Frana Companies Reduces Labor & Accelerates Construction With Potain Igo T 85 A Self-Erecting Tower Crane

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The Igo T 85 A is ideal for small construction sites and tight areas. (Photo courtesy of Manitowoc.)

When building a multi-unit apartment complex project this summer, Frana Companies deployed a Potain Igo T 85 A self-erecting crane to lift large pieces of prefabricated flooring and entire wall sections and place them exactly where they were needed within the building structure. Frana Companies says the crane significantly increased the speed of construction compared to projects done with mobile cranes or other equipment.

Remote Control Operation

The Potain Igo T 85 A’s remote control capability improved communication on the jobsite. “The crane makes our job a lot simpler because I don’t have to sit right next to the unit all day long and can interact with other crew members more easily,” says Paul Neeley, crane operator at Frana Companies. “And because of its easy setup, I can go rig it up and land it whenever, and I don’t have to have somebody else to do that for me.”

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The variable-height telescoping lattice mast adjusts from 66 to 75 feet and allows for the insertion of three mast inserts to extend horizontal jib hook height. (Photo courtesy of Manitowoc.)

Added visibility is another benefit of the remote option, as operators have fewer blind spots. “When you’re working with a conventional city crane, once you’re up there, you can’t be running up and down all day,” says Kelly Anderson, equipment manager at Frana Companies. “With a self-erecting crane, operators can see what’s actually going on at the jobsite the whole time.”

Lift Efficiency

Frana Companies used the 1.5-ton (1.36-metric-ton) capacity and 164-foot (50-meter) radius crane to lift floor joists directly into place and support them while they were being installed. Doing so reduced the amount of labor typically needed for the operation because Frana Companies could prefabricate both the flooring and wall sections offsite in advance of the job, and then bring those pieces to the construction site. Previous methods would have forced the company to assemble the pieces onsite, which is more costly, time-consuming, and prone to weather conditions. The crew used the Potain Igo T 85 A to move other materials to their final locations throughout the building.

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Source: Manitowoc