Manitowoc launches largest Potain flat top

Manitowoc launched the Potain MCT 565, its largest flat top crane, at the bauma China 2018 exhibition in Shanghai, late November 2018. The company invited customers, dealers, end users and media to a an event at the trade fair to present the crane. The following day guests were welcomed to the Manitowoc factory in Zhangjiagang where the MCT 565 was shown fully assembled, complete with its full 80 meter jib.

Francois Rotat, product manager for Potain tower cranes, said the new model gives customers lower total cost of ownership and allows them to take on new projects. “The first topless cranes from our Zhangjiagang factory in China launched in 2012 and are now a huge success,” Rotat said. “As acceptance grows it’s natural we extend the concept into new markets. The MCT 565 offers the benefits of topless cranes on significantly larger projects. Asia-Pacific, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, Russia and other CIS countries have ambitious construction programs and cranes like the Potain MCT 565 will help those regions meet their goals.”

With the increasing use of heavier construction materials, Manitowoc expects strong demand for higher capacity models. The MCT 565 proved a strong attraction at bauma China 2018, not only for its size but also for the opportunities it presents. Its maximum load moment of 550 tonne-meters is a significant step up for the company.

Jib length configurations are from 30 to 80 meters in 5 m increments. At its 80 m jib end, the MCT 565 can handle 4 tons. Despite its increased size, the new model stays true to the design characteristics of Potain flat top cranes, with easy transport and erection combining with excellent on-site performance, the manufacturer said.

The upper section with its full 80 m jib, travels on just nine trucks thanks to innovative, space-saving design features such as a folding cab on the slewing unit and a folding counter jib, the manufacturer said. At the job site, set up can be finished inside two days and options such as the detachable cab assist. Users can split the slewing unit, counter jib and jib into different sizes depending on space and the capacity of the assist crane.

For the counter jib there are three options of 17, 21 and 24 m, with users making their selection based on chosen jib length. This design feature not only aids transportation and erection, it also optimizes the crane’s overall footprint on tight job sites, Potain said. The slewing unit has a ‘plug-and-play’ design with much of the wiring completed at the factory. This is to make installation faster and easier to deliver further cost and time savings. Other features help facilitate installation, including dedicated sling points on the counter jib and transport brackets on the jib for easier loading into the crane’s compact transport configuration.

To deliver class-leading performance Potain has developed a new family of mast sections, the C800 and C850. These are offered on the new model as well as a range of its other cranes, and several configurations are possible on the MCT 565. There are C809A standard jib sections measuring 5 m. Or users can opt for CR809A reinforced sections of 5 m or the shorter CR809C reinforced sections of 3.33 m. Depending on jib length, maximum free-standing height for the crane ranges from 70.9 m to 75.9 m. Climbing the crane up to 200 m is achieved with only three anchorage points. An additional option for the MCT 565 is the BC60R floor climbing system on 2 m mast sections. This compact option will appeal to contractors looking for an internal floor climbing crane for use on tall buildings.

Multiple choice

Aside from working height, there is further flexibility in capacity with three versions of the MCT 565 on offer. Capacities are 20, 25 and 32 tons. For the 20 and 25 ton versions there are two winch options, including one HPL unit from the industry-leading High Performance Lifting range. These ultra-fast hoists have high rope availability for high-rise developments. The choice is a 100 LVF from the regular line of Potain frequency-controlled hoists, or a 150 HPL from the High Performance Lifting range. The 150 HPL has a drum capacity of 1,200 m on the 20 and 25 ton models. For the 32 ton version, the 150 HPL winch is offered. All are available with a safety brake option.

In combination, these features give the MCT 565 class-leading lifting performance, beating all competitors across the load chart in this capacity class, the manufacturer claimed. As with all Potain cranes from the company’s Asian range, Manitowoc is expecting strong interest in the new model, not only in Asia but also the Middle East and Latin America. Deliveries will begin in early 2019.