There is nothing better than first-hand experience to discover the benefits of a crane, especially if it is a new high-specification model that combines a number of features that put it firmly at the cutting edge.
This was what lured us to Lausanne to meet both Jean-Luc Reymond and his F990RA crane. More precisely, it is an F990RA.2.28 xhe-dynamic with L616 jib, fitted to a flaming red MAN TGS 35.440 8x2 equipped with Hydrodrive hydraulic transmission on the front axle and fourth steering axle. This is a selection that leaves no room for doubt: Jean-Luc Reymond's objective is not only versatility but power from this combination which is also the flagship of his small but highly efficient fleet consisting of a twin vehicle with a Fassi F800RA crane and an Iveco Stralis 420E26 6x2 with a Fassi F455RA crane.
The Fassi F990RA.2.28 xhe-dynamic crane with jib has a deceptively complex acronym to convey that this is the top model of the entire F990 range. Specifically “R” indicates continuous rotation, “A” is the Fassi series to which it belongs, “2” is the double linkage and “28” represents its two joints and eight extendible booms. In “xhe-dynamic”, “x” stands for extra, while “he-dynamic” is the fitting reserved for the cranes, from the F510RA.2 to the F1950RA.2, with linkage, continuous rotation, RCH/RCS remote control, remote control outriggers, optional XP facility (on Reymond’s crane) and CE devices. Finally the L616 jib is the top option for this model and extends the hydraulic outreach by up to 32 metres. Other features include: lifting capacity of up to 80 tm, maximum hydraulic outreach of up to 32.00 metres with jib (normal 20.15 m) and a weight of 10,100 kg (8,570 kg without jib).
The Fassi F990RA, a powerful and docile handyman
Watching the Fassi F990RA crane at work in a cramped site on the outskirts of Lausanne, it soon becomes clear why Jean-Luc Reymond chose it. The road is narrow and there is only limited room for deploying stabilisers on the right hand side of the vehicle. But with the new Fassi FSC/SII (Fassi Stability Control) system, the safe crane operations are guaranteed. However the stabiliser legs are deployed, the system calculates the safe working limits and ensures that the crane never moves beyond them, thanks to the combination of angle sensors and sophisticated moment limiter.
There are two challenges to be faced on this lift. There is a big tree to negotiate; and the loads have to be precisely placed. These are brilliantly conquered using the winch to hoist large wooden planks for the terrace under construction. They are placed one-by-one, with millimetre precision ensured not just by Fassi and its remote control but also by the winch speed. Flow sharing is also crucial, i.e. the crane has to be able to perform four different movements simultaneously while also lifting heavy loads, such as timber sections, to great heights with no difficulty.
Here, the XP (Fassi Extra Power) system also comes into play, activating a surge of added power when it is needed to increase lifting capacity, but proportionally reducing the speed of movements of the crane.
There is also time to appreciate the perfect synergy between the RCH/RCS remote control and the GV (Graphic Visualizer) touch screen. The former is Fassi’s new-generation digital remote control with a large graphic display for remote control of the functions of the crane and, on request, also of the options on the vehicle and stabilisers; the latter is the innovative user panel that gathers all the information on the operating status of the crane and displays it simply and clearly to the operator via the graphic display that interacts intuitively with the touchscreen system. It all looks rather good too, with an aesthetically please carbon-style casing.
A word by Jean-Luc Reymond
Jean-Luc Reymond created TM Reymond SA in 1996, where TM stands for Transports Manutention. It was an undertaking that the Swiss entrepreneur chose on his début in the labour market and one he has developed over the years, thanks not only to hard work and determination but also to a firm focus on supplying expertise and quality equipment. Unsurprisingly, right from the first crane, Jean-Luc Reymond chose Fassi Gru and now this F990RA crane is his ninth.
“I soon chose to specialise in short-distance lifting and transportation services because I realised the potential of a professional and reliable service in this area”, explains Jean-Luc Raymond. “My main customers are construction companies but there are also the small artisan companies, again in the building industries, and also municipal services, such as power line maintenance. Then there is the machinery moving sector, delivering heavy equipment.
“There is plenty of work but even in Switzerland we are feeling the impact of the European recession,” continues Jean-Luc Reymond. “This has generated more competition especially given the decline in the work of small companies. That's why I purchased the Fassi F990RA crane, to further raise the bar of my specialism in an area where I have no competitors. In fact, all the equipment is characterised by its versatility; the crane equally allows me to carry out both more challenging and also ‘lighter’ tasks. In addition, the equipment includes a storage box that, if required, can be replaced by a fifth wheel tow hitch to transform the truck into a tractor that can be coupled to one of the five semi-trailers. This covers virtually all my transportation needs, from excavators to building materials”.
Fassi Suisse or Fassi Schweiz?
All the equipment of TM Reymond SA has been supplied by NotterKran SA, a well-established company which installed its first Fassi crane way back in 1965 (one of the first Fassi cranes produced). Its link with the Italian manufacturer has become increasingly consolidated, to the extent that in 2013 Fassi Suisse SA was set up, which in the German-speaking cantons becomes Fassi Schweiz.
“Our partnership with NotterKran is long-standing,” explains Giovanni Fassi, Managing Director of Fassi Gru S.p.A. “It is actually one of our oldest dealers. Over the years we have worked very successfully throughout Switzerland, where the NotterKran structure and organisation are well known and valued.
“It was therefore natural, when we decided to have a presence in Switzerland, to use this company as we knew we could rely on its proven and professional structure. Above all, we wanted to be able to develop our technical and commercial capability together, which has been further expanded by the recent partnerships with Cranab AB and Marrel SAS, adding timber industry, skip loaders and multi-buckets to the product range.
“Today the Swiss market shows healthy numbers for Fassi Gru; in fact we hold a 34% share among manufacturers of articulated truck-loader cranes and, also thanks to innovative models such as the F990RA and the competence of our after-sales service, we are taking an increasingly significant role.”
The headquarters of Fassi Suisse SA is in Aclens, near Lausanne, which is also the base of Notterkran’s branch for French-speaking Switzerland. NotterKran SA has its own headquarters in Boswil, in German Switzerland, approximately 30km from Zurich. It was there that in 1953 Armin Notter founded the eponymous company that now has two more workshops in German Switzerland, making a total of four workshops to guarantee a full and prompt service to all customers nationwide.
This was what lured us to Lausanne to meet both Jean-Luc Reymond and his F990RA crane. More precisely, it is an F990RA.2.28 xhe-dynamic with L616 jib, fitted to a flaming red MAN TGS 35.440 8x2 equipped with Hydrodrive hydraulic transmission on the front axle and fourth steering axle. This is a selection that leaves no room for doubt: Jean-Luc Reymond's objective is not only versatility but power from this combination which is also the flagship of his small but highly efficient fleet consisting of a twin vehicle with a Fassi F800RA crane and an Iveco Stralis 420E26 6x2 with a Fassi F455RA crane.
The Fassi F990RA.2.28 xhe-dynamic crane with jib has a deceptively complex acronym to convey that this is the top model of the entire F990 range. Specifically “R” indicates continuous rotation, “A” is the Fassi series to which it belongs, “2” is the double linkage and “28” represents its two joints and eight extendible booms. In “xhe-dynamic”, “x” stands for extra, while “he-dynamic” is the fitting reserved for the cranes, from the F510RA.2 to the F1950RA.2, with linkage, continuous rotation, RCH/RCS remote control, remote control outriggers, optional XP facility (on Reymond’s crane) and CE devices. Finally the L616 jib is the top option for this model and extends the hydraulic outreach by up to 32 metres. Other features include: lifting capacity of up to 80 tm, maximum hydraulic outreach of up to 32.00 metres with jib (normal 20.15 m) and a weight of 10,100 kg (8,570 kg without jib).
The Fassi F990RA, a powerful and docile handyman
Watching the Fassi F990RA crane at work in a cramped site on the outskirts of Lausanne, it soon becomes clear why Jean-Luc Reymond chose it. The road is narrow and there is only limited room for deploying stabilisers on the right hand side of the vehicle. But with the new Fassi FSC/SII (Fassi Stability Control) system, the safe crane operations are guaranteed. However the stabiliser legs are deployed, the system calculates the safe working limits and ensures that the crane never moves beyond them, thanks to the combination of angle sensors and sophisticated moment limiter.
There are two challenges to be faced on this lift. There is a big tree to negotiate; and the loads have to be precisely placed. These are brilliantly conquered using the winch to hoist large wooden planks for the terrace under construction. They are placed one-by-one, with millimetre precision ensured not just by Fassi and its remote control but also by the winch speed. Flow sharing is also crucial, i.e. the crane has to be able to perform four different movements simultaneously while also lifting heavy loads, such as timber sections, to great heights with no difficulty.
Here, the XP (Fassi Extra Power) system also comes into play, activating a surge of added power when it is needed to increase lifting capacity, but proportionally reducing the speed of movements of the crane.
There is also time to appreciate the perfect synergy between the RCH/RCS remote control and the GV (Graphic Visualizer) touch screen. The former is Fassi’s new-generation digital remote control with a large graphic display for remote control of the functions of the crane and, on request, also of the options on the vehicle and stabilisers; the latter is the innovative user panel that gathers all the information on the operating status of the crane and displays it simply and clearly to the operator via the graphic display that interacts intuitively with the touchscreen system. It all looks rather good too, with an aesthetically please carbon-style casing.
A word by Jean-Luc Reymond
Jean-Luc Reymond created TM Reymond SA in 1996, where TM stands for Transports Manutention. It was an undertaking that the Swiss entrepreneur chose on his début in the labour market and one he has developed over the years, thanks not only to hard work and determination but also to a firm focus on supplying expertise and quality equipment. Unsurprisingly, right from the first crane, Jean-Luc Reymond chose Fassi Gru and now this F990RA crane is his ninth.
“I soon chose to specialise in short-distance lifting and transportation services because I realised the potential of a professional and reliable service in this area”, explains Jean-Luc Raymond. “My main customers are construction companies but there are also the small artisan companies, again in the building industries, and also municipal services, such as power line maintenance. Then there is the machinery moving sector, delivering heavy equipment.
“There is plenty of work but even in Switzerland we are feeling the impact of the European recession,” continues Jean-Luc Reymond. “This has generated more competition especially given the decline in the work of small companies. That's why I purchased the Fassi F990RA crane, to further raise the bar of my specialism in an area where I have no competitors. In fact, all the equipment is characterised by its versatility; the crane equally allows me to carry out both more challenging and also ‘lighter’ tasks. In addition, the equipment includes a storage box that, if required, can be replaced by a fifth wheel tow hitch to transform the truck into a tractor that can be coupled to one of the five semi-trailers. This covers virtually all my transportation needs, from excavators to building materials”.
Fassi Suisse or Fassi Schweiz?
All the equipment of TM Reymond SA has been supplied by NotterKran SA, a well-established company which installed its first Fassi crane way back in 1965 (one of the first Fassi cranes produced). Its link with the Italian manufacturer has become increasingly consolidated, to the extent that in 2013 Fassi Suisse SA was set up, which in the German-speaking cantons becomes Fassi Schweiz.
“Our partnership with NotterKran is long-standing,” explains Giovanni Fassi, Managing Director of Fassi Gru S.p.A. “It is actually one of our oldest dealers. Over the years we have worked very successfully throughout Switzerland, where the NotterKran structure and organisation are well known and valued.
“It was therefore natural, when we decided to have a presence in Switzerland, to use this company as we knew we could rely on its proven and professional structure. Above all, we wanted to be able to develop our technical and commercial capability together, which has been further expanded by the recent partnerships with Cranab AB and Marrel SAS, adding timber industry, skip loaders and multi-buckets to the product range.
“Today the Swiss market shows healthy numbers for Fassi Gru; in fact we hold a 34% share among manufacturers of articulated truck-loader cranes and, also thanks to innovative models such as the F990RA and the competence of our after-sales service, we are taking an increasingly significant role.”
The headquarters of Fassi Suisse SA is in Aclens, near Lausanne, which is also the base of Notterkran’s branch for French-speaking Switzerland. NotterKran SA has its own headquarters in Boswil, in German Switzerland, approximately 30km from Zurich. It was there that in 1953 Armin Notter founded the eponymous company that now has two more workshops in German Switzerland, making a total of four workshops to guarantee a full and prompt service to all customers nationwide.
