At ConExpo 2014, Manitowoc presented Grove’s new RT770E with KZ100, the first synthetic hoist rope designed specifically for mobile cranes. This product is a result of a joint application development between Samson and Manitowoc.

The KZ100 hoist rope offers many benefits. It is 80 percent lighter than wire rope and boasts torque neutral construction that eliminates load spin and cabling. The new hoist material also makes for easy handling, reeving and installation as it reduces kinking, bird caging and damage from other types of cable-spooling issues.

Mike Herbert, director of product planning and marketing of Manitowoc, said the KZ100 was a welcome innovation and a value-added option for Grove users.

“There isn’t a better place to launch the KZ100 than ConExpo 2014,” Herbert said. “We know that dealers, customers and crane enthusiasts will see what a leap in technology this first synthetic hoist rope is for the lifting industry. Partnering with Samson on this application development resulted in a lighter and more innovative product that ushers in a new era of hoist ropes.”

Manitowoc teamed up with U.S. company Samson, based in Ferndale, Wash. The two companies conducted several thousand hours of extensive lab testing and a field trial program to perfect the hoist rope’s performance and longevity characteristics.

A combination of lab tests and field trials consumed 24,500 ft. (7,500 m) of rope over the course of 14,000 cycles of reliability testing. Two other independent companies tested the rope as well. As a result of this extensive testing and development, Samson constructed a rope that meets the performance requirements of Manitowoc. KZ100 is corrosion resistant, requires no lubrication and is durable and easy to work with, which reduces wear on drums and sheaves.

“Samson is very excited to be entering the crane industry by working in a close collaborative partnership with a company as innovative as Manitowoc,” said Michael Quinn, director of new market development of Samson. “Together, we were able to leverage the experience and technical expertise of both companies’ research and development teams to bring the market something that is completely new and offers numerous benefits to the end user.”

The KZ100 appeared at ConExpo on the 70-ton (65 t) capacity RT770E, a new rough-terrain crane from Grove. The rope, sold exclusively through Manitowoc, will be available as an option on all Grove rough-terrain cranes in late 2014. The RT770E boasts a 138 ft. (42 m) boom. The five-section, full-power boom features single-cylinder technology that eliminates the need for a hydraulic hose reel, which lightens the boom, and in turn, the entire crane. The design also eliminates the need to install boom inserts, which requires an assist crane, saving both time and money for customers.

“We’re launching the RT770E into probably the most popular capacity class, so we had to distinguish it from the competition. And with its unique boom design, we’ve done exactly that,” said Paul Cutchall, rough-terrain product manager of Manitowoc Cranes in North America. “We were able to lengthen the boom without adding more size and weight to the chassis. This enables the crane to be maneuverable, while delivering greater lift capacity and longer reach than other cranes in its class.”

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