News Release

May 8, 2006

Model 16000 Makes its Mark in Manitoba

A Manitowoc Model 16000 crane sets up wind turbine generators in Manitoba, Canada.

A Manitowoc Model 16000 has finished assembling and installing wind turbines for Canada’s largest wind farm. The crane belongs to JPW Riggers of Syracuse, New York, US, which bought it from local Manitowoc Crane Group dealer, Stephenson Equipment. This Model 16000 is JPW’s first Manitowoc crawler in its 20-crane fleet.

The 400 t (440 USt) Model 16000 was delivered late in 2005 and sent immediately to the wind turbine jobsite, close to the city of St. Leon, Manitoba, Canada, where it worked for a number of months for Canadian contractor HB White Canada, a subsidiary of White Construction USA, based in Clinton, Indiana, US.

Manitowoc Crane CARE engineers were present to ensure assembly went smoothly on the Manitoba jobsite. The Model 16000 erected a total of eight 80 m (262 ft) tall wind turbine generators, each weighing 227 t (250 USt) in total. The heaviest lift was the wind turbines’ 46 t (51 USt) nacelle. In order to erect the towers, the Model 16000 was configured with 205 t (226 USt) of counterweight, an 89 m (295 ft) boom, plus an additional 7 m (23 ft) of extended upper boom point.

Jim McDonald, project manager at White Construction USA, found the Model 16000 an ideal crane for installing wind turbines.

“I heard many good reports about the Model 16000, and was pleased to find out for myself what a great all-round machine it is,” McDonald said. “It has worked productively, without a minute of downtime, and has definitely exceeded our expectations.”

Total cost of the wind farm amounts to C$187 million (US$161 million). When operational, the turbines will provide 99 MW of electricity – enough to power 35,000 homes. The project’s main contractor, HB White Canada, has been so pleased with the Model 16000’s performance in Manitoba that it has selected Model 16000 cranes for future wind farm work in Ontario, Canada. JPW Riggers, meanwhile, has received numerous requests for its own Model 16000’s services to such an extent that the company has placed an order for a new unit, which will be delivered in October 2006.