Potain goes topless in Asia

Manitowoc has introduced its first topless crane from its Potain factory in Asia. The new 20 tonne capacity MCT 385 is produced in the Zhangjiagang, China, factory. Target customers are in Asia.

Designed jointly by Manitowoc engineers in Europe and Asia, the MCT 385 has a maximum load moment rating of nearly 400 tonne-metres.

The new tower design is 2 metres wide and can achieve a maximum freestanding height of 64.9 m. The compact mast was designed for work on urban projects where space is limited. A compact jib design, streamlined counter jib and flexible mast system also make the MCT 385 easy to transport and assemble, Manitowoc said. The MCT 385 also has frequency-controlled mechanisms for hoisting, trolleying and slewing.

Potain put the crane through an eight-month product testing process prior to its official launch. After testing, the first eight MCT 385s were put on job sites run by selected Potain partner companies. Of these, Manta Group, Manitowoc's dealer for Potain tower cranes in Singapore and Hong Kong, purchased seven. All the cranes remain on site, and will continue to be monitored by Manitowoc staff and customers to gauge performance. Deliveries are expected to start later in 2012.