Capital Equipment News

CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS

NOVEMBER 2015

lthough the majority of contractors

see a tower crane as simply another

piece of materials handling equip-

ment, this is not how Manitowoc views

this vital tool which is a common fixture on

most construction sites around the world.

Tower cranes are often the determining

factor when it comes to productivity on a

construction site, and ongoing product de-

velopment by Manitowoc is aimed specifi-

cally at enhancing the return on investment

(ROI) for customers. David Semple, Manito-

woc VP Sales Middle East & Africa, explains

that there are a number of things that define

the ROI on a tower crane and chief amongst

these is productivity of the machine.

“The speed at which a tower crane can lift

and place loads is directly linked to the pro-

ductivity that a site will be able to achieve

on any given day,” Semple says. “Fast track

projects have become the standard through-

out the world today and being able to build

rapidly is a major benefit to any contractor.

This makes the speed of materials handling

the all-important difference between meet-

ing the construction programme or not.”

“There is a significant difference in the

speed at which construction can take place

based on the amount of materials moved in

a single working day. For example, whether

you can pour 100 buckets of concrete or

120 buckets can have an impact on the dai-

ly build programme,” he adds.

In addition to operational productivity, the

speed of erection and disassembly of the

tower crane is just as important. This also

receives attention during engineering as the

speed at which the tower crane is erected

will dictate the site’s accessibility to mate-

rials. Furthermore, the speed at which the

unit can be climbed also has an impact, es-

pecially where the building being construct-

ed is high rise.

“An example where advanced engineering

has made a difference is in the tying of the

Potain tower crane into a high rise building

as it climbs. This can be done in six hours as

opposed to the conventionally accepted eight

hours with other similar cranes,” Semple

says.

Dismantling of the machine is also import-

ant as this too is time related. The Potain

tower crane has been engineered to facili-

tate speed of erection and dismantling, and

its ergonomic design makes it easier for

rigging crews and ensures optimal safety

during both activities.

Productivity of a tower crane can be com-

promised if it is not correctly configured. An

example of this could be if the winch were

undersized the tower crane could then be-

come a bottleneck on site, slowing down

materials handling and subsequent con-

struction activities.

Torre Lifting Solutions, SA French division,

is the southern African distributor for Potain

tower cranes and Quentin van Breda, tech-

nical director says that it is important that

contractors partner with a reputable equip-

ment supplier who has the depth of techni-

cal skill to appropriately configure a tower

crane for a specific application.

“Tower cranes should be constructed to

maximise productivity without breaching

operational performance or safety proto-

cols,” he says. “And this requires the input

of experienced people who understand both

the technical ability of the crane and the site

requirements.”

Underpinned by its strategy of improving the

ROI on materials handling equipment, this

leading OEM is focused on engineering its

tower cranes with features that will facili-

tate the requisite speed of handling yet still

offer the level of reliability and performance

for which Potain tower cranes have become

recognised.

Semple says that Potain tower cranes are

known for their fail-proof design and the

excellent lifespan that these engineered

machines offer customers. The cranes are

produced in accordance with world class

manufacturing processes ensuring that the

highest levels of quality and reliability are

maintained. This extends to ensuring the

optimum integrity and life cycle of all major

components that make up a tower crane.

Manitowoc operates a Product Verification

Centre (PVC) in France where all major

components are tested to ensure structural

and operational integrity. Components are

subjected to climatic extremes and stress

through simulated tests. Manitowoc is the

only crane manufacturer that invests to this

level to ensure the absolute integrity of its

final product.

Significantly, Potain has remained the world

leader in tower crane production since

its inception in France in 1928 and over

120 000 cranes have been manufactured

and installed across the globe. Today, the

company produces over 60 models from

manufacturing plants in France, Germany,

Italy Portugal, China and Brazil and these

highly productive machines are found not

only on traditional construction sites, but

also on power stations, minerals benefici-

ation plants and smelters, in shipbuilding

yards and on civil engineering projects in-

cluding dams and bridges.

POTAIN TOWER CRANES

set the pace for contractors

LIFTING