Syntec Construction takes Thailand’s first Potain MCR 160

Syntec Construction Public Company Ltd., has taken delivery of Thailand’s first Potain MCR 160 luffing jib crane, a new model that was officially launched in July. A major challenge for Syntec Construction has been finding a crane that can be easily placed inside buildings during construction and that also has a small footprint. The Potain MCR 160 has been designed to offer excellent capabilities in both internal and external climbing configurations, so it proved a perfect solution. To offer owners greater flexibility, the crane can be configured on either 2 m mast sections or narrower 1.6 m sections, depending on job site needs.

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The company has installed the crane on its first job, the 130 m tall Rhythm Sukhumvit 36-28 residential development in Bangkok being built for AP (Thailand). Syntec Construction is the main contractor on the job. The crane was installed at an initial 36.7 m height and with a 45 m jib but it will be climbed to 140 m by the project’s end in July 2016. To date, the MCR 160 has been performing well, lifting a range of construction materials, including steel rebar, in loads weighing up to 10 t.

“The lift shafts in the buildings are small and difficult to access, so we needed a reliable crane that could perform at a reliable rate,” says Nayot Pisantanakul, assistant managing director for Syntec Construction. “After investing in the Potain MCR 160, we’re working faster and more efficiently than ever before, and this will ensure we get the job completed at a much lower cost.”

Placing tower cranes inside tall buildings is becoming an increasingly popular construction method, especially in Asia. When the tower crane is positioned centrally inside the building (usually inside the elevator shaft) it can access the entire area of the project more easily. A further advantage is that this configuration means the crane does not need to take up space outside the building, which is particularly useful on congested downtown job sites. Cranes erected outside the building also have to reach further, meaning a much larger model with a longer jib is required. This increases costs and set-up times for the contractor.

“We chose Potain because the brand is well-known here in Asia and has an excellent reputation,” continued Pisantanakul. “Our expectations have been fulfilled and we’ve not had any stoppages on the project since putting the MCR 160 into service.”

The MCR 160 can lift a maximum of 10 t and can be rigged with up to 50 m of jib. It offers a 2.4 t jib-end capacity and can be equipped with Potain’s Vision cab, which offers excellent all-round visibility and an ergonomic design.

Adding to the crane’s flexibility is a choice of three winches. There is the standard 60 LVF 25 winch, which is the unit that Syntec Construction specified with its purchase. This unit is a 45 kW rated hoist that can lift a 2.5 t load at speeds of up to 88 m/min. The other two optional winches available on the crane are the 75 LVF 25 Optima, a 55 kW rated hoist that can lift the same 2.5 t load at speeds of up to 95 m/min; or the 100 LVF 25 Optima, which has a larger rope capacity, with 1,270 m available versus the 500 m available on the 60 LVF 25 or the 895 m available on the 75 LVF 25. This winch can lift a 2.5 t load at speeds of up to 128 m/min.

S B Siam Co Ltd, Manitowoc’s Thailand-based Potain dealer, sold the crane to Syntec Construction and was involved in the commissioning and erection of the crane. Syntec Construction will also add a second MCR 160 to its equipment fleet, with the new model due for delivery in December. It will join several Potain MCR 225 cranes which the company purchased previously.

The Rhythm Sukhumvit 36-28 residential project is due for completion by early 2017.