A recent visit to Japan to see our latest Kobelco CKE2500G-2 roll off the production line included an order for a second CKE900G-2. Most people bring back a souvenir when they go on holiday, and we’re no exception. It’s just that our souvenirs tend to be a bit bigger than most people’s, and a recent visit to Kobelco’s headquarters in Kobe, Japan proved no different… The original purpose of the visit was to see the second Kobelco CKE2500G-2 crawler crane to join our fleet roll off the production line, but we couldn’t help ourselves and ended up ordering our second CKE900G-2. The trip, which took place in October (2017), saw Elliot Hawkins, owner and managing director at Hawks Crane Hire, and Elliot’s brother Marc, who owns a crane hire company in Mongolia, visit Kobelco Cranes’ production facility in Okubo and the assembly lines and test beds at Takasago, to inspect Hawk’s second CKE2500G-2, which was being painted in its black and white livery before being shipped to the UK. Due for delivery in the first week of December, the CKE2500G-2, which has a maximum lifting capacity of 250 tonnes at 4.6m and a maximum boom length of 91.4m, is being supplied with a luffing fly jib. “We’re really pleased with the handling of the CKE2500G-2 in both configurations,” said Elliot. “The luffing jib will help us cope with the demands of lifting pre-cast concrete panels and beams to higher heights then we’ve been able to do so far, which is important because we’ve seen a rise in demand in the residential sector for this type of work, particularly in London. In fact, once this machine arrives in the UK it’s going straight to a high-rise job in East London” The visit, which was organised by Kobelco Cranes Europe’s sales & operations manager Mark Evans and included a trip to Tokyo, also saw Hawks Crane Hire place an order for its second Kobelco CKE900G-2 crawler crane, which has a maximum lifting capacity of 100 tonnes at 3.6m and will be supplied with a main boom and a fly jib. Like the CKE2500G-2, it’s also fitted with Kobelco’s KCross remote operation management system, which helps to maximise machine efficiency and uptime and Kobelco’s new Stage IV/Tier 4 Final engine. “We’re looking forward to receiving our second CKE900G-2 in December and our second CKE2500G-2 in January,” said Elliot. “We know what to expect in terms of quality, but what’s really impressed me is the fact these machines are so reliable. Back-up, when we need it, is also great, but the fact these machines breakdown so little was the major selling point.” Kobelco Cranes Europe’s sales & operations manager Mark Evans (left) and Hawks Crane Hire’s Elliot Hawkins (right) inspect Hawks’ newest CKE2500G-2, which is painted in the company’s distinctive black and white livery, at Kobelco’s Port Terminal in Osaka, prior to the crane being shipped to the UK. Dartford, Kent-based Hawks Crane Hire’s second Kobelco CKE2500G-2, shown in its black and white livery before being shipped to the UK, has a maximum lifting capacity of 250 tonnes at 4.6m and a maximum boom length of 91.4m, and is being supplied with a luffing fly jib. Kobelco Cranes Europe’s sales & operations manager Mark Evans (right) and Hawks Crane Hire’s Elliot Hawkins (left) sign the order for Hawks’ second CKE900G-2 during a visit to the company’s production facilities in Japan.