Staff from Manitowoc, Zechbau and Schreiber on the new Vodafone Global project. Left to right are: Peter Feldhaus, Zechbau; Ulf Hoppe, Zechbau; Burkhard Schmidt, Zechbau; Gerd Haladuda, Manitowoc; Heinz-Rüdiger Broehl, Schreiber; Bernd Burzlaff, Schreiber.
Manitowoc dealer Schreiber Baumaschinen, which represents Potain cranes in northern Germany, sold 15 cranes in a single order — the largest tower crane delivery in its 70-year history.
The customer, construction contractor Zechbau GmbH, studied the market closely before selecting Potain cranes. Engineering excellence, strong Manitowoc Crane Care support and a tailored purchase program put together by Manitowoc Finance convinced Zechbau to buy Potain. This choice was reinforced by the long-term relationship already in place with Schreiber.
Peter Feldhaus, construction manager at Zechbau, highlighted some of the cranes’ specific features that make Potain stand out from its competitors.
“The arrangement of the mast connection pins and fixed markings on the boom and mast ensure a fast erection time,” he says. “Also, the cranes’ compact transport configuration, where the cab swings inwards, means smaller loading dimensions for easier transport. All drives are frequency controlled and allow operations to continue even at low currents. And, because of the counterweight’s two-part design, the ballast carrier is easy to unfold without additional pinning.”
The 15 top-slewing Potain cranes purchased by Zechbau include seven MDT 218 A cranes, three MDT 308s, two MDT 128s and an MDT 178, all from the topless crane line. There were an additional two MD 365s from the standard top slewing line. Capacities for the cranes range from 6 t to 16 t, while maximum jib lengths range from 55 m to 75 m.
The new cranes have already been allocated to projects by Zechbau, including two major construction sites in Düsseldorf. Four of the MDT 218 A cranes, which have a maximum capacity of 10 t, are performing general lift duties on the new Vodafone Global headquarters project. The cranes are working with jibs of between 40 m and 55 m, and final working heights for the cranes will range from 46 m up to 97 m.
The 110,000 m2 Vodafone complex will include a 19-story tower, offices, restaurants and an underground car park. The project began in September 2010 and has a very tight schedule that is expected to complete in December 2012.
The other project in Düsseldorf is a 76,000 m2 retail and office development, the Kö-Bogen. Due for completion in September 2013, this project is using one MDT 308 and two MD 365 cranes. The cranes are working with jibs of between 55 m and 70 m, while final working heights will range between 44 m and 58 m. The project includes two 26 m tall buildings that will house retail, office and restaurant facilities with a four-story underground car park.
Schreiber Baumaschinen has been a successful Potain dealer for the northern areas of Lower Saxony and Bremen for many years. In addition to Potain tower cranes, the company supplies other industry-leading brands of construction equipment. Its Manitowoc Crane Care support services for Potain tower cranes includes all aspects of site planning and logistics, including operation, transport, erection, disassembly, service and repair.
Schreiber is staffed by highly-experienced technicians and crane experts offering a tailored service to customers. Over the years, customers have increasingly turned to the company for its industry knowledge and expertise.
Manitowoc’s nationwide Crane Care service network now has close to 50 dealers in Germany, and its Manitowoc Finance division continues to grow, offering a variety of funding options that help customers such as Zechbau choose the right financing program.
Peter Feldhaus said the highly responsive and effective on-site service from Schreiber and Manitowoc Cranes gave his company reassurance and confidence.
“Reliability is very important,” he says. “Having a service team to call on at a moment’s notice is very reassuring and gives us confidence in the future use of these cranes.”
Founded in 1909, Zechbau operates 15 facilities across Germany to bring it as close as possible to its broad client base. The company is part of Zach Bau Holding, which has around 700 employees. It operates in many areas of the construction industry, including refurbishment and upgrading.