Potain Igo T 130 saves space on apartment complex project

The construction of a 180-unit apartment complex in Quincy, Massachusetts, left little room for a crane on the job site, much less two cranes. But the six-story structure required the lifting of several wall panels and other construction materials, and needed the capabilities of two cranes. The solution: two Igo T 130 self-erecting cranes that could fit into the site’s tight quarters with enough reach and capacity to complete the job.

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Providence, Rhode Island-based North American Crane & Rigging handled the $34 million project’s lifting work. The company turned to Shawmut Equipment, which is based in Manchester, Connecticut, for a lifting solution that would include cranes with compact footprints, but still had the needed reach and capacity.

“Since the construction company had very little space to work with, North American Crane & Rigging had a request for cranes that could be installed and perform well in very tight working quarters,” said Kevin O’Connell, vice president and sales representative at Shawmut. “The two Igo T 130s offered extremely compact footprints, the ability to manage the lifts via remote control, and more than enough reach and capacity for the job.”

North American Crane & Rigging erected one of the Potain cranes adjacent to the job site, while the second was placed on an elevated concrete deck. A 275 USt capacity Grove GMK5275 all-terrain crane, also owned by the company, helped unload and setup the Igo T 130s at the site.

In their transport configuration, the Igo T 130s travelled as a single trailer with an overall length of 56 ft. The convoy has a ground clearance of just 1 ft for better access to working job sites.

“The cranes are even versatile when it comes to their own transportation,” O’Connell added. “They require less manpower and fewer trucks when compared with other cranes in their class. They’re definitely time and money savers.”

At the job site, the cranes lifted panelized wood-framed walls and other materials weighing up to 2.2 USt at heights up to 66 ft to complete the apartment complex’s construction. With an 8.8 USt capacity, the cranes had more than enough capability to handle the lifts.

The wireless remote controls enabled the company to quickly complete lifts, with an ideal line of sight for load placement. The efficiency displayed by both Igo T 130s exemplified why self-erecting cranes have become extremely popular in North America for low-rise residential, hotel and other commercial construction.

Quality and agility on the job site

To David White, business development manager at North American Crane & Rigging, every square foot saved matters in a high-value real estate area such as Greater Boston during construction.

“Saving space and causing as little disruption as we can to a heavily urbanized area such as metro Boston meant significant cost savings for the general contractor, our customer, and the City of Boston,” he said. “We were able to quickly assemble and disassemble the cranes on the job site with very little impact to local businesses and the community. The general contractor expressed that it was very pleased with the cranes’ performance and that it will use the cranes again in future developments in the region.”

The Igo T 130 cranes arrived to the site in March. One of the cranes has completed its work and the other will remain on site for about two more months. The completed six-story structure will a 180-space parking garage, fitness center, theater and pool, among other features.

Shawmut Equipment, one of Manitowoc’s leading distributors in the Northeast, has served New England and the Atlantic provinces of Canada since 1957. The company, a third generation family-owned business, has consistently ranked high in independent surveys ranking customer service and satisfaction.

North American Crane & Rigging, a crane rental and specialized transportation company, has a fleet of the newest, most state-of-the-art cranes, heavy haul trucks and trailers. The company, established in early 2015, serves the continental U.S. and Canada. Although newly formed, its management team has more than 40 decades of experience in the crane and heavy hauling industries.