Customer case

Hidrokon cranes reach new heights with Strenx® steel

October 13, 2022 6 min read

Mobile cranes made in Strenx high-strength structural steel and produced by Hidrokon.

Case details

Country Turkey
Company Hidrokon
Industry Lifting

When safety comes first, Strenx® is there. Cranes by Hidrokon are lighter, have higher capacity and can do the heavy lifting – all while supporting safety. That’s why they use high-strength Strenx®.

Cranes need to be built to take enormous strains and stresses while meeting safety and other regulations. Equipment manufacturers are thus looking to balance the trinity of height, reach and heavy-duty performance as crane booms get longer.

“Weight is a critical factor in our designs. Our goal is to make our crane components both high strength and lightweight,” says Memiş Kütükcü, Hidrokon’s founder. He adds that Strenx® steel products are known around the world for their reliability – something that is essential for cranes that operate on projects where safety is paramount.

“For a company like Hidrokon that prides itself on reliability, it’s important to offer a safe product, made of safe material, to our customers,” he says.

A mobile crane lifting a massive piece of steel. Crane booms in Strenx high-strength steel can be made stronger, lighter and with greater reach.
A mobile crane lifting a massive piece of steel. Crane booms in Strenx high-strength steel can be made stronger, lighter and with greater reach.

Case details

Country Turkey
Company Hidrokon
Industry Lifting

A Strenx® high-strength grade for nearly every crane component

Hidrokon, a Turkish company, has been producing cranes since its founding in 1993. They design and manufacture four main products: their flagship knuckle boom cranes, loader cranes, telescopic boom cranes and marine cranes. Using Strenx® structural steel has enabled them to make crane components that are lighter, safer and more durable.

In 2015, they introduced Strenx® high-strength structural steel in their production. They use nearly all the steel’s high yield-strength grades, Strenx® 700 E, Strenx® 700MC Plus, Strenx® 960 E, Strenx® 960MC, Strenx® 960 Plus and Strenx® 1100 E across various applications.

“By specifying Strenx high-strength steel, we’ve been able to produce lighter, higher-capacity machines,” Kütükcü says.

Cranes in Strenx® steel stay stronger and last longer

Since mobile cranes are mounted on vehicles, the weight of the crane and the capacity of the carrier vehicle are decisive factors for Hidrokon. As Kütükcü explains, the lighter the structure and higher the capacity of the machine that is placed on a vehicle, the more efficient the project will be. Hidrokon customers also report that machines produced with Strenx® performance steel last for a much longer time due to a more refined design.

Perhaps most importantly, Kütükcü admits that upgrading from mild steel to Strenx® high-strength steel has significantly increased the reliability of his company’s products and, when Strenx® products are combined with Hidrokon engineering, the company can produce high-quality cranes without any safety concerns.

A welder with a Hidrokon sweatshirt welding Strenx high-strength steel. Strenx can be welded using conventional methods.
A welder with a Hidrokon sweatshirt welding Strenx high-strength steel. Strenx can be welded using conventional methods.

Strenx® in innovative designs gives weight optimization

At Hidrokon, recent product development projects using Strenx® performance steel have shown very promising results when it comes to weight reduction and load capacity.

“Strenx steel is one of the most important factors in the weight optimization of our equipment,” Kütükcü continues. “Plus, we are constantly optimizing our products to make them even lighter. We’ve also been able to reduce the thickness of Hidrokon’s products by using Strenx in production.”

According to Kütükcü, Hidrokon’s customers report a customer satisfaction average of about 95% for its equipment. Many confirm that they are especially happy with the material’s mechanical behavior, in addition to hydraulic capabilities and operator comfort.


Two bright red cranes doing heavy-duty lifting, with crane booms made in Strenx structural steel.
Two bright red cranes doing heavy-duty lifting, with crane booms made in Strenx structural steel.

Towards fossil-free steel production with SSAB

For Hidrokon, SSAB is more than just a supplier – it’s a solution partner. Part of the added value they get from collaboration with SSAB lies in the shift towards emissions-free steel production and the shared vision of a more sustainable future for their industry.

“We know SSAB is performing in-depth studies to take it towards fossil-free steel production. For us, as a company that has obtained the zero-waste certificate from the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization in Turkey, we will also be looking to implement similar processes,” he says.

High quality standards you can trust – My Inner Strenx® certified

In 2016, Hidrokon became a qualified member of the My Inner Strenx® program – something Kütükcü says makes good business sense.

“The Strenx® brand is recognized across the world. So, we of course place the My Inner Strenx® decal on our products. Thanks to this program, our customers can recognize the features of Strenx® products and end users can verify authenticity by scanning a QR code,” he says. “In short, our trust in Strenx® reinforces the trust that customers have in our equipment.”

Close-up of a hydraulic crane boom with the My Inner Strenx logo signifying that the manufacturer has been certified to high quality standards and uses genuine Strenx® steel.
Close-up of a hydraulic crane boom with the My Inner Strenx logo signifying that the manufacturer has been certified to high quality standards and uses genuine Strenx® steel.
A welder with a Hidrokon sweatshirt welding Strenx high-strength steel. Strenx can be welded using conventional methods.

Customer benefits

  • Crane components are both high strength and lightweight
  • Crane booms weigh less yet can handle more capacity and improve productivity
  • New lightweight design also helps to extend equipment service life
  • Branded My Inner Strenx® certified crane components represent a name that owners and operators can trust
  • Improved sustainability profile, with future steel production from clean energy

About Hidrokon

  • Hidrokon is a Turkish manufacturer located in Konya, Turkey, producing hydraulic mobile cranes, heavy recovery trucks and aerial work platforms and other custom projects in the lifting industry
  • Founded in 1993, Hidrokon is the sector leader in the Turkish domestic market and has been steadily increasing its exports since 1996
  • Member of SSAB’s My Inner Strenx® program since 2016

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