Gulf Construction Online - Manitowoc models woo the Gulf

Cranes & Hoists

Celebrating the delivery of a Grove GMK6300L (below) to Al Mesallam ... first customer.

Manitowoc models woo the Gulf

Manitowoc introduced yet more innovations at this year’s Intermat expo in Abu Dhabi with the GMK6300L and MDT 268 models, sending a strong message of its leadership in the crane sector.

01 August 2011

TWO of the latest innovations from Manitowoc Cranes stood side by side at the company’s booth at the inaugural Intermat Middle East held recently at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, UAE.

Taking centre stage at the company’s 300-sq-m outdoor booth were the Grove GMK6300L all-terrain crane that combines 300 tonnes of lifting power with a long-reaching 80-m boom, and the Potain MDT 268, one of the most recent additions to the company’s range of high-capacity topless tower cranes, with a capacity of either 10 or 12 tonnes.

Manitowoc was an official ‘launch partner’ at Intermat Middle East, which was held earlier this year.

David Semple, vice-president of sales for Manitowoc in the Middle East and Africa, says both cranes demonstrate the company’s industry-leading engineering and its ability to adapt to changing market needs. “As projects in the Middle East continue to push boundaries, contractors are looking to companies like Manitowoc for innovative solutions that help them solve problems on time and on budget.”

“Both the GMK6300L and MDT 268 have features that set them apart and help customers in the Middle East with the challenges they are facing. Although they are relatively new, we have already made deliveries of both in this region and they have helped major companies on some high-profile projects,” he says.

Grove GMK6300L
The six-axle 300-tonne capacity GMK6300L is one of the newest cranes from Manitowoc’s Grove brand and is designed to offer unprecedented ease of operation in a wide range of applications, says Semple, adding that the crane is already a success in the Middle East.

“The crane is already delivering commercial solutions to Middle East customers, with several units sold and even more in final discussions,” he says. “This crane fits perfectly into the portfolio of most Middle East crane rental companies. Its lifting height is comparable to much larger cranes in the 400- to 500-tonne segment, which are far more difficult to transport.”

A Potain MDT 268 was recently delivered to NFT. ABOVE: Officials at the handover ceremony.

With its 80-m boom, the GMK6300L can reach places where other cranes might need a jib. Not having to rig a jib saves time and money, allowing operators to provide better service, Semple points out. It also makes the crane ideally suited to common applications in the Middle East, such as the fast erection or dismantling of high-capacity tower cranes, or for maintenance operations on oil and gas facilities.

Among the visitors to Intermat Middle East were officials from Al Mesallam, one of Saudi Arabia’s best-known crane rental companies. The company purchased the first two GMK6300L cranes in the Middle East, through Manitowoc dealer Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo. It has been using them for a range of tower crane erection and precast concrete jobs.
Al Tamini, another crane rental company in Saudi Arabia, has also purchased a GMK6300L as has Sinan Heavy Lifting, based in Oman.

The MDT 268 was employed at Princess Nora University, Riyadh.

With an Allison transmission, the GMK6300L has a powerful, reliable and cost-effective drive-train that offers unmatched performance, according to Semple. Its electronic controls allow it to adapt to its surroundings and it has self-diagnostics for easier maintenance. When combined with Grove’s Megatrak independent suspension system, the Allison transmission provides optimum travel both on and off the road.

Additional design features include a new cab for the carrier. With a similar appearance to Grove’s four- and five-axle all-terrain cranes, it has been adapted to comfortably accommodate up to three crew members. Instrument positioning, visibility, aerodynamics and noise reduction are also improved.

“Excellent reach is available with the seven-section twin-lock boom that includes the patented Megaform design for optimised rigidity and capacity. For further reach, a 37-m jib is available. The maximum available length is 117 m and the crane can still lift an impressive two tonnes at this height,” he says. “A second heavy-duty jib, with a capacity of 38 tonnes, is also offered for superior lift capacity at tall heights. The crane has five outrigger positions, more than any other crane in this capacity class, giving it optimal flexibility, even in the narrowest of sites.”

Potain MDT 268
The MDT 268, one of the latest introductions in the Potain topless MDT crane line, offers fast erecting and dismantling times without compromising capacity. NFT, an Abu Dhabi-based Potain dealer and one of the largest tower crane owners in the world, has many Potain MDT 268 cranes, which have been used on some of Saudi Arabia’s most prestigious recent construction projects.

This crane, along with Potain’s larger model, the MDT 368, were lifting leaders during the construction of the Princess Nora bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh, the world’s largest women-only university. Some 150 cranes were used on this $11.5-billion project, the majority from Potain.

The MDT 268 has a topless design, with no cathead and tie-bars, which means contractors can place them in close proximity on job sites, without needing to erect them too high. “This saves both time and money and provides an optimised working environment. The versatility and speed of erecting and dismantling the MDT 268 allowed main contractor Saudi Oger to not only meet but exceed the extremely tight build schedules on the university project,” he says.

Semple continues: “One interesting feature on the MDT 268 is its folding jib – an industry first for topless cranes. The patented folding jib helps with one of the biggest problems in the construction of cooling towers – dismantling the crane once construction is complete. Because the jib’s radius is greater than that of the cooling tower, contractors are often faced with a problem when ‘climbing down’ the crane. The folding jib offers an innovative solution to this problem.
“Another standout feature is the counterjib that can be folded for transport. Because of the crane’s excellent outreach and strong lifting ability, it requires a 17.9-m counterjib, which is too long for transport on a standard truck. To overcome this, Manitowoc’s engineers incorporated a hinge, allowing the section to fold for transport.

“Customers will also benefit from the configuration options available, as the crane’s jib sections are interchangeable with those on other Potain MDT cranes, the MDT 308 and MDT 368. A choice of mast sections is available too, from Potain’s hugely popular and well-proven K800 series with a 2-by-2-m square section and lengths of 3.33 m, 5 m, and 10 m.”

There are two versions of the crane, the MDT 268 J10, with a 10-tonne maximum capacity, and the MDT 268 J12, with a 12-tonne maximum capacity. The maximum jib length on both the 10- and 12-tonne versions is 65 m and the maximum working height is 74.9 m. For the 10-tonne version, there is a choice of either the 50 LVF 25 Optima or the 75 LVF Optima hoist winches, while for the 12-tonne version there is a choice of either the 50 LVF 30 Optima, 75 LVF Optima or the 100 LVF 30 Optima. Both versions of the MDT 268 are equipped with a new trolley – the 6 DVF 4, which can reach speeds of up to 120 m per min along the jib.

Mideast market
Commenting on the company’s performance in the region, Philippe Cohet, executive vice-president for EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), says Manitowoc continues to strengthen its position in the Middle East.

“For over 10 years, the Middle East has demonstrated huge potential for cranes and the future looks set to continue. We believe it is more important than ever to reinforce our position here. We already operate a subsidiary in Dubai and work with a network of dealers to deliver our services anywhere in the Middle East. Our capabilities, products and comprehensive Manitowoc Crane Care support services put us in a strong position to deliver excellence throughout this promising market.”

In 2006, Manitowoc established its Dubai subsidiary to handle sales, customer service and crane refurbishment.

In addition, the company also has a network of 19 regional dealers, many of whom have represented Manitowoc for years. Two of these dealers – Kanoo Machinery, which represents Grove, and NFT, which represents Potain, were exhibiting cranes with Manitowoc on its booth at the show.

Both Kanoo and NFT have in recent years worked with Manitowoc in supplying hundreds of cranes for major projects in the Middle East. These include two of the largest developments in Saudi Arabia, the Princess Nora bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh, and the King Abdullah Financial District, which will become the new business centre for the capital city (see above).

Manitowoc Crane Care operations provide customers with on-site after-sales services, spare parts distribution, training and technical documents, and refurbishment services. Refurbishment is handled at the company’s Dubai facility, which is home to an 800-sq-m warehouse and workshop that provides full EnCore crane refurbishment services.

Through its dealer partnerships, Manitowoc claims to have the broadest sales network for lifting equipment in the Middle East. This dealer network also helps deliver Manitowoc Crane Care’s wide range of services.