Sunny and hot, fair and foul weather— we get it all in Canada, and then some. And when you’re working outdoors in all conditions, comfort matters. Atlas Polar’s CoverNGo retractable seat cover delivers that in spades. So much so that our innovative little idea has become the North American standard for all Moffett forklifts. Problem solved.

Moffett CoverNGo makes it easy for operators to be comfortable in seconds, and in all seasons. No miserable, unproductive workday starts with removing ice and snow build-up on the seat during winter. No leaves, dirt, or debris to brush off or clean. No unwanted hot seat. Or wet seat. Or cold seat. No loose, awkward cover to manoeuvre and store while working— or leave behind. CoverNGo is attached to the seat. It saves money too, providing long-term protection for the seat and Seat Presence seatbelt system.

The Moffett CoverNGo retractable seat cover is securely mounted to the seat bracket. It’s extremely durable and resilient (just like your Moffett), with enhanced corrosion protection, powder-coated brackets, and stainless-steel hardware. Bushings are self-lubricating, and the whole thing is maintenance-free.

Operators love the easy single-handed operation, safety and ease of use. Open and close the cover in seconds from ground level. No mess. No fuss. And, as chipping ice, brushing snow, dirt and leaves, and burning hot, freezing cold and wet seats are no longer a problem, there’s a big jump in productivity.

Watch it in action!

As a business owner, you’ve always kept an eye on the age of your equipment, business growth and direction, current and future needs, and fleet management. You make projections and plan and budget your investment in trucks, trailers, and the cranes, forklifts and hooklifts that mount to them. It’s a good process – and it has always worked.

But, the challenges of the last couple of years have caught many business owners off-guard. The impact on supply chains has had a ripple effect that significantly affects the traditional purchasing process of buying trucks and truck-mounted equipment separately, then scheduling installation. Some businesses are waiting months, even years, to take delivery of trucks and some truck-mounted equipment and experience service delays with those parts sometimes hard to come by.

We anticipated the challenges these issues were about to rain down on our industry and decided to invest heavily in an extensive inventory of HIAB, Moffett and Multilift equipment and genuine parts to ensure a ready and reliable supply. Plus, we worked closely with Canada’s leading truck manufacturers of light-, medium- and heavy-duty trucks and set up equipment packages configured for the needs of our customers – particularly in the construction sector.

Atlas Polar work-ready equipment packages combine your favourite HIAB cranes, Moffett forklifts and Multilift hooklifts with your favourite truck brands, like Western Star, Hino, International, Isuzu, Kenworth, Mack, GMC and Freightliner. New, pre-owned and demo truck packages are configured, mounted, tested, inspected and ready to work. Work-ready packages mean just that – no waiting. No delays. No supply chain worries. Purchase, drive off the lot and use your equipment on the same day.

We are working on new incoming inventory all the time – and that’s good because they are in high demand and sell almost as quickly as we can get them up on the new and pre-owned equipment sections of our websites. Once a package sells, we mark it sold and move it down. Occasionally, people ask us why we don’t remove them from our page once they’re sold. The answer is simple. Seeing the broad range of trucks, cranes, forklifts, hooklifts and configurations helps you can see what’s new – and also what’s possible. Even if the work-ready package you are interested in sells faster than you can move, there will be others right behind it.

For instance, for added delivery flexibility in some configurations, multiple pieces of equipment can mount on the same truck. Like on the new powerhouse package: the HIAB X088B-3 CLX & Multilift XR7N hooklift combination on a 2017 Hino 338 multi-purpose truck that sold recently. It’s just one example of the value-priced new, pre-owned and demo packages offered by Atlas Polar.

Time is money. Adding a work-ready truck-mounted equipment package to your fleet or business starts moving your business forward on day one. And the faster you can get on the job site and on the job is like money in your pocket.

Other great package deals are popping up almost weekly at atlaspolar.com. It’s worth checking in regularly to see what’s available. They don’t last long.

We thought we knew pretty much everything cool that’s associated with HIAB history, but clearly not. We ran across an article about a HIAB 102 truck crane that became an iconic piece of pop art and was auctioned for charity.

In 2002, HIAB’s parent company, Cargotec, invited Herman Brood, a well-known Dutch artist, to paint a HIAB truck crane during an international exhibition at the RAI Amsterdam complex. Ten years after it was painted, they auctioned it for charity to support War Child, an independent humanitarian organization that protects children from the effects of war by offering education and psychological and social support.

Herman Brood was born in the Netherlands in 1947. He was a musician (a Dutch rock ‘n’ roll star), actor, poet and an expressive modern painter, known for colourful, graffiti-inspired art that echoed pop art influences that merged 50s and 60s cultural trends, including comic books, films, and advertising, and became a popular personality at home and abroad. He died in 2001 at age 54.

The HIAB 102 truck-mounted crane of this era was a workhorse 9.3 tm manual crane designed for efficient loading and unloading. The modern HIAB X-CLX 102 adds 25 years of technological advancements and is extremely popular throughout Canada.

The crane was purchased at the 2012 auction by waste management company Afvalservice West and displayed at the Stedelijk (Amsterdam City) Museum. Putting the brilliantly creative HIAB pop art crane back in the spotlight in this way was a meaningful way for HIAB and Afvalservice to showcase their social responsibility.

Heavy equipment is never boring for us, but this certainly livened up the palette!

“Beam me up, Scotty,” and lift the heaviest load possible in its weight class from a 4-axle truck and deliver it precisely with great speed.

“Impossible!” you say. Not with the new HIAB iQ.1188 HiPRO truck crane. It’s a next-generation, next-level, space-age marvel. Let’s get down to the detail.

For the HIAB iQ.1188 HiPRO articulating crane, up means way up. It maximizes performance to 40m (131.24 ft.). And heavy means really heavy – thirty tonnes. You might wonder how that is possible on a 4-axle truck and how you can get performance, precision and safety at high speeds with those specs. Now that’s where the generation, next-level space-age stuff, comes in.

Next-Generation

The unique design of the iQ.1188 is next-generation (and very cool-looking). Its patent-pending new V12-Power shape is central to it being a very light crane with heavy-duty performance capabilities and highly compact for additionally available weight allowance. It also makes it possible to be installed on a smaller 4-axle truck for greater flexibility, fuel, and cost savings. Its ten extensions go to great lengths to precisely deliver almost anything. Or you can go for nine extensions plus a V12-Power-shaped 155Q-6 jib with ‘up-and-over’ capabilities with just the right weight and load capacity balance.

Next-Level

Next-level (and futuristic) best describes the iQ.1188 HiPRO’s new CD4 remote control system. What makes it so unique? More information on three large colour displays, vibrational (haptic) feedback, and long-lasting battery life. Now the exciting stuff! The crane automatically senses the operator’s location and ensures that stabilizer legs do not extend until fully visible with Confirm View. They simulate stabilization in various positions to advance-plan lifts with the CD4 Dynamic Load Charts (DLC-S) feature. Multiple operators can personalize settings like speed and crane reaction and store them in memory, so there is no time wasted at startup. And both operators and fleet managers will love these time-and-money-saving features.

Space-Age

SPACEevo is the HIAB iQ.1188 HiPRO’s evolutionary new space-age control system. It’s open-platform, modular, and gives a whole new meaning to flexibility and future-proofing. Operators get continuous up-to-the-minute crane updates – a plus that extends crane life and increases resale value. It also simplifies operations so less experienced operators can handle more complex jobs safely and accurately.

Evolutionary also implies a lot of very advanced high-tech functions that go beyond precision to give you more power while working faster, safer, and with greater power. The iQ.1188 HiPRO truck-mounted crane has a galaxy of them. Besides the crane design and CD4 features, faster comes from Semi-automatic Folding (SAF), which lets you safely fold and unfold the crane with a single lever. Safer comes when unintentional operator movements are less of a concern for the load, equipment, operator or surroundings, thanks to the iQ.1188’s Vertical Load Stability System (LSS-V). And Automatic Duty Control (ADC) lets operators safely perform lifts that would otherwise exceed capacity. And power? When you reach capacity but need an extra 10 percent boost – you have it without stoppage or slowdown. It just happens with Automatic Speed Control (ASC). Variable Stability Logic Plus (VSL) gives you more lift capacity right from the start. And the iQ.1188 is also powered by a dual-core processor, sensors, actuators and a new harness that increases reliability and confidence to tackle the toughest jobs.

And it would only be right to talk about space-age and future-proof without discussing durability, reliability and sustainability. The ruggedly constructed HIAB iQ.1188 HiPRO is protected by a nano-tech coating for long-lasting paint protection, has a variable pump, an Automatic Dumping Oil (ADO) system, and an optional cyclone tank to further reduce oil use, weight, space and running costs. It’s connectivity-ready. And it’s a HIAB. It carries the reliability and expertise of Canada’s continuously #1-selling truck-mounted crane brand and Atlas Polar’s national sales and service network.

For years, the London Eye was the world’s tallest Ferris wheel. It’s still the world’s most iconic—and it set its sights on HIAB.

The London Eye is a feat of engineering and so much more than just an entertainment form. It’s the ultimate photo op, with jaw-dropping city views extending up to 40 kilometres away, and it revolutionized city skylines the world over.

Technically, the Eye is the world’s largest cantilevered observation wheel. That means it is supported, on one side only, by a pedestalled A-frame. Supporting and maintaining the Eye requires technically demanding skills and equipment. “HIAB? London calling.”

In a nighttime operation, over a five-day period in mid-March, two new HIAB eX.232 HiPROE-5 truck cranes were carefully moved into position through the wheel’s spokes, while it was slowly rotated into position. Tolerances were extremely tight. Close coordination across multiple teams was critical. Precision and timing were everything, as the Eye remained operational the whole time!

The two HiPRO truck-mounted cranes are fully certified to meet EN 280 standards for Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWP), also known as aerial work platforms. That’s a mouthful, but what it means is that they safely lift people, tools and equipment to high, hard-to-access areas. The eX.232 HiPROE-5 cranes are purpose-built for this exacting work, giving engineers the flexibility and control they need and the confidence they can rely on to keep London’s most popular paid attraction safe for the 3.5 to 3.75 million* visitors it attracts each year. (londoneye.com)

The HIAB eX.232E-5 features electro-hydraulic technology— energy-efficient and electric-vehicle (ePTO)-ready, HIAB’s evolutionary SPACEevo control system, an Olsbergs V200 valve for high oil flow capacity and smooth, simultaneous movement control, a two-tonne hoist, an advanced safety system, and an interlock system that prevents the wheel from rotating unless the cranes are safely stowed. The EYE models are also fitted with personnel buckets. The HIAB cranes are a necessary alternative to traditional access methods for working at these extreme heights (132 m) and restrictive access levels. They will lift and position heavy components to help maintain the attractions’ 32 rotating capsules and assist in work on the EYE’s mechanical and electrical systems.

London has its EYE on HIAB. And HIAB is keeping an eye on this world-class structure.

Steel is the most widely distributed product in the world for use in products and infrastructure, and the equipment that transports it, like trucks, trains, ships, freight containers and load-handling equipment. Those demands are increasing.

Steel manufacturing has a big footprint. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that one tonne of steel produces 1.4 times its weight in carbon emissions. Recycling Today claims that number to be 1.85 times the emissions for every tonne of steel produced. That’s mainly due to its reliance on coal – a non-renewable resource.

As the parent company of HIAB, Moffett and Multilift and one of the world’s largest manufacturers of truck-mounted cranes, forklifts and hooklifts, Cargotec found those numbers concerning. They decided to de-carbonize their supply chain.

Those efforts began by signing the United Nations Global Compact Business Ambition for 1.5˚ C. Cargotec’s target is to reduce value chain emissions by 50 percent in 2030 and, eventually, fossil-free.

Next, they partnered with Swedish company SSAB, a manufacturer of specialized steel known for its circular solutions. In September 2022, they unveiled the world’s first load-handling equipment made with fossil-free steel – a MULTILIFT ULTIMA truck-mounted hooklift. The technology uses hydrogen instead of coal. Even electricity used for the steelmaking process is fossil-free.

Cargotec is taking that relationship and commitment to the next level. SSAB Zero steel is a zero-emission, circular solution to reach its climate target. Including transportation and electricity, it produces less than 0.05 kg C02e emissions per kilogram of steel. It uses recycled steel as its raw material, ensuring that fossil fuels remain in the ground where they belong.

Cargotec will begin using SSAB Zero steel in its truck-mounted equipment this year. Climate change can’t wait. And neither can we.

Everyone is talking climate action these days, but more and more, it seems to be little more than lip service. HIAB’s climate transition walks the walk.

HIAB has committed to reaching zero greenhouse gas emissions across its entire value chain by 2050, in line with the 1.5˚C pathway of the Paris Agreement. What’s that? The Paris Agreement recognized the urgent need to limit global warming as much as possible to preserve a livable planet. It saw several countries agree to substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions to keep Earth’s surface temperature below pre-industrial levels. Many global companies, like HIAB, have signed on as well.

HIAB’s near and long-term targets have been validated by the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), a climate action partnership between the CDP, the UN Global Compact, the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Those targets are robust:

• Reduce emissions in their own operations by 50% by 2030 and 90% by 2040
• Reduce emissions in the value chain by 25% by 2030 and 90% by 2050
• Achieve net-zero emissions across the entire value chain by 2050

More than just talking the talk, HIAB has published a clearly defined, measurable route to meet its goals. It includes switching to fossil-free energy, increasing the use of recycled steel, designing equipment that uses low-emission energy sources, and producing low-emission equipment and services to decarbonize load handling.

2024 was the warmest in 175 years (UNEP), with a global near-surface temperature 1.55°C above the 1850 – 1900 average — the heart of the industrial revolution.

We all need to do our part to protect the planet. We’re proud to be partnered with a company like HIAB, that is so much more than corporate good intentions — willing to put words to action, and commitments to the scrutiny of the experts.

It’s important.

Our customers are often looking for more sustainable load-handling solutions. They are also ever-conscious of the competitive nature of their industries and the need to do more, perform better, be more precise, lift more, load more and deliver more. We drive to make our deliveries faster, safer, and more accurate. To be onsite more and in the service bay less, and to have their equipment be long-lasting and retain its value. That’s a tall order.

HIAB has been doing a lot to make their truck-mounted cranes, Moffett forklifts, and Multilift hooklifts meet those needs. They are pioneering fossil-free, zero-emission steel use in their manufacturing, winning environmental awards and acing crash tests with their electric forklifts. They are committing to the 1.5-degree Global Compact Business Ambition. HIAB invests heavily in R & D to continually optimize capacity, flexibility, safety, accessibility, ease of use, precision and durability.

But the latest marriage of a HIAB X-HiPRO 232 E6 crane, a Multilif ULTIMA 21Z hooklift and a hybrid electric Scania P360 truck is a combination made to do it all in the best possible way.

The HIAB X-HiPRO 232 features six hydraulic extensions and reaches 17.3 metres. The Multilift ULTIMA 21Z has a range of performance and safety features aimed at the waste and recycling industry, from a low-profile subframe to a low centre of gravity, excellent manoeuvrability and stability that makes it perfect for loading and unloading containers. The Scania P360 electric hybrid truck can power those powerhouses while running emission-free, with the ability for extended range made possible by diesel.

For Lasilla & Tikanoja (LT), the combined equipment package puts the circular economy opportunities they promote to their customers into prominent practice. This Finnish company helps companies grab those opportunities. They include source sorting and reuse for environmental services, act as a leading support service partner at industrial sites, and provide technical, maintenance and other services for facilities sites to help them make the circular economy a reality.

So why are we talking about a heavy equipment package in Finland? Because it’s a great idea that’s coming soon for Canadian HIAB and Multilift customers. It’s a big round globe, and the circular economy is an idea that needs to keep going around.

Innovation is about pursuing ideas for positive change – and we surely need that. It’s often the driver for start-ups and entrepreneurs and at the core of long-standing successful businesses. Innovations are great ideas that tend to pay homage to other great ideas that came before them. They’re sparks that bring light to the challenges we face.

For Atlas Polar, innovation is serious business. But as a metaphor, we couldn’t help but lift our hat to these little feats of engineering we’ve come across that honour our HIAB cranes. Here are some that stood out:

Chris Bennett’s ‘Circus Animalia’ is imagination and imagery at its best. It may not be lifting heavy loads on construction sites, but it sure lifts our spirits.

And people’s fascination with cranes has been picked up by designers and makes its way into people’s homes as free-standing floor lamps, like this black sculptural piece from the artists at Studio Job and Moooi’s ‘Brave New World’ articulating crane lamp.

Fun aside, innovations take an existing idea and create different versions that also result in greater value for the user or the world. They simplify, speed up, save energy and space, add convenience, capability and make things lighter, sturdier and safer, among other things.

What do they have in common? They’re driven by change – in economics, health, industry, technology, population, and social attitudes. Things never stop changing. And innovation both feeds that change and finds solutions for it.

Language fed the need to communicate. Gutenberg took the Chinese invention of type to mass production (at least for the time). And while Humphrey Davy invented electricity, 79 years and 40 glowing hours later, it was Edison’s innovation that put his name in the history books.

HIAB is a global leader when it comes to innovation. Its focus on customer needs and continual investment in R&D has made it the world’s leading provider of truck-mounted load handling equipment, intelligent services, and smart, connected solutions. It’s behind groundbreaking new crane technologies like HiConnect, which brings operators real-time data to enhance productivity and optimize performance. And its state-of-the-art VisionLab is testing the limits of possibility and taking safety to new levels with innovations like HiVision 3D, AI and augmented reality.

Great ideas are everywhere, and innovation can come from anywhere in an organization and businesses should look to everyone – inside or outside, top-down or bottom-up – for them. But success, of course, is all about the execution. We’ve been proving that at Atlas Polar and HIAB since the 1930s and 1950s respectively.

Remote-controlled crane operation is the industry standard, but it wasn’t always the case. Before the 1970s, crane operation was manual lever control at the crane base and some on/off, stop/go remote control. And then Bob Parr, President of Atlas Polar, developed Polar Remote Control system, the world’s first all-electronic fully-proportional remote control for truck cranes. The innovation made truck-crane operation hugely more precise, safer and more productive and changed materials handling forever.

We admire innovators in every sector, and like them, we’ll continue to pursue ideas that can lead to a better future.

When a company buys 400 of the same truck-crane model in a single contract purchase, you have to sit up and take notice. It’s a multi-million-pound (multiply that times about 1.5 in Canadian dollars) commitment that begs the question, “Why?”

Travis-Perkins plc is the largest distributor of building materials in the UK. They were looking to cement their place as the leading construction partner in the region and chose 400 new HIAB iX.162 HiPRO BSS-2 articulating cranes – the first of their kind – to do that. The cranes will roll out in January and will replace existing cranes in their Merchanting and Keyline Civils Specialist businesses over the next three years. It’s an enormous investment and an immense show of faith in both HIAB and the model.

For Travis-Perkins, the ‘why’ is easy – increased safety, efficiency, flexibility, accuracy, the ability to deliver to extreme environments and support for its commitment to a net-zero and decarbonized future. HIAB’s values align, and the HIAB iX.162 ticks all the boxes.

The iX.162 is about 150 kg lighter and stronger than the HiDUO model, allowing even greater payloads and lower fuel consumption and emissions – further reduced by an engine design you can stop and start by remote control: reduced noise and idle time open delivery possibilities.

The safety delivered by the HIAB iX. 162’s new CombiDrive 4 remote control system was another tipping point in the decision. The system has confirmed view sensors that automatically detect operator positioning to protect the public, operators, equipment and surroundings.

From HIAB’s perspective, the company is bubbling with excitement. The iX.162 results from many years of R&D. Sporting innovations like hose routing, weight savings and advanced technologies, it increases safety and performance and helps customers reach their sustainability targets.

The iX models are the next step in efficiency, safety, productivity and the environment for HIAB. And Travis-Perkins’ 400 iX.162 HiPRO BSS-2 truck cranes will be proving it out in the field.