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Tadano introduces the first crane under its one brand strategy

The new AC 2.040-1 all-terrain crane is the first member of the future Tadano AC family.

It’s introduction also signals the completion of the announced brand merger, and now all Tadano Group cranes will be sold exclusively under the Tadano brand name.

As well, it is the first all-terrain crane developed jointly by Tadano’s Lauf and Zweibrücken locations in Germany.

“That’s why this market launch is really special for us – after all, the new AC 2.040-1 is the first crane to combine the best of our two worlds with the know-how from Zweibrücken and Lauf,” said Dr. Frank Schröder, Tadano’s all terrain crane product line vice president.

Tadano’s innovation push

The AC 2.040-1 is part of the company’s innovation push, which will see 15 new crane models come onto the market in the next few years under the Tadano brand name. All future models will share the same DNA with the AC 2.040-1, including a standardized crane control system, cab, and technologies.

“The slogan for our one-brand strategy is Your Passion. Our DNA. As far as we’re concerned, cranes are more than just a product we sell,” said CEO Jens Ennen.

“In addition, we also want to convey an exclusive sense of purpose and dedication: No other manufacturer is as focused on lifting equipment as we are, and this goes both for our company as a whole and for each individual member of our team. For us, ever single lift that is performed out there is just as important as it is to the customer carrying it out.”

Collaborative effort

For the AC 2.040-1, the Tadano engineers from Lauf and Zweibrücken combined the best of both worlds. Like all future models, it features the innovative IC 1 Plus control system with automatic counterweight detection, a capacity radar and a work area display.

The system determines the crane’s lifting capacity for every boom position as a function of the superstructure’s slewing angle. This enables the AC 2.040-1 to always make use of the maximum available lifting capacity with any outrigger configurations. The advantage is maximized when combined with the Flex Base system, which makes it possible to extend the outriggers to any point within their range. In addition, the crane features the one-of-a-kind Tadano Surround View camera system, which shows both the possible extension lengths for the outriggers and the counterweight tailswing radius.

E-Pack compatible

The ESTA-award-winning E-Pack with its 32-kW electric motor is available as an option, and enables the AC 2.040-1 to quietly work and with zero emissions indoors and at nighttime in residential areas.

This makes the two-axle crane the third Tadano AC to be compatible with the E-Pack, with the two others being the AC 3.045-1 City and the AC 4.080-1.

Like all future Tadano cranes, it comes with an ergonomic cab, previously only used on Zweibrücken produced all terrain cranes.

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Furthermore, the AC 2.040-1 offers an entire series of model-specific advantages. As a two-axle crane, it is extraordinarily compact and perfect for use at constrained jobsites. The crane owes its exceptional maneuverability where space is tight to a number of factors, including its steerable rear axle with automatic programs for extremely tight radii and crab steering. As well, the compact design, with an optimized weight, also improves the new Tadano’s roadworthiness, giving it advanced taxi crane capabilities: It can carry up to 2,425 lbs of counterweight while staying under an axle load limit of 12 tonnes.

Equipped with a 310-hp Cummins diesel engine, the AC 2.040-1 will not need any extra permits thanks to its EU Stage V classification, which means it fulfills the latest emission standards.

Tadano also decided to split production responsibilities of the new crane between the two locations, with superstructures to be made in Zweibrücken and carriers in Lauf in the future. “This will allow us to take full advantage of the unrivaled carrier development and manufacturing know-how of our Lauf location,” Schröder said.

The AC 2.040-1 also features a rear storage box, which has been carried over from the successful Tadano ATF 40G. The box continues to be available with or without a wood rack and is removable.

“This solution is extremely popular among our customers, and we expect it to be a fixture in all future AC developments,” Schröder said.

With a fully extended boom length of 115.5 ft at a radius of 26.3 ft, the Tadano AC 2.040-1 can lift loads of up to 16,755 lbs. In addition, the hydraulic boom makes it possible to take care of heavy lifts involving loads of up to 70,327 lbs. without requiring any additional sheaves.

“This enables the AC 2.040-1 to take care of a very broad range of lifts without carrying out time consuming setup changes, making it both a fast and versatile machine,” Schröder said.

The crane’s runner ensures fast and efficient work at jobsites and can be carried directly on the crane to the left of the main boom. Finally, if the maximum main boom length of 115.5 ft is not enough, the crane’s range can be extended with a 29.5 ft extension that can be offset by up to 40 degrees.