First electric telerup

The world around us is changing rapidly. As a supplier and manufacturer of machinery, we can hardly sit back and wait for what is to come. We want to play an active role in the energy transition in the equipment field. Although electrification is being taken seriously in the Netherlands, emission-free work is still a distant prospect in most countries. Sennebogen is one of the larger players in the field of lifting and transshipment cranes. We asked Erich Sennebogen jr., who heads this leading family business, last year from our role as Sennebogen cranes dealer about the plans around Zero Emission. "That's not our priority right now because this topic is only an issue in Northern Europe," he sounded firm.

Thereupon we proposed to convert a Sennebogen crane to battery-electric ourselves. To our surprise, we immediately got the green light. 'Can't be done, doesn't exist' is - freely translated - the motto of the German manufacturer. With that thought in mind, we set to work. This allowed us to gain experience at an early stage for our own Van den Heuvel machines. Gathering expertise was the starting point and should it prove unsuccessful, we could always add the Sennebogen crane to the rental fleet. The choice fell on a 653 crawler scoop crane, which is often used in inner-city areas as well as on pontoons or as a cab crane. 

Practice test on The Green Bow

We are now a year on and the final result has been presented to customers and relations. The Sennebogen 653 Electro Battery was subjected to a week and a half of practical testing on the De Groene Boog project, the connection between the A16 and A13/A20 motorways near Rotterdam. The machine can run for about 2 days on a full battery charge, although it should be noted that this depends on the type of work being carried out. Driving, for example, requires more energy than hoisting. The performance is equivalent to a conventional crawler crane, but people were immediately positive that the operation feels more direct. Furthermore, the electric Sennebogen 653 Electro Battery is pleasantly quiet, both inside and outside the cab. As an operator, you experience significantly less noise and vibration.

Another plus is that maintenance costs are favorable, as far fewer components are required. Like the 817 Electro Battery transfer machine developed by Sennebogen itself, the crane features a 210 kWh lithium-ion battery pack combined with the Dual Power Management System. The emission-free Sennebogen 653 Electro Battery can either run on batteries or be connected directly to mains power. We are proud that we succeeded in overcoming all challenges and in doing so, the 50-ton crawler crane meets the high requirements for emission-free construction, integrating a progressive Dutch vision into a proven German crane concept.

Apparently, Sennebogen noticed this too, because just before the summer, Erich Sennebogen surprised us with the announcement that our machine will be a world first at the Bauma trade fair. This is of course a great honor, especially in the year that this brand celebrates its 70th anniversary. We are curious about the reactions during the largest machine fair in the world. The starting point will be that Van den Heuvel will build the Sennebogen 653 Electro Battery for the entire Sennebogen dealer network. Especially from the Benelux and Scandinavia, there is now a lot of interest.

For all clarity, the name Van den Heuvel appears on the nameplate as the person responsible for CE approval. So the following machines will also be built in the new plant in Werkendam.

Marc Timmerman
Owner Van den Heuvel Werkendam and L. Timmerman & Zn. Middelburg