Due to five-day factory workweeks sustained through the pandemic, an increasingly strong order book and the recent purchase of Cape Town’s BB Cranes, has contributed to a strong growth period for Condra so that it is now challenging as a leading crane manufacturer throughout southern Africa
A condra jib crane. (Image source: Condra)
Carefully planned expansion of capacity and capability in crane designs and manufacture, and a steady extension throughout central and southern Africa of the after-sales service network has led to continual growth of the company.
This is supported by new automations and solutions to provide the most effective and efficient solutions for customers.
Condra’s automated crane option, for example, was made available in 2019 and represents the culmination of fifteen years’ experience in semi-automated installations. Using new developments in sensors, controls and software to precisely control load uplift and positioning in repetitive operations, automation increases productivity and reduces the risk of load damage in specific manufacturing and mining applications. The option is available across all three types of Condra crane: overhead (bridge) designs in single and double-girder configuration, portal (gantry) cranes, and jib (cantilever) cranes.
The company also manufactures an extensive line of hoists in two main ranges: the K Series and the SH (short headroom) Series. There is additionally a variety of modular component sub-assemblies such as crabs, end carriages, bottom blocks and cable-loop systems, all fabricated to customer specification from some 200 modular parts produced in long production runs to achieve competitive prices through economies of scale.
End-carriages are configured with either standard speed, dual-speed or variable speed drives, using individual drive or idler bogies from 125 to 630 mm in diameter. Hoists are supplied with capacities of 250 tons and more.
The remaining shareholding of BB Cranes, a leading Cape Town lifting equipment manufacturer, was bought on March 1 of this year, making BB Cranes a wholly owned Condra subsidiary and allowing it to begin increasing market share in the Western Cape. Immediately after the acquisition was completed, a girder jig was installed at BB’s factory to enable quicker, more efficient manufacture of cambered girder box sections, reducing production time by some 75%.
With this acquisition and with more significant orders recently secured (details to be released when production is under way) Condra believes that it is in a strong position to continue is upwards trajectory and firm itself in a position of leadership within the southern African market.
