One of the Potain MCi 85 A cranes owned by Shree Balaji Construction at work on the Luxe Tower development in Mumbai.
Diptesh Shah, director of Shree Balaji Construction.
Pravin Chopda, director of Shree Balaji Construction.
Fast-growing construction company, Shree Balaji Construction, has purchased its third Potain tower crane in as many years. The cranes, all MCi 85 A models, are being used on residential and commercial high-rise construction projects of up to 50 stories across Mumbai, India.
Founded in 2012, the company chose the MCi 85 A because of its easy assembly and its internal climbing ability, making it especially suitable for job sites that have limited space. The MCi 85 A can fit in most standard lift shafts and can be erected within their often confined limits. The crane then climbs as the building is being built.
“The MCi 85 A is the perfect solution for crowded urban construction sites,” explains Diptesh Shah, partner at Shree Balaji Construction. “We have been pleased with its performance and reliability, and that’s why we made this latest purchase to add a third crane to our fleet.”
Shree Balaji Construction has seen exponential growth over the last three years and its current backlog stands at an impressive $110 million (Cr. 700). The first MCi 85 A purchased by the company was added shortly after it was founded in 2012. Today, it is working on its second project – Parinee The Xclusiv – a block of luxury residential apartments in the elite Upper Worli district of Mumbai. The 50-story tower is sited within a three-acre tract and offers just four large apartments per floor.
The second MCi 85 A, which the company purchased in August last year, is being used at the Park Royale eco-friendly homes complex in the Andheri region of Mumbai. Spanning a seven acre site, six blocks of two- and three-bedroom luxury apartments are being built in the 18- floor structures.
And the newest MCi 85 A to join Shree Balaji Construction’s fleet is installed at Luxe Tower, Chembur, in the western suburbs of Mumbai. The 20-story complex consists of five blocks and is being constructed by A&O Realty.
“As a company, we have standardized on Potain cranes and I am pleased to say that we have received excellent service from our local dealer in Mumbai,” adds Shah. “We haven’t experienced any problems to date, but I am certain that if we have an issue, the Potain team will solve it.”
Progress is continuing at Shree Balaji Construction and the company has recently announced an order for a fourth MCi 85 A. The latest unit will be delivered to a project in Kanjurmarg, close to Mumbai.
The MCi 85 A has a 5 t maximum capacity and lifts 1.3 t at its maximum jib end of 50 m. The jib length can be altered from between 25 m up to 50 m to suit the job site, making it a versatile crane. The crane has a free-standing height of 34.5 m can it can climb to much higher heights when required. The crane is manufactured at Manitowoc’s factory in Pune, speeding up delivery times to customers in India. The MCi 85 A is currently Potain’s best-selling crane in this market.