South African crane manufacturer Condra Cranes has received multiple orders from consulting firms in Canada and Australia to manufacture cranes, hoists and other lifting equipment for mine expansion projects in Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Namibia.

The cranes, with capacities ranging from two tonnes to 18 t, will work in general workshop and feeder-line maintenance applications.

The orders were place in late August, and manufacturing is under way at the company’s factory in Germiston, on Gauteng’s East Rand.

Delivery of the orders – to be staggered from later this year to mid-2026 to meet project timetables – will be by road, with a number of crane girders spliced to allow packing in standard 12 m containers.

Technicians from Condra Cranes will manage installation and commissioning in Sierra Leone, while local agents will carry out these procedures in Tanzania and Namibia.

The order for Sierra Leone comprises one long-reach jib crane, three single- girder overhead cranes and a portal crane, while the Tanzanian mines will receive two double-girder cranes, a single-girder machine, a portal crane and a long-reach jib crane.

Six Titan hoists – several of which are fitted with articulated carriages to negotiate curved girder tracks – two portal cranes, a long-reach jib crane, two single-girder cranes and a double-girder machine, along with 15 chain hoists and blocks, will head to Namibia.

Condra Crane’s Titan hoist range is versatile, comprising the Compact Series with capacities to 32 t and the short-headroom series with capacities to 18 t, a Condra Cranes spokesperson said in a statement sent to Engineering News & Mining Weekly.

All models are variants of the veteran K-Series hoists, but refined to offer a more compact profile with markedly reduced overall dimensions.

Among the cranes included in the international orders are several equipped with high-lift K-Series hoists, in one instance to a height of 40 m.

“These hoists have a proven record in high-lift applications, with Condra Cranes widely recognised as Africa’s market leader in this specialised arena. The company’s installed base includes hoists with controlled lifts as high as 150 m.”

The company spokesperson adds that there had been close cooperation with the consultants to ensure that agreed prices could remain competitive without compromising the robust reliability required for harsh operating conditions.

“Overall lifetime cost will remain lower than cranes offered by rival firms, while inspection and testing will take place at defined stages during manufacture to ensure compliance with international quality control, safety and lifting equipment standards.”