Vinci building’s first tower cranes on site at Sheffield Forgemasters

VINCI Building has seen the first of two tower cranes go up on Sheffield Forgemasters’ Brightside Lane site last week. Each crane, a WOLFF 355 B Luffing Jib Crane from WOLFFKRAN of Germany, is fully electric and has the capacity to lift of 28 metric tonnes.

The two WOLFF 355 Bs are the first wholly owned by VINCI Building and together represent an investment of around £2.5m for a full package and a significant commitment to the strategically important work at the £138m project at Sheffield Forgemasters to build a 13,800 sqm building to house the UK’s largest open-die forging facility, as the MoD-owned company drives its substantial recapitalisation programme forward.

The cranes will be used to construct the press pit foundations – a key element in the works – a 40-metre-high superstructure, erect gantries, chimneys and redistribute materials. The second WOLFF 355 B will be on site in the middle of 2025, and both will be working until early 2026. The two tower cranes, ordered by VINCI Building, are driven by all electric motors – in line with VINCI Building ambitions to provide zero emission electricity to complement their carbon reduction roadmap and journey.

Craig Fisher, Programme Director at Sheffield Forgemasters, said: “The arrival of tower cranes on our new Forge site will be one of the first external indicators of the large programme of work we are undertaking and marks a step forward in the delivery of the Forge building.”

The WOLFF 355 B travelled across Europe from the WOLFFKRAN Plant in Heilbronn, southern Germany. The journey took almost a week and setting up the first tower crane took around 48-hours – all of which you can follow via videos on social media and VINCI Building (vinci-building.co.uk). Transporting the WOLFF 355 B is both cost-effective and convenient. The crane’s slewing elements can fit easily on standard trucks, optimising space, and reducing transportation costs. The WOLFF 355 B is designed for ease of assembly on site: its components are divided into separate latticework sections, keeping the total mounting weight low.

Chris Winspear, VINCI Building regional director, said:

“These cranes are a first for us – we own them outright and the arrival and set up of the first WOLFF 355 B is a major landmark for Sheffield Forgemasters and particularly for us at VINCI Building. It marks an investment in the project and our business. We are optimistic for 2025 and this all-electric crane proves our intent to deliver on major schemes of benefit for the UK economy and to do it in as sustainable a manner as possible. We are grateful to the WOLFFKRAN team for all their assistance in the specification and delivering it to our team.”

Adrian Hawkins, WOLFFKRAN Ltd. Sales Director, said:

“We are incredibly proud and privileged to be VINCI Building’s chosen supplier. Witnessing the cranes being erected in Sheffield, is a special moment for us. Both WOLFF 355 B tower cranes will receive comprehensive service and maintenance from WOLFFKRAN under our maintenance agreement for many years to come. We eagerly anticipate collaborating closely with VINCI Building on the Sheffield Forgemasters project and future endeavours where these cranes will play a vital role. We sincerely thank VINCI Building for their confidence in WOLFFKRAN products, and we look forward to building a more sustainable future together with this partnership.”