Crane Hot Line is part of the Catalyst Communications Network publication family.
Since 1905, Ettel & Franz has been a fixture in the Minneapolis-St. Paul commercial and industrial roofing industry. Today, the company continues earning its nearly 120-year-old reputation with the help of a Manitex 501/55S boom truck crane.
Ettel & Franz uses the Manitex 501/55S on large projects, related Dave McDowall, owner. “It’s the only crane of its kind in this area so we keep it busy operating all day every day,” he said.
Only during the colder months of the year is the crane not in use by Ettel & Franz on a variety of commercial buildings and industrial facilities. Currently, it’s in operation at a hospital where the company is replacing an asphalt roof with rubber.
Among the ways Ettel & Franz uses its Manitex truck-mounted crane is to remove materials loaded by the company’s roofing crew and to lift materials. On the hospital project, for example, the lifting capacity of the crane allows for lowering a pan filled with debris and hoisting rolls of rubber roofing material that each weigh thousands of pounds.
“We don’t usually have storage space on the roof, so the crane makes it easy to lift and place materials where and when they are needed, and not have to move them two or three times,” McDowall explained. “At the same time, we don’t have to worry about exceeding the crane’s capacity when we’re removing roofing materials.”
A unique feature on the Manitex 501/55S at Ettel & Franz is simplifying operations and saving time for changing accessories at the end of the boom that are needed for different aspects of the job. The customized solution, the first 50-USt Manitex with a hose reel in the region, includes a Hannay Reels hydraulic hose reel with quick connect fittings.
“Overall, this crane makes our operations much safer,” McDowall said. “Our main operator, Justin Sutton, regularly tells us that its ease of operation and safety are some of the boom truck’s best features.”
The Manitex 501/55S boom truck rides on a Kenworth T880S twin steer chassis fitted with a Knapheide flatbed body, set-forward PACCAR FX-20 front axles rated at 40,000 lbs., tandem drive, and tag and pusher axles. The axle configuration allows for both roadability and job site use.
“Minnesota has very stringent road restrictions, especially in the spring when the ground is soft,” explained Damon Everson, sales manager at ABM Equipment, the Hopkins, Minnesota-based Manitex dealer who supplied the boom truck to Ettel & Franz.“With the twin steer and pusher and tag axles, the boom truck can be driven legally on the road year round. On the job site, and especially in tight spaces, the tag and pusher axles can be raised to avoid chewing up tires.”
The 50-USt Manitex 501/55S features a five-section 155-foot main boom when used with a fixed or retracted jib. Its continuous rotation, free swing system assists in tandem lifting and centering of the boom over loads. Out-and-down style outriggers on the boom truck can be operated independently for precise leveling in fully extended, intermediate extension and fully retracted outrigger beam positions.
Standard features in Manitex crane’s cab include curved glass, 0° to 20° tilt, a heated cloth seat with height adjustments, lumbar support and an adjustable headrest, sliding windows, a rear pop out window and a diesel fired heater.
ABM Equipment, headquartered in Hopkins, Minnesota, became a Manitex dealer in June 2022. The company represents the manufacturer as a full-service dealer for boom trucks and truck-mounted crane sales, service, and rentals in Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa and the upper Peninsula of Michigan.
For almost 120 years, Ettel & Franz has stood the test of time. For Dave McDowall, one reason for the company’s long-standing success has been its great employees who come to view the company as an extension of their families.
“They are dedicated to delivering the best service to all our clients,” McDowall said. “With that dedication, the support of dealers like ABM Equipment and machines like our Manitex boom truck, we are the envy of every roofer in our region.”
