ABUS EOT crane in a skycraper in London

London is preparing the Olympic Games 2012 and is already starting to set records not only in various sporting disciplines. The latest record to be set is the construction of the tallest building, the so-called Shard, a building that when completed in 2012, it will be the tallest building in London, the UK and the European Union standing at 310 m (1,017 ft) tall and having 72 conventional floors. Within the top of the pointed structure, a further 15 radiator floors (heat rejection plant) will be housed along with a public viewing gallery, expected to draw over two million visitors a year.

ABUS' contribution to this record is a 20 t SWL ZLK double girder crane installed during the summer of 2010 within the Shard Building on itsLondon Bridge site. The crane with its small span of 5.325 m and downshop run of 20m is planned to be utilised for the ‘Goods-In’ offloading of building equipment and fixtures within the construction phase of the structure. It was initially planned to remove the crane following building completion, but may now be left in place to continue its role within the working building. The complete project has been handled and realised by the ABUS UK based subsidiary, ABUS Crane Systems Ltd (www.abuscranes.co.uk).