Egypt's population has been growing for decades - by around two million people a year. One of the many challenges posed by rapid population growth is coping with the ever-increasing volume of traffic. More and more people are using the subsidized train or metro as a means of transport, but the strain on the roads is also increasing: from 2008 to 2013, the number of private cars rose from 2.2 to 3.5 million vehicles. In addition, a large proportion of goods are transported on the roads. Egypt is therefore investing heavily in infrastructure measures such as the nationwide expansion of roads, bridges and railroad lines as well as the metro lines in Cairo and the Nile and Suez Canal waterways. Precast concrete parts are often used in the expansion of roads and railways. These parts are produced in a precast plant and transported to their destination after hardening. The ECPC Company is one of the leading manufacturers of precast concrete parts in Egypt and is based in Madinat al-Ashir min Ramadan, a city 46 kilometers northeast of Cairo. Concrete parts for road and tunnel construction as well as concrete pipes for drinking water and sewage supply are manufactured here. In order to meet the growing demands of the Egyptian market, ECPC decided to expand the plant by adding a new depot with two gantry cranes.

ICF International Crane Factory won the contract as a certified partner of Stahl CraneSystems against a French competitor. The engineers and technicians from International Crane Factory began planning the system in March 2017. The relevant hoists and components were manufactured at the Stahl CraneSystems factory in Künzelsau and sent on their long journey to Egypt in June 2017. International Crane Factory and Stahl CraneSystems remained in close contact throughout. In July 2017, International Crane Factory installed two double-girder gantry cranes with a span of 32 meters and a lifting capacity of 70 tonnes each. Each crane is fitted with an AS 7 wire rope hoist in twin design with double-rail top trolley. Thanks to the simultaneous, counter-rotating rope guidance of the twin hoists, the concrete parts are lifted and lowered without hook movement and can be positioned precisely. To carry the precast elements, which weigh up to 140 tons and are up to 40 metres long, the two gantry cranes can either be controlled individually or connected together synchronously. The cranes are moved with pinpoint accuracy using a total of 32 SR wheel blocks and eight frequency-controlled travel drives.

Thanks to the prepared connections, the wheel blocks could be installed quickly and easily with a head connection. The resilient technology from Stahl CraneSystems can also cope with extreme environmental conditions - including the hot and dusty environment of Egypt. All components are designed for ambient temperatures of up to +45 °C and can withstand the harsh operating conditions. Based on the standardized, proven components from Stahl CraneSystems, a high-performance and maintenance-friendly solution was found that optimally meets all customer requirements. ECPC Company and International Crane Factory are already planning further projects, including the installation of a new gantry crane with a load capacity of 6,300 kg. Daniela Peuckert