Range-Topping Potain Cranes Debut On Prestigious Saudi Arabia Resort Project

Tue September 26, 2023
Manitowoc

NFT Group has purchased two landmark Potain tower cranes and immediately shipped both to a high-profile tourist destination under construction in Saudi Arabia as part of the vast NEOM development.

One of the cranes is an MCT 1105, the largest topless tower crane from Potain, and the other is one of the previous largest models, an MCT 1005.

Long-time Potain partner NFT Group boasts one of the world's most extensive tower crane fleets, including several of the giant MD 1100 — a forerunner to the MCT 1105. It was many years of positive experience with the MD 1100 that prompted the company's interest in the MCT 1105 and MCT 1005.

The NFT Group was an integral part of the "Voice of the Customer" process involving Manitowoc's new cranes, with the end results being extremely impressive, said Nawar Al Zahlawi, business development manager at NFT Group.

"We had a lot of success with the MD 1100 which has such strong lifting capacities across the entire working radius. When we first had discussions with Manitowoc about potential evolutions for the model, we were glad to support the projects. I'm pleased to say the MCT 1105 and MCT 1005 have surpassed our expectations. The load charts are even better than expected and the topless design means they can work seamlessly alongside other cranes. They also have monobloc mast sections which make them quicker to erect."

The cranes are scheduled to work onsite for nine months on Sindalah, a luxury Red Sea Island resort, and part of Saudi Arabia's NEOM project. Using large capacity tower cranes was the only option for the job site, owing to limited space and the fact there are no accessible routes for mobile or crawler cranes on the 100,463 sq. yd. island.

The timeframe is tight for construction too, so a precast design is being used to speed up the build time. This means the cranes have to place concrete modules of up to 22 to 33 tons. Given these constraints, the two Potain heavyweight cranes proved perfect for the job.

Both have been configured with 164 ft. jibs for the project, although they can accommodate up to 262 ft. The MCT 1005 is working with a 141 ft. height under hook, while the MCT 1105 has a 207 ft. height under hook.

Maximum possible freestanding height for both is 228 ft. Both cranes also can lift a maximum of 55 tons, however, the MCT 1005 will lift 8.8 tons at its 262 ft. jib radius, while the MCT 1105 can lift an impressive 12 tons at the same radius.

When working with a 164 ft. jib, as on the Sindalah project, the MCT 1005 will lift 24 tons at the jib end, and the MCT 1105 will lift 25 tons.

"Not only are the MCT 1105 and MCT 1005 very powerful cranes that meet most lifting demands, they were also a joy for our erectors to install. Witnessing their enthusiasm for the job and Potain's new design developments brings us great satisfaction," Al Zahlawi concluded.

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