Terex identifies counterfeit cranes in China

US-based Terex recently identified eight counterfeit lattice boom crawler cranes in China’s Henan province. The company says it is concerned that the cranes, being sold as used Demag CC2500 models, pose a safety risk. The original 500-ton cranes have been produced by Terex since 2001 and sell for US$3m per unit.

German crane supplier Liebherr identified a fake model LR1280, normally a 300-ton crawler, in India last year. The purchaser believed it was a secondhand crane but realised it was fake after trying to order spare parts based on the serial number, which proved to be a forgery. Earlier this year, fake Tadano cranes were identified near Jebel Ali seaport in the Middle East. Tadano is a Japanese manufacturer of hydraulic and all-terrain cranes, but closer inspection revealed that these cranes had been made in China.

US-based Manitowoc also has concerns about counterfeit parts after it identified Asian companies building unlicensed mast and jib sections for its Potain tower cranes. The fake parts were almost identical to the originals, including designation and identification plates. The company has set up an internal task force to address the issue.