Manitowoc Adds Self-erecting Tower Crane Dealers
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July 7, 2004 - Manitowoc Crane Group (MCG), Manitowoc, Wis., announced in June the latest crane dealers to take on the company's line of self-erecting tower cranes. Nebraska Machinery and Southeastern Crane join eight others serving the United States and Canada . MCG is actively marketing two models of self-erecting tower cranes to North America -the HDT80 and the Igo MA13.
Simple and rapid to deploy, these cranes are especially suited to sites were space is at a premium. The electric-powered tower cranes require only one operator.
"Many contractors begin to use self-erecting tower cranes to battle space constraints but come back to them on a second and third time because of the labor and time savings they offer," says Joe Maslizek, western regional business manager for Potain GMA cranes. "Self-erecting tower cranes are material handling tools as opposed to being big lifters, and as such, they compete most directly with telehandlers and boom trucks," he explains.
"Contractors who try self-erecting tower cranes once tend to stick with the concept," says Thomas Kowalski, president of. SI Equipment Services, a MCG tower crane dealer in northern California .
The HDT-80 is a variable height self-erector featuring a hydraulic telescopic vertical mast. It works at three different mast heights-65, 95, and 125 feet. It offers an under-hook height of 112 feet with the jib positioned horizontally or 176 feet at the jib tip with the jib at the 30° offset position. Maximum capacity is 3,000 pounds at a 148-foot radius.
The unit sets up on 14'9" outriggers and requires only a 22-square-foot area to operate with full counterweight through 360°. A mast-mounted derrick arm permits pre-set self-counterweighting of the machine. An enclosed cab can be positioned at any point on the vertical mast.
Variable frequency drives power the winch, slewing, and trolley operations. A five-speed winch can be reeved in two or four parts. Hook speeds with two-part reeving range from 13 ft/min up to 223 ft/min, and with four-part reeving, range from 7 ft/min to 112 ft/min.
The fixed height Igo MA-13 was just introduced in March at Bauma in Munich , Germany . It offers a maximum capacity of nearly 4,000 pounds up to a 26-foot radius on a 72-foot horizontal jib. Tip capacity on the two-piece jib is 880 pounds when at a 72-foot radius with under-hook height at 52'6". The jib, which offsets 20°, can also be folded back to avoid obstacles while retaining lifting capability.
The unit is mounted on a tandem set of on-highway axles featuring suspension, anti-skid brakes and a two-position draw bar. A hydraulic pivoting system enables the integral counterweight to be set in one of two positions-the working position or folded to achieve better axle weight distribution during travel. Travel dimensions are compact-8'2" wide, 10'9" high, and 34'3" long. The unit fully sets up in a 19'6" square area.
Other models of tower cranes available to North America include the traditional-style 285-foot fixed-height MD485-M20 with a maximum capacity of more than 44,000 pounds and the topless-style MDT178. These units are not self-erecting.
For more information, go to www.manitowoccranes.com.
