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Recom Moritsch’s First Winter in the Great White North
The Moritsch name has long earned a reputation for top-quality products in leading construction sites across the world thanks to the over 50 years of crane design and manufacturing experience by the late Ferruccio Moritsch, creator and founder of Comedil. His cranes have been a fixture in leading jobsites in Canada ever since Enrico Redigonda, president of Concrane Sales, sold the first Comedil cranes in Ontario back in 1988. Since then, Mr. Redigonda’s relationship with the Moritsch family has continued, as was announced last year with the exclusive dealership agreement between Concrane Sales and Recom Moritsch – the Moritsch family’s new, or reborn, crane manufacturing company. “Canada needed a crane that could withstand our harsh weather conditions and demanding work schedules,” explained Enrico Redigonda. “For over a year, my grandson and I worked with the Moritsch family to help create a crane for the future of the Canadian construction industry by making improvements to issues we’ve encountered with other cranes in the market. Along with countless upgrades to improve safety and efficiency, a beautiful, large, climate-controlled cabin was added with the crane operator’s comfort and control truly in mind.” The catwalk, ladder, platforms and railings around the counter jib have all been galvanized and the structure has also been coated with an antirust zinc base. The electrical panels are stainless steel to protect from rust and corrosion and the electrical components are all winterized to accommodate our freezing temperatures and snowy conditions. Recom Moritsch’s cranes first arrived in Canada last spring and have been met with consistently positive reviews on leading jobsites, from forming contractors and crane operators alike. But the real challenge was going to be when the temperatures started to dip below 0°C, resulting in snowy and icy conditions. “That’s when the headaches usually start,” explained Mr. Redigonda. “Any moving part on a crane can be affected by the freezing temperatures. The hydraulic system, motor, hoists, even the electrical panel. There are steps you can take to help avoid any major damage to the crane, such as letting it warm up before operating and going slowly. But some machines are just no match for Mother Nature.” “This winter has been a particularly harsh one in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA),” explained Enrico Redigonda’s grandson Daniel Wright of Concrane Sales. “We had quite a few snowy days and days with frigidly cold temperatures that really took a toll on some of the equipment. When the machines aren’t working, the job isn’t progressing and that makes no one happy. Downtime costs money and there is absolutely no time for delays in this industry. There were many days this winter when we had multiple calls from customers whose cranes were down or required service. We never received any calls or complaints regarding the Recom cranes though.”
The crane operator also mentioned they sometimes encounter some small electrical issues during the colder months but had no issues with the Recom crane whatsoever. This is thanks to Recom’s addition of stainless steel electrical panels and winterized electrical components. As the cranes work on the job in the downtown Toronto core was completed, it was taken down in, what a representative from Hardrock Group described as, a fraction of the time it usually takes. With the Recom cranes thriving during their first winter in Canada, combined with their consistently positive reviews, Enrico Redigonda is confident that these orange and grey luffers and hammerheads will increasingly become a fixture in construction sites. “The Moritsch family have really listened to what we want and need out of a crane in Canada,” said Mr. Redigonda. “Everything, down to the familiar simplified Canadian-style internal climbing system, has been considered, studied and implemented.” And they continue to listen. Whenever a customer has a specific need or modification, the Moritsch’s are fully prepared to work together to build a customized solution. “As someone who has been in the industry for 55 years and worked with as many cranes as I have, I truly believe this is the crane we need in Canada and will be the future for our industry,” concluded Enrico Redigonda. Recom Moritsch’s full range of luffing jib and low-top hammerhead cranes will be available this year – 4 of which are expected to arrive in the GTA by summer 2018. Recom Moritsch has also recently acquired a fellow Italian tower crane manufacturer, adding flat tops to their current offering. They are currently producing cranes from 6 t to 12 t and aim to have 6 new models available by the end of the year. |
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Hardrock Group were one of the first in Canada to purchase a Recom crane in 2017 and have since added more Recom luffers to their fleet. A crane operator from Hardrock Group, who operated a Recom RTL265 luffer on a Toronto jobsite, said no special maintenance was needed on the crane for the winter. He explained insulators were brought in for the oil tanks, as that is a precaution they usually take with their cranes, but they did not end up being used on the Recom as they were not needed. This is due to the Recom cranes coming equipped with a built-in heater to keep the oil from thickening, which can make it difficult for the oil to flow and lubricate, resulting in an increased risk of damage to mechanical parts.
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