New Crane-wrapper for a better customer experience

HMF Group A/S has invested in a “crane-wrapping” machine at the factory in Højbjerg, Denmark. Warehouse Manager Steen Marstal gives an overview of the benefits for distributors, dealers and end-customers.  

The trip from production to rightful owner may be a troublesome journey for a crane. The ride from HMF’s factory to partner may be bumpy, and the waiting time between pick-ups may be cold and dreary.  

“The goal is that our customers receive a product that has been taken good care of,” says Steen Marstal, Warehouse Manager at HMF. “The new initiative protects cranes, so they still appear brand-new when they reach the crane operators.”  

According to Steen Marstal, both HMF distributors and crane operators will benefit from the new process.  

“The crane-wrapper gives a peace of mind to our partners because the cranes are well protected. As a distributor, you can safely store the crane - even outdoors – until it’s time to mount it onto the customer’s truck.”  

Improvements making an impact right away  

The crane-wrapping machine is leased from Vangby and is capable of wrapping several hundreds of HMF cranes per month. It was launched at the HMF factory in Højbjerg, Denmark in January 2021.  

“The leasing opportunity ensured that we could begin the wrapping process right away. It was important to us that our customers would notice the effect of the improvements as soon as possible,” Steen Marstal says.  

With the new initiative, HMF cranes go through three steps before being shipped:  

• The crane is wrapped from top to bottom twice  
• Coating foil is arranged over the wrapped crane for extra protection  
• The crane is carefully wrapped from top to bottom again  

Part of a bigger initiative 

The crane-wrapper is part of a bigger initiative to improve protection of HMF cranes during transport and storage. 

In March 2020, HMF also launched an initiative to improve protection of crane spare parts during transport. 

All crane spare parts are now being packed in separate pallets with a cover that are shipped together with the crane. Previously, parts such as stabilizer cylinders were tied directly to the crane pallet.  

Furthermore, HMF’s long boom (L) cranes are being fitted with a new transportation bracket as part of the initiative. This ensures that the crane boom is fixed during transport and doesn’t risk getting “bruises”. 

“We have received a lot of positive feedback since the initiative launched in March,” Steen Marstal says. “Our hope is that our new crane-wrapping initiative will generate the same response.”