Eucalyptus heavy lift timber mats supporting crawler crane during critical lift on wind project
Eucalyptus heavy lift timber mats supporting crawler crane during critical lift on wind project

Heavy Lift Crane Mats Solutions For Eucalyptus Projects

Eucalyptus Solutions For The Heavy Lift Industry – was revised on January 18, 2026

  • In some applications, replace two layers of mixed hardwood with one layer of Eucalyptus heavy lift timber mats. 

  • Segment heavy lift and walking mats to cut wood volume, freight, and handling.

  • Use higher strength Eucalyptus crane mats to improve safety and total cost of ownership.

Heavy lift timber mats are a big line item on complex projects, especially when mat quality keeps sliding and prices keep rising. Eucalyptus mats give you higher strength, more predictable performance, and the chance to use fewer mats for the same lift.

The Problem: Mixed Hardwood Heavy Lift Mats

Many heavy lift customers tell us that 12 inch mixed hardwood crane mats keep getting more expensive while availability and quality decline. Species are inconsistent, timbers are uneven, and large lifting notches remove wood where strength is most needed.

As a result, crews and engineers often use two layers of mixed hardwood under big cranes to feel comfortable. That means more mats, more trucks, more handling, and more heavy lift timber mats cost over the life of each project.

The Solution: Stronger Eucalyptus Heavy Lift Timber Mats

For one heavy lift customer using 16′ x 12″ x 4′ mixed hardwood mats under a Manitowoc 16000WA Series 4, engineers approved a switch to a custom 16′ x 12″ x 4′ Eucalyptus crane mat. The Eucalyptus mat used a very small lifting notch on one end only to improve safety and keep more wood in the mat.

Eucalyptus has about 100–300 percent higher bending strength than typical mixed hardwood used in crane mats. Because each bolt runs through all four timbers instead of through air, these heavy lift timber mats deliver more reliable capacity for the same thickness.

16 foot Eucalyptus heavy lift timber mats with small lifting notch for safer crane operations
16 foot Eucalyptus heavy lift timber mats with small lifting notch for safer crane operations

 

One Layer Instead Of Two

The customer’s engineers determined that a single layer of 16′ x 12″ x 4′ Eucalyptus crane mats could replace two layers of 16′ x 12″ x 4′ mixed hardwood mats for the heavy lift pad. That choice cut mat purchase costs for the crane pad by about 50 percent while improving ground support and safety.

Additionally, fewer mats meant fewer picks, less crane repositioning, and reduced heavy lift machine rental hours. Eucalyptus mats that do more work per layer change the cost structure of the entire crane pad.

Why Eucalyptus Heavy Lift Timber Mats Are Stronger, Safer, And More Standardized

World Forest Group designs Eucalyptus crane mats to be stronger, standardized, and safer than typical mixed hardwood mats. This matters when you rely on crane mats under large mobile cranes and complex lifts.

Key advantages:

  • Higher strength: Eucalyptus offers roughly 100–300 percent higher bending strength than mixed hardwood, with bolts through all timbers, not voids.

  • Standardization: Consistent timber sizes and layouts make handling simpler and reduce surprises in the field.

  • Safety: Small lifting notches leave more wood in the mat, reduce trip hazards, and improve walking surfaces for crews.

See more on the basics of Eucalyptus timber mats.

Separate Heavy Lift Mats From Walking Mats

On many projects, the same 12 inch heavy lift crane mats are used both for the crane pad and for walking the crane to the pad. However, walking loads are usually lower than the maximum loads under the superstructure.

World Forest Group worked with this customer to understand how many mats were used for walking versus lifting. The share of mats used only for walking was significant, which opened the door to a lighter, more efficient option.

Custom 8 Inch Eucalyptus Walking Mats

One alternative for walking is a custom 16′ x 8″ x 4′ Eucalyptus mat designed similarly to the 12 inch heavy lift timber mats. These walking mats still use high strength Eucalyptus, but they remove unnecessary wood and weight for lower loaded areas.

Because there is about 33 percent less wood in a 16′ x 8″ x 4′ Eucalyptus mat compared to a 16′ x 12″ x 4′ mat, potential savings on walking mats are around 30 percent. Heavy lift timber mats on the pad do the heavy work, while lighter Eucalyptus walking mats support crane travel with less cost and less freight.

See more on benefits of Eucalyptus timber mats for ground protection.

Total Project Impact: Up To 40% Savings

When you combine a single layer of 12 inch Eucalyptus heavy lift timber mats on the pad with 8 inch Eucalyptus walking mats, the total impact is large. In this case, the customer saw up to 40 percent savings compared to a two layer mixed hardwood approach with one mat type used everywhere.

These savings come from several places:

  • Fewer heavy lift timber mats purchased for the same or better capacity.

  • Fewer trucks and less freight because each mat delivers more strength.

  • Reduced handling, fewer picks, and shorter crane rental time.

Across the project, Eucalyptus heavy lift timber mats shifted both cost and risk in the right direction.

Why Carbon Neutral Eucalyptus Heavy Lift Mats Matter Even Now

Many owners and EPCs track carbon alongside cost. Carbon neutral Eucalyptus heavy lift timber mats reduce emissions and cut logistics cost because one layer can replace two, and more capacity can travel on each truck.

In contrast, stacking multiple layers of mixed hardwood mats means more wood volume, more truck miles, and more fuel burned per lift. When you move to stronger, standardized Eucalyptus heavy lift timber mats, carbon and cost both improve because you run fewer trucks and handle fewer mats.

Independent logistics case studies show that improving payload utilization and cutting truck trips typically lowers both emissions and freight cost. That is exactly what happens when you shift to Eucalyptus mats that do more work per layer.

Where Heavy Lift Timber Mats Fit Best

Heavy lift timber mats made from Eucalyptus shine in projects that combine long travel, heavy cranes, and tight schedules. When you need both strength and predictability, these mats help control risk while improving budgets.

Typical industries that use Eucalyptus timber mats include transmission, wind, petrochemical, refinery turnarounds, heavy civil, and large infrastructure projects. In each of these sectors, fewer mat layers and fewer truckloads can add up to major savings by the end of the job.

Suggested image alt text:

  • “Eucalyptus heavy lift timber mats under large mobile crane on refinery project”

For more articles and guides on Eucalyptus timber mats, see the Learning Center .

Next Steps: Tune Your Heavy Lift Timber Mat Plan

If you want to improve how heavy lift timber mats perform on your next project, start with two questions. First, can a single layer of Eucalyptus crane mats safely replace two layers of mixed hardwood for your pad given soil and lift details? You’ll need an engineer. Duerr’s Second Edition Mobile Crane Support Handbook is a terrific resource. Second, how many mats are really used for walking and could a lighter 8 inch Eucalyptus mat handle that job.

World Forest Group can work with your team and your engineering partner to model loads, size Eucalyptus heavy lift timber mats, and segment pad and walking mats for safer, more efficient projects. The result can be fewer mats, fewer truckloads, and better control of both cost and carbon.

If you are planning a heavy lift and want to see how Eucalyptus heavy lift timber mats can improve safety and reduce total cost, contact World Forest Group or request a quote with your project details.”