Potain live on broadway

UK-based tower crane rental company Bennetts Cranes deployed a Potain MR 309 luffing jib tower crane to assist a redevelopment project, 40 The Broadway, in London, UK.

The central London location required a crane specifically suited for tight urban environments. (Photo: Manitowoc)

The tower crane was launched to the market by Potain earlier this year. The MR 309, and the MR 329, are the latest Potain luffing jib tower cranes, initiated by the MR 229 launch at bauma 2022. These cranes are designed to tackle the challenges of high-rise buildings and congested job sites.

Central location

The central London location required a crane specifically suited for tight urban environments. A luffing jib tower crane was essential due to its ability to operate in confined spaces. The MR 309, with its 55 metre jib, can be parked at a 9.5 metre radius, making it the ideal choice, Bennetts said.

The MR 309 was erected with a 55.2 metre jib and a 12.5 metre tower. (Photo: Manitowoc)

The MR 309 met several other key requirements for the project, including having no component weighing more than 10 tonnes, which enabled it to be erected by another luffing jib tower crane on site.

It also had the necessary lifting capacity of over 12 tonnes to dismantle the other luffing jib tower crane used for its assembly.

The crane’s low moment force was useful as it was bolted to a steel grillage on top of a core structure.

The crane features the Potain Crane Control System (CCS) and Potain Connect telematics solution.

Working together

Potain has a longstanding relationship with Bennetts Cranes, dating back to the 1990s, and over the years has supplied numerous tower cranes for the company’s fleet. For this project, Potain collaborated closely with Bennetts Cranes to select the right model for the job and in mid-April, the MR 309 was erected with a 55.2 metre jib and a 12.5 metre tower.

“We worked hard to find the right solution for the site that met its requirements and was available for an April start date and duration of the job,” said Edward Seager, managing director at Bennetts Cranes. “The new Potain MR 309 with its 25 tonne maximum load capacity was the only solution that satisfied all the site requirements.

“Other conventional rope luffing jib tower cranes could give us the lift capacity we needed but could not achieve the out-of-service radius required. Hydraulic luffing jib tower cranes could meet the out-of-service requirement needed but not the lift capacity. The Potain MR 309 was the best solution.”

The crane is expected to remain on site for approximately 12 months.