Clever move & lift

Clever move and lift is the slogan of Kranbau Köthen GmbH. The cleverness of these heavyweight giants can be attributed to the imaginative engineering spirit within the company – crane systems from what is now Saxony-Anhalt have been in demand worldwide for over 90 years.

When you enter the huge production hall of Kranbau Köthen GmbH, you are stepping onto historic ground. Founded in 1933 as a one-man design office, complete crane systems have been manufactured at this location since 1934 – then as now, according to individual customer specifications. These have traditionally included primarily the steel and metal producing and processing industries, but also the wood and concrete industries as well as inland and seaports. “We supply crane systems that are exposed to high stresses during production, for example in steelworks as casting cranes, ladle transport cranes, or charging cranes,” says Dirk Kleinwächter. The managing director of Kranbau Köthen GmbH emphasizes: “The process cranes we build must be reliable in continuous industrial operation around the clock – at the highest level of safety and for a period of 25 to 30 years.”

On the way to becoming the European market leader
The cranes from Köthen are literal heavyweights. They weigh over 800 tons and can lift loads of over 400 tons. Even during the GDR era, the VEB sold its cranes to Western countries and was a reliable source of foreign currency for the state. The steel giants with the “Made in GDR” mark of origin were in high demand, as they guaranteed quality and durability. “Kranbau Köthen thus had a favorable starting position in the all-German market economy in 1990. We are now a global player and on our way to becoming the market leader in Europe,” says sales and project manager Jörg Lange.
When Kranbau in Köthen celebrated its 90th anniversary two years ago, the long-established company, which currently employs 230 people, had already experienced and survived a number of turning points. The management is currently facing the challenge of guiding the medium-sized company through further changes. “The steel industry in Europe is undergoing a restructuring process with the goal of decarbonization,” explains Dirk Kleinwächter. “Numerous investments are already underway or in the planning stage to avoid greenhouse gas emissions. In this context, the process cranes that are at the heart of a steel mill are becoming larger and larger. Our company is exactly the right partner for the development and manufacture of such cranes.”

Climate change poses challenges for businesses
In addition to cranes for the steel and metal industry, Kranbau Köthen also develops and builds special solutions for shipyards and manipulators for applications in the high-tech industry. Sales manager Jörg Lange also points out that climate change is posing new challenges for the company's own logistics: “In the past, it was possible to transport extremely large crane components via the Elbe port in Aken without any problems, but nowadays this is only possible during the winter months when there is plenty of water. In the future, we will have to adapt the geometry and mass of the segments to the requirements of road transport.”

A digital assistant for crane operators
Lars Bösener, Head of Production, guides us through the hall, which is up to 21 meters high and has a production area of almost 21,500 square meters. Four cranes are currently in various stages of production here. “The construction time for the large cranes is about one and a half years, plus four to five weeks for transport and about three months for on-site assembly,” says Lars Bösener. The first thing that catches the eye are the cranes, which have already been assembled to an impressive height. Bösener also draws attention to the rope drums and trolleys, which are manufactured here in all special designs, as well as the lamella hooks. Riveted by hand, they are a real “work of art.” The company's goal is to establish a complete “Made in Germany” value chain for its crane construction. Many of the components in this chain are manufactured directly at the Köthen site.
The Saxony-Anhalt-based company has created a unique selling point for itself with the development of intelligent systems. In close cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operation and Automation IFF Magdeburg, the crane manufacturers developed the heat-resistant “Pro-Kran-Assist.” This system can digitally assist crane operators in foundries with attaching ladles filled with liquid metal. “This is because melting temperatures of around 1600 degrees, smoke development, and poor visibility make it difficult to control the casting ladle precisely,” explains Jörg Lange, looking even further ahead to a future in which cranes in such hazardous environments will be controlled by artificial intelligence.
The more technical engineering knowledge is required, the better the customers suit us, say engineers Lange and Bösener, representing a confident corporate philosophy. Managing Director Kleinwächter emphasizes the intended expansion of the company's product portfolio. “For example, we have all the engineering and manufacturing prerequisites and expertise to produce components 60 meters long in one piece,” he says, referring to the construction of steel bridges. These are an alternative to the many dilapidated concrete bridges and can be manufactured by Kranbau Köthen in a short time.

Author: Kathrain Graubaum

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