Thomson Prestress, formerly Concrete Products of Tennessee, has added a Shuttlelift DB70 gantry crane to their equipment fleet to enhance the production of their precast and prestressed concrete products. The new double-beam rubber tired gantry crane joins a Shuttlelift SB50 (Single Beam) already onsite and in use since 2011.
Thomson Prestress is a family-owned operation located in Jackson, TN and has been in high-quality precast and prestressed concrete products since 1961. They specialize in products for use in bridges, commercial buildings, railroads, and marina construction. They rely heavily on their rubber-tired gantry cranes to move, store, and load out products on their 50-acre facility.
With a continued backlog of business, there was a need for another gantry crane onsite to efficiently cast and deliver products on time to customers. The decision to go with Shuttlelift was easy after experiencing the quality and customer service provided with their SB50 gantry crane. “After purchasing our single beam 50 ton from Shuttlelift in 2011, we had decided that our next gantry crane purchase would also be from Shuttlelift”, said Tory Boston, Production Manager at Thomson Prestress.
At Thomson Prestress they produce concrete infrastructure products in many shapes and sizes to meet the specific needs of their customers. Due to the many different configurations, there was a need for a custom spreader bar to ensure all products could be lifted. Shuttlelift specializes in customization, including the design and fabrication of spreader beams, and designed a 75’ long beam with sliding
lift points to accommodate varying pick points along the product.
The new Shuttlelift DB70 is also equipped with a wireless remote control, AVT fuel saver, and work & drive lights for operating at night or early hours of the morning. “With increased technological advancement, there has been a variety of benefits in using this machine compared to what our operators have used in the past”, said Boston of the machine features and options. The wireless remote control comes standard on all Shuttlelift DB and SB series gantry cranes allowing the operator free movement for better line of site and allows the operator to also assist in the rigging process. The Automatic Variable Throttle (AVT) is a built-in engine program that automatically adjusts the engine RPM to draw only the power you need to complete the task at hand, significantly reducing fuel consumption and increasing component life.
Shuttlelift and Thomson Prestress have shared a great business relationship for over a decade so the order and delivery process was simple. “It has been a stress-free experience and the process was speedy and effortless”, said Boston. He added, “Our operators are thoroughly satisfied with the quality and functionality of the equipment.”
