New tower crane from Potain to aid Indian construction boom

A new tower crane Potain MCi 48 C which is recently introduced in the market from the Manitowoc factory in Pune, India, aimed squarely at mid-level construction jobs and will help speed India's ambitious development program.

While the use of tower cranes on highrise buildings is common across India, smaller buildings have generally relied on other options for material handling. But that mindset is changing as awareness among contractors is growing of the improved productivity tower cranes offer.

Raymond Tang, regional product manager for tower cranes, said anticipated work levels in India should make the new Potain popular. He informed, "There is still a busy program of development scheduled for India, particularly in its second- and third-tier cities. Our new Potain MCi 48 C is designed for multi-story buildings of between 8 and 15 stories or developments spread over wide areas. Many of these jobs still rely on manpower for material handling, but the MCi 48 C offers a solution that will dramatically accelerate construction time and improve overall efficiency on site."

Currently, there is no Potain crane serving the target market for the MCi 48 C, so Manitowoc expects it to be a huge success as contractors continue to work to tight deadlines. It is ideal for placing steel bars, light formwork and pouring concrete. In addition to its suitability on buildings of between 8 and 15 stories, the crane also suited to buildings of over 30 stories, where it can climb internally or externally.

Maximum capacity for the MCi 48 C is 2.5 t, while it will lift 1 t out to its maximum jib end of 36 m. Freestanding working height for the crane can be up to 34.7 m, but it can climb much higher with its telescoping cage. The mast is 1.2 m by 1.2 m. Hoisting power comes from a 15 PC 13-5 which can raise 2.5 t at up to 21 m/min or 1.3 t at up to 42 m/min.

Ashwani Mattoo, Manitowoc's national sales manager for tower cranes in India, said the MCi 48 C is a perfect solution for customer needs. "We have introduced the MCi 48 C because it's a great example of a product that addresses the challenges customers face. Customers prefer to buy locally built cranes but they also want the reassurance of a trusted brand. In the case of the MCi 48 C, we're offering a crane which speeds up work and the response so far has been extremely positive," he said.

The Potain MCi 48 C is the fifth crane model available from the Manitowoc factory in Pune. The facility also builds the MCi 85 A, the MC 120, MC 175 Band MC 205.