Cranes for a good yield  

Manelec fully equips several buildings for an agricultural equipment manufacturer with a complete set of lifting and handling elements

Manelec, manufacturer and supplier of overhead cranes and lifting equipment is a Verlinde partner and member of the Verlinde after-sales service network. It has supplied a complete set of cranes, gantry cranes and hoists to a long-time customer, AGCO, to equip a new extension to its factory in Beauvais, France. AGCO, an American company founded in 1990, is a global leader in the manufacture and distribution of agricultural equipment.  It provides agricultural solutions to farmers worldwide through the distribution of recognised brands and its lines of tractors, combine-harvesters, haymaking equipment, seeding and tillage implements, grain storage and protein production systems, as well as spare parts. The group is present in France with several plants and a warehouse.

A new expansion to its tractor manufacturing plant in Beauvais was recently created on an existing industrial site adjacent to the plant. This expansion includes several buildings. AGCO needed to install lifting and handling equipment. AGCO has been working with Manelec since it moved to Beauvais in the 1990s for the supply and maintenance of its lifting equipment. Familiar with the quality of Verlinde services and equipment provided by its partner, AGCO has once again turned to them for equipping its new site.

Mr Yousfi, branch manager at Manelec, says, “AGCO is one of our long-time customers and has been consulting us for the design, manufacture and installation of its lifting equipment for over 25 years. We work in collaboration with their design office to offer them technical solutions best suited to their needs. We are proud of the relationship of trust we have built with them.”

In the autumn of 2021, Manelec installed a 2 x 600 kg overhead crane equipped with two Verlinde Eurochain VX 10 electric chain hoists and an onboard weighing system to limit the load.  These hoists are delivered as standard including various equipment along with an electric safety limit switch for high and low positions and an IP55 lifting and steering motor.

In addition, a monorail with a Eurochain VR16 Verlinde compact two-speed electric chain hoist for loads of 1250 kg has been installed. The hoists, for loads from 800 to 10,000kg, boast of a new concept of lifting clamps with teeth for a perfect chain drive.

The installation was done on top of existing machines, thus mobilising Manelec’s experience and know-how for accurate and safe handling of the structures. Manelec used manual hoists for the lifting of beams and aerial platforms.

At the same time, for another building in the expansion site, Manelec supplied a 6.3t overhead crane with a 28m span and a self-supporting structure. It is used for special changes made to tractors.  The crane is equipped with a Verlinde Eurobloc VT2 electric wire rope hoist having a steering motor with variable speed from 3 to 20m/min. The installation of this crane required the foundations to be adapted before hand with a 32m consolidation pit.

In the spring of 2022, Manelec installed a 5t bi-rail crane with a self-supporting structure and two self-propelled gantry cranes of 3200kg each, autonomous and equipped with radio control.

AGCO is pleased with the equipment in place and continues to plan projects for Manelec.