding, since it was easy and quick in hoisting a heavy load despite its long reach, yet it was extremely smooth in movement. While supervising the work, I was under the impression that it is a user-friendly machine to operate. Installing the organ with the aid of a Jekko minicrane has been an excellent choice”. Mike Ambrose, of F. Ambrose Rigging, is the man who skillfully operated the Jekko SPX532 in total safety. It was the first time he’d undertook such an unusual work with a Jekko machine but he was remarkably impressed by the performance of this small crane, whose precision hydraulics allows to carry out extremely delicate works. Here is Mr Amborse’s comment: “It’s been really simple to use the machine, it’s extremely versatile from many different points of view and is easily fits in confined places. The electric SPX532 has revealed the ideal machine to work inside the church because it’s emission-free, easy to operate and agile enough to avoid indoor obstacles such as pews, lights or beams that might have compromised the organ installation”. The installation of this organ in Pennsylvania is nothing but one of the endless working situations where the Jekko machines are the ideal solution. This is exactly the aim of the Treviso-based company: to supply hoisting solutions for any requirements and fitting no matter what working environment.

A new approach to green space maintenance with the JF545 V-Max and the grapple saw   The Bologna-based company Bendini Autotrasporti, long-time customer of Jekko, has carried out a preview test of the new JF545 V-Max model fitted with a grapple saw for pruning activities and for cleaning up a river bed from a log jam. Who said pruning must be complex and dangerous and requires several machines and operators? One of the new tools for the JF545 V-Max is the felling head made of a saw and a grabber, a new revolutionary solution for the tree care industry. Let’s try to fully understand the pioneering extent of this new tool by explaining how pruning and felling activities are currently carried out. “Pruning can be usually made in two ways. The first mode calls for the use of a selflevelling platform or a crane with basket to lift the operator at the required height. He will then use a chainsaw but a second crane will grab the cut branch or log and will rest it on the ground. This procedure needs two machines. On the other hand, treeclimbing is also viable despite the possible hazards for the operator’s safety: a harnessed operator ascends the tree and carries out the cuts with a chainsaw. A crane is still needed to handle the cut pieces,” explains Emanuele Bendini, Bendini Autotrasporti. It is to be noted that the machines used – usually crane trucks or truck-mounted platforms – are bulky, difficult to control, heavy and often cannot get near enough the places where the intervention is needed, especially in urban environment, requiring for this reason a very wide reach. The new application offered by Jekko easily overcomes all these issues. First of all you can cut, rest on the ground and sort the branches or trunks using a single tool and, as a consequence, a single machine and a single operator. The JF545 V-Max has compact dimensions and therefore reaches in very confined and narrow spaces getting as near as possible to the work area: “We can work with even higher safety and precision margins because the boom reach isn’t exploited in full” explains Mr Bendini. Moreover this model has minimally invasive operations, which is a crucial aspect when working for example in private gardens. Anyhow safety is one of the major features of this innovative machine: with a JF545 V-Max the operator can radio remote control both the crane and the grapple saw from a safe distance and with a broader view, and he won’t have to get harnessed, climb trees and try to avoid falling branches. This is a real turning point for a sector accounting for numberless, even fatal, accidents worldwide every year. But there are more advantages to the JF545 V-Max. “This version is an evolution of the multiple functions featured by the JF545. In addition to the grapple saw for controlled felling, the crane can fit a man basket or a selflevelling platform, can work in traditional mode with a hook or winch, both with the main boom or the jib. A single machine will carry out many different types of interventions in endless application fields. Once the pruning/felling work is done, the grapple saw can be easily detached and a regular JF545 will be ready for industrial and civilian works all year round. Versatility is no doubt the strength point of this machine!” stresses Mr Bendini. “The JF545 V-Max with grapple saw is ideal for those operators who’ve so far carried out green area management works in a traditional way, running unnecessary risks in the use of machines, people and treeclimbing activities. Several markets have already expressed their interest for this new solution: the United States and Canada as well as European countries such as Italy, Germany, France, Holland, Finland, Norway, etc.” closes up Alberto Franceschini, Jekko’s Export Manager.

Construction of the Iguatemi shopping centre in Fortaleza. Two Jekko cranes are used during the work. The versatility of the mini cranes means that they can fulfil any lifting needs. They are often used in place of tower cranes that can be difficult to procure on a building site.

A Jekko SPX312 being used by our customer, the company Feldmann, on a Swiss building site. The machine has been used both indoors and outdoors for handling and positioning of glass panes. The SPX312 can be powered by a petrol engine for outdoor activities or by a Power Pack for use indoors. A battery-powered version is also available. The jib and hook installed on the main boom allows for easier handling of glass panes.

Selected for its particular reliability, the Jekko JF40 mini crane was disassembled and transported by helicopter before being reassembled at the building site in the Reggiano Apennines, for work at a very important historic site, in very close proximity to a museum that remained open throughout the process. Work was required given that the entire rock formation structure on which the castle remains rest was crumbling and tending to slide on a deep stratum, which would compromise the integrity of the site in the long term. Micropiles needed to be inserted at the top to anchor the two layers of solid rock, the work carried out in an extremely restricted space and with the museum open. This meant minimising noise and dust and carefully analysing every detail of site organisation. The JF40 proved the ideal solution in this case, considering that the machine can also be powered electrically, for an almost non-existent noise impact.

“With the JF545 we get to where we couldn’t get to before” The company “Bendini Autotrasporti” from the Bologna area of northern Italy was one of the first to use this crane: “An incomparable crane that can go places that are out of the question with a vehicle-mounted crane. This has given us a real competitive edge and really satisfactory results” One of the first companies to get a JF545 was “Bendini Autotrasporti” from Marzabotto near Bologna. This company was founded in 1979 as a road haulage company. Today, the company also specializes in lifting equipment and hire. Its customers come mainly from northern Italy and it has a plant fleet of mainly cranes for vehicles, platforms and semitrailers. “The basic reason for purchasing a tracked articulated crane”, explains Emanuele Bendini, the son of the founder Pino, who now runs the company alongside his father, “is to extend our fleet with a machine that cannot be compared with any of the others and offers opportunities that are inconceivable with a vehicle-mounted crane. It has given us a keen competitive edge with very encouraging results”. The opportunities are above all logistical. Bendini continues: “We have many vehicle-mounted articulated cranes. It must be remembered that a vehicle-mounted crane cannot access certain areas but today we have overcome these constraints with the JF545. We can now reach areas and spaces we couldn’t think of reaching before. For example, we can access industrial production areas, lift and position machinery directly with the crane. The tracks mustn’t be underestimated either because as we often work in the foothills of the Apennines we have to work in places with height differences and in areas with rough surfaces. The tracked crane is an advantage in these cases as well”. But the advantages of the new JF go further, as Emanuele Bendini stresses: “I’ve used it myself and I’m enthusiastic. The crane is incredibly versatile, easy to handle and use. I’m really pleased and the results of these first months have been excellent”. One specific example of added value obtained by using a tracked articulated crane is the way the Bendini company used a JF545 inside the Basilica of the Madonna di San Luca outside the city of Bologna. “We regularly prune and cut down trees around the Basilica to maintain its green areas. In the past, we had to use climbing specialists to perform these tasks. We had to cut and secure all the items. It was a very demanding job in terms of safety, time and costs. In the past, it took us about a week to perform all these jobs that had to be done at regular intervals. Now, with the JF545, we took less than a day because we were able to access the area directly and then work from the crane baskets”.  

One of the newest attractions of the capital of Russia - the city of Moscow is Zaryadye Park. It is located in the heart of the capital, opposite the Moscow Kremlin. Thanks to the Jekko Mini Crane SPX527CDH, SPX1040CDH and SPX1275CDH mini cranes, the Philharmonic building in the Park was glazed with glass units weighing up to one ton in the shortest possible time.

In 2018, the World Football Championship was held in Russia. Arlift took part in the construction of most of the facilities in preparation for the World Cup 2018. One of them is the VTB Arena stadium in Moscow. Thanks to the use of Jekko equipment, namely the mini crane SPB209CP, the internal installation of metal structures was carried out.

The central office of the main bank of Russia, located in Moscow, is another facility where the ARLIFT Jekko mini-cranes worked. Using the Jekko SPX527CDH mini-crane, we performed a number of tasks - cassette and modular glazing of the building with facade elements and working from the floor.

The business district "Moscow City" is the dominant of the new Moscow. Throughout all stages of the construction of a business complex, Jekko mini crane SPD360CDH and SPX1275CDH, presented by ARLIFT, glazed the Federation, Evolution, 11th section of the IQ quarter.

Virtually the entire line of Jekko mini-cranes from Arlift’s company worked at one of Russia's largest construction sites of the last three years - the Lakhta Center Tower - the tallest building in Europe. With the help of mini-cranes, the whole complex of tasks was performed at the facility - installation of metal structures, formwork, beams, glazing of the facade of the Tower and the test center, lifting loads and working on the floors.

A collision with a craft had snapped the Padworth lock gate collar, dislodged the gate and left gate fully submerged on the canal floor and the lock un-useable. There were only approximately 72 Hours available for repair before for the busy Bank Holiday weekend begun. The main issues faced: The weight of the gate as the gate was complete with all iron work and beam still attached. This meant estimates on the weight of the gate were given as 3t-5t, beyond the remit of JT Cranes’ standard ‘spider cranes’ at the distance required from edge of canal. Access – Although the towpath was in good condition, low hanging tree branches on approach and narrow, eroded bank in places meant a typical ‘mobile crane’ would not be suitable. The positioning of the gate within the water (precise slinging method/tackle required unknown) Transporting of the additional equipment and (outrigger mats) and various lifting accessories The time frame as a busy bank holiday weekend was approaching. Due to the above issues it was ascertained the only machine suitable for the lift (capacity/access) in the time frame available was a new tracked machine, the Jekko JF545, recently imported by JT Cranes and the only one of its kind currently in the UK. The machine essentially utilises a lorry loader crane on a tracked base giving heavy lift duties and high radius without the additional capacity of a lorry loader HGV which would have been too heavy for the towpath and too high for the trees. The equipment was perfectly suited to what was required and mobilisation/demobilisation times were far more efficient than expected. Why a Jekko JF545 turned out to be the best choice: Safety Benefits: Less weight on towpath than standard mobile crane Low height clearance High lift capacity and lift radius meaning equipment/outriggers can be positioned further from lock ‘excavation’ and water. Remotely controlled giving operator full view of the operation Smaller ‘footprint’ than a standard mobile crane Financial Benefits: No trackway required No need to approach/negotiate land owners regarding access No tree surgery required at access Quick Mobilisation meant lock opened for BH Weekend

Our SPX312 and SPX1040 at work in a nuclear power station and in a power plant in Belgium. Jekko machines are fast, versatile and dynamic: this is why they stand out among the more limited and expensive solutions offered by our competitors.

Permasteelisa was our first customer in 1999. This global leading manufacturer of glazed curtain walls uses Jekko minicranes on skyscrapers all over the world. The SPX312 model is ideal for installation of glass panes: the crane works from higher floors and very rapidly and easily installs panes on the lower floors. The work team is usually reduced to 1 or 2 fitters while efficiency improves in terms of time, cost and quality.

The SPX1275 has a unique feature: 2-tons capacity in Pick&Carry mode (load transport and handling + 360° rotation with no need of stabilization). This unmatched machine has no rivals on the market: it lifts, handles, transports and positions a load through narrow passages (less than 2 metres wide).

An MPK50 at work in some Italian factories. The MPK50 is a Pick&Carry minipicker with a 5-ton capacity. The machine is radio-remote controlled therefore the operator works from a safe position and has full control of the load. Extremely compact, battery-powered, ideal to handle loads in indoor and confined places.

Our SPX1040 model is perfect for maintenance activities of a hydroelectric power plant in the region Friuli Venezia Giulia. Lowered from above and rested on the ground, once stabilized the machine reaches 23-m high and has a 4-ton maximum capacity.

An MPK20 at work to install glass panes on a skyscraper in Canada. This machine is a good alternative to the SPX312. The MPK20 can also be fitted with the MR800 hydraulic manipulator to be used for handling any material unless it is porous.

Typical installation of a glass façade on a building. The crane works from higher floors for easy and quick installation of glass panes on lower floors, even by retrieving the panels from the ground floor. The use of Jekko mini-cranes allows reducing the installation team by 1 or 2 fitters and increases efficiency in terms of time, cost and quality. Mini-cranes from the compact series are usually used (i.e. ideally the SPX312): in this case, the floor of the building has higher load-bearing capacity than the standard.

The SPX527 is used to construct a prefabricated wooden house in Switzerland. The mini-crane offers a great advantage in terms of efficiency because, once positioned on site, it no longer has to be moved, unlike a crane truck. As shown in the photos, the hydraulic jib of this crane allows easily lifting and moving loads.

A Jekko SPX527 minicrane has been used by our dealer Hocap for maintenance activities on the railway line of Actie Station Arnhem (Netherlands). Stabilization of the machine takes a confined surface and the Virtual Walls have been set via software. This system prevents a stoppage on the railway line and make sure that operators work in totally safe conditions.

Our minicranes can be used for the most different application but one of them is really exciting. In 2004 Jekko minicranes were used for the first time during the filming of ‘Spider-Man 2’ to lift up Spider-man among the New York skyscrapers. 10 years after, director Michael Bay used the same machines to film his new movie, ‘Transformers 4: Age of Extinction’. This time the Jekko machines were not used for lifting but took a leading role in the climax scene were the Transformers come back to life.

2 SPX1275 join forces for an industrial maintenance intervention: moving machinery inside the German production plant is easier, faster and cost-effective when using Jekko minicranes. The SPX1275 has a 7.5-ton maximum capacity and can also work in Pick&Carry mode with a 2-ton load.

Spectacular work on a house typically found in the historic centre of an Italian town. The SPX1040 is used to lift the SPX424 onto an intermediate floor with reduced dimensions. Once stabilised, the GV14+2 vacuum lifters of the SPX424 allows quickly and easily installing glass panes in hard to access places.

A SPX1275 used in high-altitude mountains for maintenance on lift systems. Once the work was completed, the crane was dismantled and transported down the valley by a helicopter. The SPX1275 is a high-performance Jekko mini-crane with unique features, and despite this, it has a reduced stabilisation area and is particularly easy to dismantle and transport using any means.

The SPX424 is Jekko's most popular mini-crane and is used in a gym to move equipment from one floor to another. The crane is positioned on the ground floor to retrieve sports equipment from the upper floor and position them in place. The Jekko mini-cranes allow working in a limited space, optimising times and resources and guaranteeing quality work.

The SPX1040 is used in the railway industry and adapts perfectly to any context. Its compact size (1440 mm, which can be extended to 2050 mm) allows it to travel and work directly on railway tracks. The overall space occupied with the stabilisers is only 4.2 metres by 4.2 metres and its maximum extension in pick&carry mode reaches 13 metres and 16 metres in height.

The JF545 was used inside an industrial plant supplier for specific works requiring high standards of precision, lightness and manoeuvrability such as those guaranteed by the Jekko mini-cranes. The JF545 is the only mini-crane on the market with a maximum capacity of 15 tons and a variable stabilisation area.

"The SPK60 is the versatile mini-crane that was missing from the market.” In the last year, the UK company, JT Cranes, has purchased two SPK60 cranes. “A versatile and flexible machine with countless advantages that is unrivalled on the market. This crane makes seemingly impossible jobs, possible." The first to appreciate the features of the innovative SPK60 was the UK company, JT Cranes, which purchased two of these machines within a year.  Established in 1981, JT Cranes is a family business based in Bedfordshire. Since 2006 it has specialised in the rental and sale of versatile mini-cranes, and in 2015 it become the sole UK Distributor for Jekko. “We have brought the SPK60 to our company because it is undoubtedly the most versatile and advanced machine in its category, and no other similar crane on the market is equipped with such excellent flexibility,” explains Russ Taylor, managing director of JT Cranes. “The first SPK60 was purchased as a demo machine and we quickly sold it to a new customer.  Not long after, we purchased another one to keep in our rental fleet. There are many reasons why this mini-crane is so special and unique: “The SPK60 has a number of advantages over its competitors,” continues Taylor, “it is extremely well designed in terms of operator comfort; it has a much higher lifting capacity than the others, both in pick&carry mode and static mode; its numerous accessories adapt easily to the various handling solutions; it has the unique ability to be able to work with an electric motor and this is very useful in enclosed spaces, and also in areas where emission restrictions are in place.” These and other advantages have led the tracked picker version of the SPK60 to be used to repair a roof next to Buckingham Palace. “The location represented a real challenge, which the SPK60 was able to overcome: the space was limited and there was a need not to make too much noise. The limited weight of this machine, its compact size and above all its excellent lifting capacity, made it an excellent choice for this type of work.” The possibility of uses on the market seem to be endless. “The market is proving to love the SPK60,” continues the managing director of JT Cranes.  “We are seeing that many jobs which were previously considered impossible or too difficult can now be carried out thanks to the versatility of this machine.  The market loves the SPK60! Its versatility allows performing jobs that were once considered impossible or extremely problematic.

During an evening to mark the closure of the Donizetti theatre in Bergamo, Jekko mini cranes were invited as special guests to support the ‘gateway’ curtain to the event. 47,000 people took part in the initiative across the city, passing through the enormous curtain set up at Porta Nuova, supported by a Jekko SPX527 and an SPX1275, both of which became an integral part of this city stage. The versatility of the mini cranes means that they can fulfil any lifting needs.

The SPX527, the mini-crane par excellence, was used in the shopping centre of Treviso for an extraordinary event. In the middle of the structure, a pianist played four metres above the ground, suspended and held by the Jekko mini-crane, with only a metal base supporting the piano and chair. All this in complete safety and absolute stability, demonstrating the extraordinary versatility of this mini-crane.