NFT supplies Potain cranes to new tech hub in the Middle East
- Nine cranes are needed to help a job site meet an ambitious construction schedule.
- Potain MCT 205 topless cranes have been specified for their ability to work in close proximity to each other and to other structures on the job site.
- All of the cranes have been supplied by leading Potain business partner NFT.
China State Construction Engineering Corporation is using nine Potain tower cranes to construct a major new tech-focused development in Dubai. Silicon Park is the brainchild of developer Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority with China State Construction acting as main contractor on the job. The nine cranes were all supplied by NFT and they include eight of Potain’s advanced MCT 205 topless models plus an MC 205 B top-slewing unit.
Spanning 150 000 sq. m Silicon Park will be a mixed-use development and also a free-trade zone with a focus on tech businesses. The new facility will have some of the strongest green credentials in the region in line with Dubai Municipality’s Green Building Regulations and international LEED standards. Buildings will include apartments offices leisure facilities a museum and a mall. In total the cranes will help construct some 23 low-rise buildings and their duties include the handling of building materials and structural elements.
Abdul Zidan construction manager on the Silicon Park project for China State Construction said the tight timescale for the project had dictated the cranes’ selection.
“We are using the nine Potain cranes to cover 97 300 m2 of the project ” he said. “All are good-quality reliable machines and NFT has provided us with good service and maintenance support. Having NFT with us has helped keep this project moving swiftly despite its congested schedule and delays have been kept to a minimum.”
Potain’s advanced topless designs make them ideal for busy job sites where multiple cranes need to work together. Because the cranes can overlap within shorter vertical spaces working heights can be optimized.
The Potain MCT 205 topless cranes have a maximum capacity of 10 t and can lift 1.75 t at their maximum jib end of 65 m. Fittingly for the Silicon Park job the cranes have a strong focus on fast erection. The complete upper works can be assembled in four lifts while the full 65 m jib can be placed in a single lift.
The MC 205 B is a regular-design top-slewing crane and a proven performer on job sites across the Middle East Asia Africa and Latin America. It also has a 10 t maximum capacity 60 m jib and 2.4 t jib end capacity.
Nabil Al Zahlawi managing partner at NFT said the MCT 205 units were a perfect choice for the Silicon Park project.
“We selected the MCT 205 for China State Construction because it is a crane that’s strong compact and fast to erect ” he said. “We were also able to use our position as the world’s largest owner of Potain cranes to ensure that we met the tight delivery timescale. Our engineering team worked closely with the customer to get this project off the ground as quickly as possible and we have been providing ongoing support to ensure work proceeds smoothly.”
This ongoing support includes managing all telescoping operations to allow the cranes to increase their working heights as needed. The working heights vary from 40 m to 55 m and all nine cranes have been configured with jib lengths between 50 m and 60 m.
Because there are so many cranes on the project NFT has also specified Potain’s Top Tracing anti-collision technology. And further control is ensured thanks to Potain’s variable frequency technology for all hoisting slewing and trolleying mechanisms. This optimizes the speed of the cranes’ movements and also regulates their power consumption for better efficiency.
Christophe Simoncelli vice president tower crane sales Asia and the Middle East at Manitowoc said NFT played a crucial role in ensuring Potain cranes were selected for this landmark development.
“It is very pleasing to see another high-profile development in the Middle East selecting Potain cranes and it’s no surprise to see NFT is at the heart of it ” he said. “Our designs aim to provide the lifting strength and speed that contractors need but equally important is having strong local support. With NFT we have not only one of the best partners in the region but one of the very best in the world.”
Set for completion by the end of 2018 Silicon Park is the latest development to support Dubai’s drive to become one of the world’s leading Smart Cities. The development will include intelligent solutions such as charging docks for smart devices on the street as well as pop-up furniture digital play tables and an array of health and fitness amenities. Travel around the development will also be completely free of regular vehicles with electric vehicles as the primary mode of transport.
NFT is one of the world’s leading suppliers of tower cranes and a long-time business partner of Potain. With over 1 500 tower cranes in its fleet the company has its headquarters in Abu Dhabi and operates offices in Saudi Arabia Lebanon Qatar and Kuwait.
