The Potain Igo T 130 arrives at the job site in the south of Aarhus, Denmark.
The Igo T 130, which belongs to Danish company Ajos, folds out its 50 m jib.
The crane begins lifting operations on the project that will include helping with a complex column installation to support an expansive sloping roof.
Ajos, Manitowoc’s tower crane dealer for Denmark, received the first Potain Igo T 130 tower crane from Manitowoc. The crane is working on a major new museum construction project.
Torben Bloch Nielsen, head of sales at Ajos, said the new self-erecting crane offers a perfect mix of strength and agility.
“We are delighted to add the T 130 to our fleet,” he said. “Self-erecting cranes are popular in Denmark and are often preferred over smaller top-slewing cranes. They offer effortless operation, versatility and simple set up. Our operators say the Igo T 130 has lightning fast reactions and efficient and precise controls. We expect good demand for this crane, especially on large infrastructure jobs.”
Senior staff from both Ajos and Manitowoc traveled to Charlieu, France (where Manitowoc manufactures the Igo T 130) for a special handover ceremony earlier this year. In March, the crane traveled to Denmark for the museum job, an 18-month contract where it will play a central role in the construction of several buildings, including the living quarters. The building work forms part of a new exhibition center at the Moesgaard Museum, situated in the south of Aarhus.
Nielsen said the Igo T 130 is well-suited to the museum job.
“We selected the Igo T 130 for this job as it has the capacity and speed to meet the lifting requirements on the job,” he said. “The building design includes an expansive sloping roof that requires a number of heavy lifts. There is also a large, complex column system to support the roof. The Igo T 130’s large lift capacity and long jib will allow it to handle all lifts on this project, which is spread over a wide area.”
Potain’s 33 LVF 20 Optima winch allows the crane to lift at speeds of up to 65 m/min. The slewing and erecting mechanisms are also frequency controlled, ensuring smooth movement. In addition, operators can adjust the crane’s controls to suit their own preferences. For example, on jobs requiring extreme precision placement, they can adjust the controls for greater accuracy. The integrated remote control provides further on site flexibility.
The Igo T 130 is fast to set up, as the crane can be ready to work in less than four hours. It is also easy to transport, and travels as a single trailer with an overall length of just 17.15 m. Roading regulations vary, but in Denmark, Ajos can transport the crane at up to 80 km/h.
The Igo T 130 is the largest in Potain’s Igo T range, a line of telescoping self-erecting cranes that have lattice mast sections and are able to vary their working height to suit different project requirements. Ajos purchased its first Igo T crane, a 6 t capacity Igo T 85, in 2010. The company was so impressed with its reduced space requirements and simple erection process (which requires only one person) that it had no hesitation in ordering the larger Igo T 130.
Ajos has approximately 130 employees and a fleet of 60 Potain cranes. The company is one of the leading crane rental companies in Denmark and an approved supplier to Danish construction giant MTHojgaard.
This first Igo T 130 is closely monitored on the museum project by both Manitowoc and Ajos as part of the Pre-Production Partner program. As part of this program, cranes are placed in actual working conditions and their performance is thoroughly assessed. Manitowoc implements any necessary design modifications prior to serial production of the crane.
The museum building is designed by Henning Larsen Architects and COWI is handling all engineering consultancy. The $275 million project will open to the public in 2014.