Potain Self-Erectors Fit on Tight Site

Potain Self-Erectors Fit on Tight Site
Potain Self-Erectors Fit on Tight Site

The construction of a 180-unit apartment complex in Quincy, Mass., left little room for one crane on the job site, much less two. But the six-story structure required the lifting of several wall panels and other construction materials, and needed the capabilities of two cranes. The solution: two Potain Igo T 130 self-erecting cranes that could fit into the site’s tight quarters with enough reach and capacity to complete the job.

North American Crane & Rigging, Providence, R.I., handled the $34-million project’s lifting work, and it turned to equipment distributor Shawmut Equipment, Manchester, Conn., for a lifting solution that would include cranes that had compact footprints but still offered the needed reach and capacity.

“Since the construction company had very little space to work with, North American Crane & Rigging had a request for cranes that could be installed and perform well in very tight working quarters,” said Kevin O’Connell, vice president and sales representative at Shawmut. “The two Igo T 130s offered extremely compact footprints, the ability to manage the lifts via remote control, and more than enough reach and capacity for the job.”

North American Crane & Rigging used its 275-ton-capacity Grove GMK5275 all-terrain crane to help unload and erect one of the Potain cranes adjacent to the job site, and to set the second one up on an elevated concrete deck.

In transport configuration, each Igo T 130 traveled as a single 56-ft. trailer. The convoy has a ground clearance of just 1 ft. for better access to working job sites.

“The cranes are even versatile when it comes to their own transportation,” O’Connell said. “They require less manpower and fewer trucks when compared with other cranes in their class. They’re definitely time and money savers.”

At the job site, the cranes lifted panelized wood-frame walls and other materials weighing up to 2.2 tons at heights to 66 ft. With an 8.8-ton maximum capacity, the cranes had more than enough capability to handle the lifts.

Wireless remote controls let North American Crane & Rigging complete lifts quickly, with an ideal line of sight for load placement. The efficiency displayed by both Igo T 130s exemplified why self-erecting cranes have become extremely popular in North America for low-rise residential, hotel and other commercial construction.

Quality and agility

To David White, business development manager at North American Crane & Rigging, every square foot saved matters in a high-value real estate area such as Greater Boston during construction.

“Saving space and causing as little disruption as we can to a heavily urbanized area such as metro Boston meant significant cost savings for the general contractor, our customer, and the city of Boston,” he said. “We were able to quickly assemble and disassemble the cranes on the job site with very little impact to local businesses and the community. The general contractor expressed that it was very pleased with the cranes’ performance and that it will use the cranes again in future developments in the region.”

The Igo T 130 cranes arrived to the site in March. One has completed its work. The other will stay on site for about two more months. The completed six-story structure will hold a 180-space parking garage, fitness center, theater, pool, and other features.

Shawmut Equipment, one of Manitowoc’s leading distributors in the Northeast, has served New England and the Atlantic provinces of Canada since 1957. The company, a third-generation family-owned business, has consistently ranked high in independent surveys ranking customer service and satisfaction.

North American Crane & Rigging, a crane rental and specialized transportation company, has a fleet of the newest, most state-of-the-art cranes, heavy-haul trucks, and trailers. The company, established in early 2015, serves the continental United States and Canada. Although newly formed, its management team has more than 40 decades of experience in the crane and heavy hauling industries.

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