IN FOCUS / MANITOWOC
MANITOWOC POTAIN AND THE MANITOWOC WAY
Potain recently launched its two new models, the MCH 125 and the MCH 175.
Cranes and Lifting Magazine finds out the details of Manitowoc’s new model Potain tower cranes and just how well they’ve been embraced by the Australian sector. MANITOWOC RECENTLY LAUNCHED new model Potain tower cranes and the market has responded in a quick and positive manner. The company has also seen a major over haul in its manufacturing processes which has led to the range Potain and Grove brands designed and manufactured in accordance with ‘The Manitowoc Way’. John Stewart, VP and General Manager of the Manitowoc Australian operations, discusses with the growth of the Potain tower crane business, new models and how the ‘The Manitowoc Way’ is changing the company’s manufacturing processes. The price of land in Australia’s major capital cities has always been a driver for going high with residential construction. Just one look at the skylines of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane confirms that the tower block construction boom is far from over. This has seen great success for the Potain business in the small to medium crane range. “In NSW we work very closely with Active Crane Hire (ACH). ACH has 52 / CAL March 2019
approximately 160 cranes in its fleet and really dominate this space. The 10 to 20 storey residential building market has seen a high demand for the small and medium size topless Hammerhead cranes, but this has started to cool a little, mainly due to the density of construction and over flight issues where neighbours do not want cranes travelling over their airspace,” Stewart said. Potain recently launched two new models to remedy the congestion issue, the MCH 125 and the MCH 175. “The models are hydraulic topless luffing cranes which use a mobile cranelike super structure with a lattice boom so it looks like an all terrain super with a cylinder. The cylinder is luffing the jib compared to the typical rope luffer which features an ‘A’ frame geometry to lift. This new design is proving to be very successful with ACH,” he said. Currently, Active Crane Hire has 15 of the new models either working or being delivered. These will be replacing a number of their older topless cranes in
addition to growing its fleet. Stewart suggested the new models are in demand due to the density of construction sites. “In this current construction environment, we are seeing older, smaller buildings demolished and replaced by taller ones. Much of this construction is happening in residential areas where there is already considerable congestion. These luffing cranes provide a great opportunity for ACH and us, to supply a crane that provides a more efficient way of building on these congested job sites.” Last year, Active Crane Hire announced that it had welcomed Borger Cranes as a stakeholder and business partner in its tower crane rental business. According to Stewart, the partnership is a major milestone in the crane hire industry delivering significant benefits to the clients of both businesses. “Strategically, we see the tie-up between Active Crane Hire and Borger Cranes as being very positive, for both the businesses and their customers. Borger is one of
