What are the latest tower crane projects?

BKL help build terminal at German airport

With twelve tower cranes and several mobile crane operations, BKL is helping build the new Terminal 3 at Fraport in Germany. It is one of Europe’s largest privately funded infrastructure projects.

Twelve BKL cranes are being used at the airport (Photo: BKL)

Twelve BKL construction cranes are operated at Fraport, where the new main terminal building and several piers are being built. BKL’s tower crane specialists assisted Dechant Hoch- und Ingenieurbau, the company responsible for the Terminal 3 structural shell, during the preparatory phase. Using CAD-based planning, they visualised the different crane heights to ensure safety and an optimum configuration.

To create the crane concept, the team capitalised on BKL’s rental fleet, from mobile 22-metre bottom-slewing cranes to five flat top cranes in the 300 tonne-metre category, with hook heights up to 85 metres and a radius of 75 metres, culminating in a 1,050 tonne-metre giant.

BKL says the ten mobile fast erecting BKL System Cattaneo CM 221s cover a large area as they can be relocated on site as required, while the stationary top slewing cranes handle the heavier loads. A Comansa 21LC1050 is also on site, installed with a hook height of 53 metres and an 80 metre radius on a 70 metre track system. This allowed installation of the 1,050 tonne-metre crane with a tip load of more than 11 tonnes and a capacity of 50 tonnes to lift heavy steel.

BKL set up two other large cranes, a Liebherr 630 EC-H and a Comansa 21LC750, both with more than 70 metre radii, at CargoCity South, also being extended during construction of the new terminal.

Potain expands MCT 805 availability

The new Potain MCT 805 – a high capacity flat top tower crane, will soon be available in Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. Its design is based on the company’s France-built MDT 809.

The New Potain MCT 805 (Photo: Potain)

Potain claims best-in-class transport and erection on a par with a typical 450 tonne-metre crane. It can be set up twice as fast as a standard 40 tonne capacity crane, while requiring less space, the manufacturer says. Assembly to a 50 metre height takes less than three days.

A counter jib of 27.3 metres gives 7.5 tonnes capacity at 80 metres. The tip load of the M32 and M40 configurations make it ideal for heavier lifting loads within confined job sites. The M32 lifts its 32 tonne maximum to a radius beyond 22 metres, while the M40 lifts its 40 tonne maximum beyond 18.5 metres.

In addition to the regular frequency controlled hoist options, two highlights are the M32 with the 150HPL80 – that can lift 1.8 tonnes at up to 151 m/min; and the M40, 270LVF100 Optima: 3.5 tonnes at 162 m/min. Both have a drum capacity for 1,063 metres of rope when fitted with the larger hoist option. Users can also choose between two-fall for faster lifting or four-fall configuration for heavy lifting.

Potain cranes used in Indian development 

Almost a dozen Potain cranes were used to progress construction of a prestigious residential development in Mamurdi, northwest Pune, Maharashtra. The cranes were a mix of Potain MCi 85 and MCT 85 models. The MCi 85 is one of the most popular tower cranes of all time in India, with units in operation all over the country to this day. In recent years it has been replaced with the MCT 85, a topless tower crane with similar characteristics but with several design advances, the manufacturer says.

The new residential project comprises seven separate structures (Photo: Potain)

Spread over a total area of around 15 acres, Godrej Forest Grove comprises a total of 14 towers, each of 22 storeys, built as seven separate structures. Despite being nestled at the intersection of three major routes – Old NH-4 Highway, Katraj-Dehu Road and Mumbai-Pune Expressway – the 1,100 apartment complex is surrounded by green hills and two lakes.

A development of Godrej Properties, using an assortment of contractors, including Madhure, Millennium, Tricon, and Viraj Projects, the project was constructed using 14 Potain tower cranes; a mix of the original MCi 85 hammerhead and the MCT 85 flat top crane.

All units were configured in the internal floor-climbing mode, ending the project with heights under hook between 70 and 80 metres, and with jib lengths of 25 to 30 metres.

Especially popular in India and throughout Asia, the internal climbing configuration is built around 1.2 metre square mast sections that enable the crane to fit inside narrow elevator shafts and operate with shorter jib lengths to maximise lifting capacity. In this set-up, the cranes can be initially configured at a maximum freestanding height of 33.2 metres.

Flat top cranes are easier and faster to erect than traditional hammerhead types and can be transported to the jobsite in fewer truckloads, says Potain.

“When they arrived on site, some of the cranes were new and some were older, but the reliability of them all was in evidence throughout the project,” said Prashant Suryawanshi, managing director at Manitowoc Cranes India. “The proven Potain technology, such as the internal climbing design, really made sure this project stayed on schedule, while reducing both equipment and operating costs.”

With a planned completion date of April 2024, the Godrej Forest Grove complex offers apartments within easy commuting distance of several prominent tech parks. Amenities will include a clubhouse, open cafeteria, amphitheatre, gym, basketball court and play pool. It also has an orchard.