First Potain Dealer Named in Wisconsin

Enlarge Image Dawes Crane and Rigging to sell Potain self erectors in Wisconsin.

November 2, 2005 — Dawes Crane and Rigging has been named as the first Potain self-erecting crane dealer in Wisconsin. Dawes previously sold and leased Potain products before securing the dealership contract earlier this year.

 

A 2.2-ton Igo 50 self-erector was recently delivered to Dawes and has already attracted attention from users at its open house days at all four of Dawes' locations in Milwaukee, Chippewa Falls, Madison, and Kaukauna. This crane has a maximum jib radius of 131.2 feet, and can fold down to 48 feet in length, for ease of transportation — a feature many customers considered beneficial.

 

Mike Wood, sales director at Dawes, explained the reasons behind the company's new venture. “We wanted to become a Potain dealer because the products have yet to be widely introduced in the U.S., and we want to be pioneering in this respect,” he said. “Most of our customers are involved in building smaller construction projects; mini-malls, condos and apartment blocks. Feedback has indicated that self-erectors, such as the Igo 50, are ideal for such work, particularly in downtown areas.”

 

Dawes' current Potain inventory includes two self-erectors: a 2-ton Igo 21 and the Igo 50. Dawes also recently doubled its stock of model HDT 80 cranes due to its popularity, as proven by Waukesha-based contractor, Fred Kinateder Masonry. After a short-term rental, the company liked the 6.6-ton capacity crane so much it purchased the product from Dawes after using it for just one month. The company used the crane to erect a seven-story structure in Milwaukee that will house 30 condominiums. It chose a self-erecting crane after Kinateder saw one of the innovative machines working in Germany while traveling.

 

“The accessibility and reach the Potain HDT 80 provided our workforce with was outstanding,” Kinateder said. “It reached across the entire job site and saved on time, too. It didn't take as much effort to handle material because the crane picked and placed cubes of brick weighing up to 1.25 tons at a radius near 130 feet. Those cubes of brick would otherwise have had to be broken down and moved by hand.”

 

Specifications of the Potain HDT 80 include a 14.8' x 14.8' footprint and a 112-foot hook height. Its maximum reach is 148 feet. The crane also features remote control, allowing the operator to work at a distance if necessary.