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Jekko s.r.l., Italian manufacturer of minicranes and accessories for hoisting and handling operations, will be an exhibitor at the 33rd Bauma show. After the great success gathered in 2019, Jekko won’t miss out on Bauma 2022, which will take place in Munich on October 24th through 30th. For this show, Jekko focuses on innovation and progress, two crucial values for the challenges the company has decided to tackle in the current years in order to strengthen its position as sector leading player. As a matter of fact, innovation has always been in Jekko’s DNA, a dynamic reality offering the quality and the performance that only Made-in-Italy products can give. This is the reason why the Treviso-based company has decided to take part again in this international show: to officially unveil its new products and its green initiatives. In fact, the visitors at Bauma will have the chance to see Jekko’s new entries on display and much more. Our exhibition space (outdoor area FS, booth 903/6) will spread out on a 512-sqm surface that will be set up with 5 containers in line to result into a two-floor structure housing offices for meetings, a hospitality zone and a reception-living area where customers and dealers will be greeted. The containers that will be used have been salvaged and refurbished on purpose for this show and will be later installed in our headquarters in Italy and destined to become a new customer training area thus sticking to our corporate sustainability scheme, developed in 2021 and implemented since January 2022. “Consolidation is this year’s keyword”, says Alberto Franceschini, Sales Director of Jekko. “We’ve built up such a know-how and have now reached the corporate maturity to put on display all of our complete ranges in the 3×4 format, that is all of our product lines – SPX, JF and MPK – each standardised in 4 models each”. NEW PRODUCTS User-friendly, electric and bi-energy models Jekko’s machines on display at Bauma are designed and developed to be user-friendly, that is easy to use and to understand, suitable to be used by both beginner and skilled operators. The entire Jekko range can always be operated in electric mode as all the machines on display at Bauma will show: the SPX minicrane line is powered by lithium-ion batteries, the MPK minipicker range has acid-lead batteries while the JF articulated crawler cranes are bi-energy machines combining a diesel engine with an electric motor. MINICRANES – SPX After years of study and design, the Treviso-based company is ready to unveil its flagship model for the 2022 show, the SPX328. This crawler minicrane stands in the category that can easily drive through standard doorways, having a width, when closed, lower than 80 cm. Weighing 2,300kg, featuring a maximum load capacity of 2,800kg, maximum working height with main boom of 10.5 m, maximum height with jib of 12.8 m, with dimensions of 2.95 m, this machine is 2.95-m long, 1.61-m high and 73-cm wide. It is powered by lithium-ion batteries and it’s a model easy to configure and operate for its user-friendly radio control and its interactive display featuring a revolutionary user interface new to the minicrane sector. 3 electric SPX328 cranes with different configurations will be on display at Bauma. This crane is designed in such a way that all tools and parts needed for operation are available on board, in a position that allows the operators to install and remove them with no need of help. It’s a complete range of tools: outriggers mats, hook, single-line hook block, four-line hook block, runner jib, all can be easily transported along with the machine and available for the operator anywhere. ARTICULATED CRAWLER CRANES – JF The JF articulated crawler crane series includes the JF365, JF545, and JF990 models and welcomes the JF235 new entry. It’s the smallest bi-energy powered model of the range: 4.74-m long, 1.6-m wide and 2.6-m high. It features a main boom and a jib, each with 4 extensions, and delivers the same performance of the larger JF models, lifting up to 6.150 kg and reaching as far as 15 m high. The new JF235 has a radio control and an interactive control panle that make it very similar to the SPX328 to handle and operate. The user-friendly concept is extended to this model, which is equipped with the same Graphic User Interface of the SPX328. This interface makes it easy to configure the crane parameters before starting operation while the radio control creates a smooth working experience for the operator. MINIPICKERS – MPK On the wave of the sales success the MPK06 model had after being unveiled at Bauma 2019, Jekko now presents the new MPK10 solution, a minipicker measuring 2.280 x 955 x 1.500 mm, weighing 1045 kg, having a maximum capacity of 990 kg, a maximum height of 4.5 m and a 3.5-m reach. This machine is fitted with a radio control and a glass pane manipulator, and features the hallmark of the MPK06, the sole pick&carry crane with a rotating main column. The MPK10 has a +/-9° rotation and a 990-kg lifting capacity. The MPK10 has 4 24V-155Ah lead-acid rechargeable batteries that power the electrohydraulic unit controlling the crane handling, the electrical actuators for the manipulator and the electric rotation motors for travel. The user-friendly radio control has coloured icons that associate the single control to the machine function it operates. This minipicker is also fitted with a JVM10 vacuum manipulator for glass panes delivering a maximum capacity of 990 kg, and having a 360° continuous rotation, +/-40° swinging and -45°/+90° tilting. This model can also be equipped with a second 600-kg load capacity manipulator (JVM06). During Bauma, the MPK10 will be sided by the MPK20R. The MPK20 model is part of Jekko’s history, mainly for the sector of glass pane installation. Produced since 2005 and a bestseller for over 10 years, now it gives way to the MPK20R. 1,955 kg in weight, 2-ton maximum capacity, 6.5-m maximum reach in height, 2,390 x 1,510 x 880-mm in size and powered by 2 lead-acid batteries, this new minipicker shares nothing with the MPK20. The design has been modified and standardized with models MPK06 and MPK10. From a technological point of view, the improvements are outstanding: the major innovations are the turret rotating +/-6° on both sides and the possible installation of the 600-kg JVM06 and 990-kg JVM10 glass manipulators. The front drive has 2 independent motors. It is equipped with a front twin wheel for increased stability on off-road grounds. Last but not least, the main boom features a manual extension in addition to two hydraulic extensions in order to hoist as much as 500 kg at a maximum reachable height of almost 7 m. VACUUMS AND TOOLS Jekko has always paid special attention to the tools complementing its machines in order to reach as many application fields and sectors as possible. The tools on display at Bauma will be the following: JVL450 and JLV600 vacuum lifters Battery suction cups delivering a maximum lifting capacity of 450 and 600 kg, respectively. Operated by an independent radio control, they can be used with any machine fitted with a hook lifting system. JVM800 universal manipulator This independent glass pane manipulator with an 800-kg maximum lifting capacity performs 3 movements: -/+45° swinging, -45°/+91° tilting and 360° rotation. It comes with batteries and radio control, and it adapts to any machines of the Jekko range as well as to any other crane model. JIB500GR Beam Manipulator This hydraulic manipulator for IPE has a 500-kg lifting capacity, -57°/+65 tilting and 360° rotation. It can be used on models SPX532 and SPX650. JLB 5/10/20 Lifting Beams The Jekko lifting beam range includes 5-, 10- and 20-ton capacity models with side telescopic extension for increased versatility of operation. Fitted with several lifting points and ideal to even out the weights loaded on the crane. GREEN INITIATIVES AND CORPORATE WELFARE We’re as focused on developing new products as we are on improving our company’s organization and management. In fact, Jekko has decided not only to evolve for what concerns its product range but also in terms of initiatives on sustainability and environment. GREEN INITIATIVES The first target Jekko has set is to become a plastic free company, reducing as much as possible, if not totally eliminating, disposable plastic from any corporate application. The second target is to be as paper free as possible, reducing printing while promoting digital files, using tablets to streamline production operation management and reusing waste paper. The company’s environmental project consists in adopting approx. 20,000 bees that have found their home in the vast corporate green area. This decision aimed at protecting these insects crucial for the ecosystem and at taking the first step towards the compensation of the greenhouse gases produced. CORPORATE WELFARE The corporate welfare initiatives implemented by Jekko for its employees are oriented to improve the quality of their private and working life. The welfare programme of the Treviso-based company promotes the gradual inclusion of the new human resources into the corporate environment. Each new employee will be paired with a tutor who, in the first period, will show them the company structure and the people who are part of it in order to draw a detailed picture of the working environment the new colleague will be part of. The company also meets the needs of its employees by defining new working modes. This is the reason why smart working is available for those who ask for it: they will have the right to a certain number of work-from-home days to self-manage according to the corporate needs. For long absences from work, the company has organized reintegration days allowing the person who was absent for a long time to catch up with the past and ongoing activities without any disadvantage. Another major service the company gives its employees is the canteen.  Jekko has two lunch rooms where a catering service always offers quality meals including a first course, a second course, vegetables and a dessert. These dishes are made up of fresh and in-season produce mainly cooked on the spot (only some pre-cooked) that promote healthy eating. The canteen is a very good option for Jekko’s employees, who reduce commuting and lunch time having their meal in the company’s headquarters. Jekko also makes use of the Welfare platform that offers its employees several benefits such as purchase, food and fuel vouchers, reductions on medical expenses, education fees and travels, and much more thus promoting the individual wellness even outside the working environment. SOCIAL AWARENESS As for social awareness initiatives, Jekko has joined projects such as the collection of plastic bottle tops for the charity Associazione Via di Natale, that provides facilities and hospitality to the patients of the (Oncology Reference Centre) in Aviano and their families. Jekko also is a sponsor to the Benetton Rugby Treviso team with the aim at supporting and promoting local sports and the importance of physical exercise as good habits. Jekko is a young, ever-evolving company whose daily commitment is devoted to the development of new ideas and projects. The initiatives undertaken this year are just some of all those the company will carry out over time keeping pace with the corporate growth.   JEKKO S.R.L. – COMPANY PROFILE Jekko s.r.l. is the leading Italian manufacturer of minicranes and the third global producer in the lifting and handling sector. The company is headquartered in the province of Treviso, at the foothills of the Venetian Prealps, on an industrial estate of over 27,300 sqm – 10,700 of which are indoors – and has approx. 140 employees. The entire range of Jekko products is exported and traded across the five continents by a network of over 35 official dealers worldwide. History The Jekko product range was developed in the late 1990s as a response to orders for special machines and at a time when the company was starting producing the first minicranes. In 2007 the Jekko Minicrane brand was registered and a dedicated production site was opened. The company Jekko s.r.l. was established in 2016. Designing, Research and development Jekko’s technical department consists of a team of engineers using state-of-the-art designing and simulation tools to develop machines, systems and control solutions certified according to ISO9001:2015 quality procedures. The designing process of our machines also focuses on the production phase, on modularity, interchangeable parts and interchangeable subassemblies to reduce assembly time and improve flexibility. Production The production flow depends on a very accurate planning process supported by a Material Requirement Planning software system. Jekko’s activity is carried out in 2 plants: one where structural metalwork is made and welded, and another for assembly. In this latter, 5 production lines manufacture cranes depending on their dimensions and type, and according to the lean production concept with the aim of eliminating waste, creating a non-stop flow and reducing non-compliant products as much as possible to achieve ongoing improvement. Safety and Regulations The designing and manufacturing of Jekko machines adopt criteria and measures that comply with the essential safety requirements set out in the standards indicated on the CE certificate and in particular in the EN 13000 standard. The machines are supplied CE-marked when required by the market. This marking ensures the machines meet the EU’s requirements applicable to this category of machinery. For extra-EU markets Jekko products comply with all regulations in force. In compliance with these safety rules in force the machines are provided with emergency devices. These must be operated to reduce stopping time when the usual stop procedure would not enable actual or impending danger to the operator or to people in the danger area to be alerted. After-sales service The leading driver of a cutting-edge machinery manufacturer is no doubt Service, which often plays a crucial role in the choice of a machine. From maintenance to on-site assistance, from the online spares management to updated manuals and, above all, to the specialized technical training of our dealers, the after-sales service is JEKKO’s greatest strength.

Featuring the same engaging design of the MPK06 but boasting a higher capacity, the new MPK10 model has been most recently introduced in Jekko’s minipicker range. This model derives its concept from the MPK06 but pairs it with a maximum safe working load of 990 kg. It is designed and developed to make the operator’s work easier and better in terms of quality and in different fields of application much beyond glazed pane handling and including constructions and building, industrial maintenance and any sector where a compact and performing solution is needed. TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS The MPK10 has 4 24V-155Ah rechargeable batteries that power the electrohydraulic unit controlling the crane handling, the electrical actuators for the manipulator and the electric rotation motors for travel. This crane offers the advantage of a noiseless zero-emission motor when working indoors. The MPK10 weighs approx. 970 kg and can add removable counterweights to reach a final weight of 1200 kg. Some European countries don’t require any crane licence provided that the machine capacity doesn’t exceed 1 ton; for its reduced size and low weight, the MPK10 can be transported on a regular van whose mass is lower than 3,500 kg or on a rear trailer. This minipicker can be used with a hook or with a JVM10 vacuum manipulator for glazed panes fitted with 6 suction cups powered by a dual vacuum system, and delivers a maximum capacity of 990 kg. In addition to these tools, the crane can also be equipped with a second manipulator (600-kg load capacity) that optimises the total weight and increases both reach and maximum capacity.               CONTROLS Travel is controlled by the rear drawbar, which moves the machine on a 2.38-m bending radius, and by the wired control hooked to the machine and operating the turret, the arm and the manipulator. A major characteristic introduced by the MPK10 is the optional radio-remote control in addition to the standard wired control. The radio-remote control features 6 independent and touch-proportional functions. The controls are divided into two groups of 3 buttons each, controlling the machine and the manipulator respectively. The radio-remote control has a great edge over the wired control since it operates the machine from any angle regardless of the minipicker position.

Gruberg, a company renting and selling crane solutions, is now Jekko’s dealer for the province of Bergamo, where it is located. The company boasts a thirty-year experience in this sector and, in addition to the rental and sale of equipment for the building sector, also offers after-sales services and customer assistance. Enrico Bergamelli, Managing Director of Gruberg, declares: “We’ve set off on a partnership with Jekko because we think its machines are versatile and innovative, useful for multiple applications and fitting many sectors in addition to building and constructions. When Alessio Forcolin (Sales Manager) led us during the tour to Jekko’s company and production department, our initial decision was further confirmed. Asking Jekko to start a partnership has been a good choice and we hope it will lead to mutually satisfying results”.  Gruberg, who has already scheduled orders for 2022 and 2023, will deal hybrid and lithium-battery powered models SPX532 and SPX650. The company regards these models as the most suitable and versatile ones to introduce the Jekko brand into the building industry and related sectors, and in others as well. Alberto Franceschini, Jekko’s Sales Director, goes on: “With the aim at expanding our presence on the domestic territory, working with Gruber is a major step. A minicrane is a specific, innovative and cutting-edge machine whose technical presentation to the customer becomes a crucial aspect that requires a clear and detailed explanation of the features, peculiarities and potential of each single model. For such an activity we need to partner with people specialized in the sale and after-sale service and whose work approach is extremely painstaking. Gruber has all these skills and has all it takes to be the first player of an effective sales network for Jekko machines on the Italian territory”.  Alessio Forcolin remarks: “We’re glad of this partnership with Gruber, a historic company with a widespread network of contacts in the province of Bergamo that will help Jekko to be present and well visible on this territory, which is very important for our future corporate evolution since production volumes need all the support our partners and dealers can supply on the domestic market”.

Jekko welcomes its new Hungarian dealer Axiál, which has most recently added Jekko branded products to its machinery range. The company boasts a thirty-year experience in selling and hiring agricultural machinery as well as handling and building equipment for the construction sector.   Péter Bakity, manager of Axiál’s building equipment dept., states: “We were looking for quality machinery and at the end of a long and careful research we chanced upon Jekko. This brand immediately appealed to us for its innovative, highly technical and versatile machines. Our choice to work with Jekko Cranes derives from several aspects, the main reason being the product quality and the wide range of works these machines can carry out, such as lifting and installation of glass panes, which is currently one of the most asked for services in our country. I’m really proud to represent the Jekko brand in Hungary. This type of machines is brand new in comparison with what we usually deal in but Jekko minicranes will open the door to a new range of applications in many different working areas where we’ll be able to cope with most of the market requests, offering new and innovative products. I thank my collaborators and our new Italian colleagues for this new business relationship”.  Alessio Forcolin, Jekko’s Export Area Manager, remarks: “Working with Axiál is a great chance because this company has several stores in Hungary (editor’s note: since 2020 Axiál has 19 stores in Hungary) and a long experience in the building and construction industry. Partnering with Axiál will be an opportunity for Jekko to grow in a new market along with a local leader. This is a major chance for our company to develop in the Eastern European marketplace”.  “Companies don’t only derive from good business. They’re first and foremost generated by people that share ideas, visions and projects” – goes on Alberto Franceschini, Jekko’s Sales Director. “We think that Axiál’s ongoing choice to offer innovative solutions on the market is a far-sighted vision and we hope it will yield great success over time also for the sales of Jekko products”.

Marco Piccin is Jekko’s latest entry as Export Area Manager. With a degree In Foreign Trade and an experience in sales, Marco Piccin joins Jekko’s Export Area Manager work team, dealing with the markets in Northern Europe, the Middle East, East Asia and the Australia. Marco Piccin says: “My decision to join Jekko as Export Area Manager has been very positive. This company is an innovative, dynamic and fast-growing reality. I’m really glad to work for Jekko and to devote my work and experience to the company’s evolution”.  Alberto Franceschini – Jekko’s Sales Manager – comments the news as follows: “It’s been simple to come to the decision to hire Marco as our Export Area Manager. I’ve been impressed by his humility and his will to meet the challenges. He’s a great sportsman who has no problem in facing the market challenges with the same perseverance and resilience he uses in the sports world. He’s the last piece of Jekko’s sales/marketing jigsaw, a dynamic team of nine diverse people whose skills and previous experiences get together in a productive environment of confrontation and collaboration. We’re sure that Marco will best represent Jekko while supplying a timely service to the dealers in the areas within his competence”.

The UK has recently welcomed another Jekko JF545 V-Max. The crane has been delivered to Brett Skelton’s Greenworx Ltd, a company offering vegetation clearance services to prevent issues on power lines and public roads. Model JF545 already is a very performing machine but the upgraded V-Max version is a multi-purpose and multi-tool solution fitted with an additional and independent hydraulic system that allows for the use of the jib with a vast range of remote-controlled tools such as a grapple saw or a clamshell bucket. “This was an easy sale”, comments Russ Taylor, owner of JT Cranes, Jekko’s UK dealer. “The customer needed a very efficient machine for forest maintenance that would also offer higher performance in confined places and that would be easily transported on their low loader trailer. The JF545 V-Max is the best solution to meet all these requirements at the same time”. Greenworx Ltd adds: “We’ve been fans of these cranes since the very beginning and we’ve been impressed by their ability to reach confined places and offer several outrigger configurations. This model has been an inevitable choice: it goes through uneven grounds, it’s a compact crane with an outstanding maximum lifting capacity and it safely clears dangerous trees using a remote-controlled grapple saw from a safe working area without jeopardizing our operators’ safety”. “The JF545 V-Max has unmatched capacity and dimensions”, continues Greenworx Ltd. “Since we’ve started to use this crane, our professional point of view has totally changed. This model offers so many different configurations to streamline our job that, as we explore them all, we can only guess the new chances our activity will have in the future”. Jekko’s Head of Sales Alberto Franceschini adds: “Model JF545 V-Max is one of Jekko’s flagship products on the market for use in different work environments. It’s efficient and professional yet handy and user-friendly. In addition, this machine turns trimming, pruning and clearing into faster and safer operations without jeopardizing the operator’s safety. The UK has shown vast interest in this model since the very first JF545 V-Max was delivered. We’re really pleased with our dealer JT Cranes: Russ Taylor and his team always do a very good work!”

Jekko has always something new in store! After the success won by the lithium-battery SPX650, the version powered by diesel engine and electric motor is available at last. And a first diesel engine SPX650 has already been delivered to Spain. This high-performance machine is a compact, multi-purpose and handy mini-crane featuring a 5-ton max. lifting capacity on a very reduced stabilization area, a priceless mate in every working condition. As an evolution of the lithium-ion battery powered version, this new model has a diesel engine for outdoor operations and can also be connected to the grid for emission-free and noiseless indoor works. Ian Trenzano and Alberto Franceschini

GIS, the only Italian event dedicated to the users of cranes, AWP, industrial handling equipment, and heavy transport, will occur as usual in Piacenza from the 7th to the 9th of October 2021. Jekko will expose a wide range of products, receiving its visitors in two new areas. The main stand, number N28 outdoor, will display Jekko foremost mini-cranes, with the two families SPX and JF. The stand A20/B19, in the indoor pavilion N1, is for industrial applications and tools. The outside booth will see the presence of SPX532, the 3.2-ton best seller, SPX650, the 5-ton mini-crane presented in July 2020, and SPX1280, with its maximum lifting capacity of 8 tons. These three machines can mount lithium batteries or diesel engines to give the operator more versatility. Representing the JF family, there will be JF545, an articulated crane successful in Italy and abroad thanks to its performances, and JF990, able to lift a maximum of 21500 kg. MPK50, the industrial mini-picker, will occupy the limelight of the indoor stand, together with Jekko lifting accessories. The tools catalogue includes the vacuum lifters JVL450 and JVL600, the manipulators JVM800R for glass and slates, and JIB500GR for iron bars. Not to forget the lifting beams in three sizes, 5, 10 and 20 tons. During the eighth edition of GIS, Jekko will also present MPK10, the new 1-ton mini-picker that will expand the glass-handling range with the praised MPK06. The latest model will appear at the Italian mini-picker dealer LEVO stand, number L2/M1b (outdoor), renamed ORION06 and ORION10. Visitors can also spot some Jekko cranes in other customer’s stands throughout the exhibition. Jekko, seen the proficuous times for the construction and lifting industry, forecasts the visit of many customers and dealers from Italy and abroad. There are high expectations for GIS 2021, the most prominent event in Europe for the lifting sector.

Jekko, working with the Belgian army, has developed the first mini-crane fitted for air transport It looks like the classic SPX1280, with its compact dimensions, cutting edge stabilisation and hydraulic system, a maximum lifting capacity of 8 tons, and a 2-ton Pick&Carry. But this shiny-yellow mini crane hides special features that make it a military-grade machine, fitted for air transport and parachuting.