Queensland Government Invests in World-First Crane Safety Device

Australia's Queensland Government has made a “significant” investment in Brisbane-based smart technology company Verton Australia, which has developed a revolutionary rotational system for suspended loads designed to dramatically improve safety, productivity and efficiency in crane operations.

Verton’s R-series is the world’s first remote load-management system and eliminates the need for human held taglines to control suspended loads, thereby improving safety and productivity for crane operations.

National crane company Universal Cranes recently became the first customer of the R-series, while Verton has secured deals from mining companies and is in private partnerships with global construction, port and shipping operators.

The State Government’s A$80 million Business Development Fund (BDF), which provides funding of up to A$2.5 million for individual innovative Queensland businesses, has committed to supporting Verton, which this month will be represented in Munich, Germany, at the world’s largest construction industry trade fair, BAUMA 2019.

Verton CEO Trevor Bourne said: “This significant investment from the Queensland Government and the BDF will accelerate Verton’s development and product commercialization, which will help create more jobs and international investment in Queensland.

“The R-series is a world-first technology that will revolutionise suspended load-management for the transport, construction and mining industries and also many other sectors. It provides unprecedented safety for crane operations as it eliminates the need for tag line use and associated workloads. Workers will no longer be near or under moving loads.”

Verton manufactures the R-series in Brisbane and is taking orders from interested industries worldwide. The company was also selected to be part of the PortXL Port and Maritime Accelerator program in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Queensland Deputy Premier and Treasurer Jackie Trad said supporting emerging companies such as Verton through the BDF underpins the Government’s commitment to growing jobs and strengthen the State’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

“The BDF has been successful in growing the pool of angel and venture capital funding to support the growth of innovative businesses, which in turn creates high-value jobs and showcases Queensland in Australia and around the world,” she said.

Moving heavy loads using cranes or hoists can be extremely dangerous with industry research showing proximity to a load, let alone actual contact, accounting for 80 percent of crane-related fatalities.

Verton Founder and Chief Technology Officer Stanley Thomson said the R-series, which is available in various models and can manage loads of up to 20 tonnes, not only improves crane safety but provides the biggest improvement in production and efficiency since the crane was invented.

“While also significantly improving safety, the implementation of the R-series will save worksites millions of dollars over its lifetime with payback possible within a year."