How Manitowoc Lift Solutions is redefining Potain tower crane utilization

• Manitowoc Lift Solutions helps customers adapt Potain tower cranes to meet complex and non-standard project requirements.

• The service combines engineering expertise, field experience, and product support to extend crane capabilities and improve efficiency.

• Customized solutions include tailored components, modified configurations, and project-specific load charts to safely handle unique lifting challenges.

• An example at a French shipyard involved installing a special gantry with operator amenities and smooth travel capabilities, demonstrating practical application of Lift Solutions' approach.

• As projects become more complex, Potain tower cranes are pushed to perform beyond standard configurations.

• Manitowoc Lift Solutions combines engineering expertise, field experience, and product support to help customers adapt different crane models for specific applications.    

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Across applications including energy, large-scale infrastructure, and shipyards, projects are becoming more complex and demanding. Work environments are harsher, spaces more constrained, and deadlines increasingly tight. In these conditions, the role of the crane is also evolving.

Project managers are recognizing that standard tower cranes are sometimes not enough, as few jobs fit neatly within predefined parameters. That means success increasingly depends on how well cranes can be adapted to meet specific challenges. To maximize utilization, owners must unlock a crane’s full potential, enabling it to operate efficiently in unique locations and under demanding conditions.

Manitowoc Lift Solutions responds to the growing need for tower cranes to perform beyond standard parameters. Introduced more than a decade ago, the service reflects Manitowoc’s commitment to a customer-centric approach — supporting Potain owners from purchasing through the full lifecycle of their equipment. By combining engineering expertise, field experience, and product support, Lift Solutions helps customers adapt different Potain models for specific applications, improving efficiency, extending utilization, and enabling machines to perform reliably in complex or non-standard lifting scenarios.

“Customers are demanding more from every tower crane in their fleet,” said Bernard Ecabert, Lift Solutions manager for tower cranes at Manitowoc. “Working closely with them before a crane arrives on site is critical to the success of today’s complex jobsites — and that’s exactly the role of Manitowoc Lift Solutions. It allows constraints to be addressed early and ensures the machine is configured as the right solution for the job.”

Overcoming challenges

In practice, this can involve developing tailored components, defining lift procedures, modifying crane configurations, or creating project-specific load charts. The goal is not to replace standard equipment, but to extend its capabilities, allowing cranes to take on a wider range of tasks safely and efficiently.

For example, in France, Manitowoc Lift Solutions installed a Potain tower crane at a shipyard for vessel construction and maintenance. It included a special gantry with a staircase and elevator system for the operator. The gantry is controlled via the on-board CCS (Crane Control System) to enable smooth travel along rails, allowing the crane to move seamlessly between dry docks, even with a load on the hook. Lift Solutions also added a number of ergonomic features, including lights, a camera system, VHF radio communications, and a customized seat.

“At Manitowoc, we see the delivery of a crane as just the beginning of the relationship with our customers,” said Bernard Ecabert. “That perspective shapes how we support crane owners — with the expertise, technologies, and services they rely on to push performance further. Through Lift Solutions, we work alongside customers to solve complex lifting challenges and help them maximize the value of their equipment over its entire lifecycle.”