Manitowoc to launch new tower cranes at bauma China 2014
This year’s bauma China 2014 in Shanghai will see Manitowoc introduce two new topless tower cranes from its Potain brand. The new models are the latest innovations from the company’s Zhangjiagang plant in China which earlier this year celebrated the delivery of its 5 000th crane since production began in 2006. Also on the company’s booth (Stand A.02) will be an RT890E rough-terrain crane from the Grove range of mobile cranes.
Potain MCT 205
The MCT 205 on the Manitowoc booth has a 10 t maximum capacity and can lift 1.75 t at its maximum jib end of 65 m.
Leong Kwong-Joon regional product manager for tower cranes at Manitowoc Cranes explains that growing time pressures on job sites means the introduction of the MCT 205 (and the smaller MCT 85) will attract the attention of many tower crane users at the trade show.
“In China and across the rest of Asia we’re seeing contractors wanting to place more tower cranes on job sites to accelerate construction schedules ” he says. “Because topless cranes have no cathead at the top it’s easier to overlap them and overall crane working heights don’t need to be so high. Topless cranes are also faster and easier to erect. As a result we expect strong interest in the new MCT 205 and MCT 85 cranes at bauma China.”
With a focus on fast erection the complete upperworks for the MCT 205 can be assembled in four lifts. The heaviest group of components is just 7.9 t and the full 65 m jib can be placed in a single lift. Attention has been paid to transportation too with three jib sections able to fit inside a standard container.
Potain MCT 85
The second new topless crane from Potain the MCT 85 is smaller than the MCT 205 with a 5 t maximum capacity and an ability to lift 1.1 t at its jib end of 52 m. This practical unit is surprisingly easy to transport with the entire top portion of the crane able to travel on just two trucks.
Again on-site assembly is simplified thanks to the pre-assembly work done at the Zhangjiagang factory before the crane is delivered to the customer. For example the counterjib and towerhead are fitted together as a single component and can be lifted as such. Connecting the jib is facilitated through the use of quick and easy pin-connectors. This means the entire tower crane’s upperworks is connected in just two sections.
Like the MCT 205 the MCT 85 can be operated as an internal climbing crane sitting inside the building it is constructing. Mounted on its 1.2 m mast sections the crane offers a maximum free-standing height of 33.2 m when operating internally.
Grove RT890E
From Manitowoc’s mobile crane brand Grove there will be an 80 t capacity RT890E at bauma China. This rough-terrain crane has a 43.2 m main boom with Megaform shaping for greater rigidity. Reach can be extended further to 72.5 m through the use of jib extensions.
Rough-terrain cranes are popular at various industrial locations across China including mines petrochemical plants and power generating facilities. There are already several RT890E units in the country.
Teo Yew Boon Manitowoc’s product manager for mobile cranes Greater Asia-Pacific says Grove RT cranes are often known as the most dependable pieces of equipment on site.
“The RT890E is popular on industrial sites across China for its ability to deliver consistent performance - even in the toughest landscapes ” he says. “Maintenance is straightforward and the crane delivers more than its competitors in terms of capacity reach and power.”
The Grove RT890E’s counterweight and auxiliary hoist can both be removed for easier transportation between jobs. The all-steel Vision cab offers excellent visibility while its acoustic lining and ergonomic layout improve operator efficiency. Power for the RT890E comes from a 205 kW Cummins engine that offers plenty of power.
