A critical upgrade delivered safely at Sydney Steel Mill

The new Sydney Billet Yard Crane CR7 is now in place, following a smooth and incident-free changeover during the 2025–26 Christmas shutdown.

The old CR7 was removed and the new crane installed over two days, exactly as planned. A strong result for the site and a great example of careful planning and teamwork paying off.

Two years of planning, executed on schedule

The new crane has been two years in the making, from design through to manufacture and installation. Project Manager Angelo Andrade led months of detailed planning and coordination with multiple vendors and contractors.

That preparation meant the shutdown work ran to schedule, even with the complexity of the lifts involved. The old crane weighed 70 tonnes, while the new CR7 weighs 89 tonnes and required a 750 tonne mobile crane.

“The level of planning meant the changeover went exactly as scheduled, with no incidents,” Angelo said.

Planning and execution that mattered

Stewart Gardner, Engineering and Site Infrastructure Superintendent, and Angelo worked closely to ensure the changeover was well planned and safely executed.

“This was a great example of people doing the hard work upfront so the shutdown could run smoothly,” Stewart said.

Why this crane is so important

CR7 is a critical link between the Sydney Meltshop and the Sydney Rolling Mill. Any issues with the crane can affect both plants, and maintenance can only be carried out when both areas are stopped.

The previous crane had exceeded its design life and required increasing maintenance which had a significant impact on the business.

“This upgrade reduces risk and improves reliability across the site,” Paul Van Niewkerk, Manufacturing Manager, said.

Giyas Mohommed, General Manufacturing Manager, summed it up well:

“This outcome reflects the strong dedication and commitment of Stewart, Angelo, and the broader onsite leadership team. As the single shared crane supporting both the Rolling Mill and Meltshop, the successful replacement of CR7 will materially strengthen operational stability. Thank you all for the collective effort and well done to everyone involved.”

And to cap it off, Rinkal Khetani and Helen Yesudas captured a quick selfie from the new crane, with Tia Ikonomopoulos and Vineet Pruthi, marking a positive moment during a big shutdown week.

Huge thank you to everyone in the team that helped make this happen.