- Manitowoc’s groundbreaking Hup self-erecting cranes presented to local customers in Southeast Asia.
- Back-to-back events see the Potain Hup 32-27 debut in Thailand and Malaysia.
- The events are a huge success, with a number of cranes sold to customers in both countries.
Manitowoc staged promotional events in Thailand and Malaysia to celebrate the region’s first arrivals of the Hup 32-27 from the Potain range of self-erecting cranes. This innovative new model attracted a lot of attention, thanks to Potain’s strong reputation in the region for its well-established top-slewing tower crane range. This strong reputation means building companies and equipment owners are keen to investigate the opportunities the advanced Hup cranes offer.
Building in Bangkok
In Thailand Manitowoc staged an event in partnership with SB Siam, the exclusive dealer for Potain cranes in the country. The event took place at the local offices of leading construction company Christiani & Nielsen, which purchased the first Hup 32-27 in Thailand. Around 40 guests made the trip to get a look at the revolutionary machine firsthand.
Having debuted in mid-2016, the agile Hup 32-27 has quickly become a hit with customers worldwide. It has a maximum capacity of 4 t, and a 1 t capacity at its jib end of 32 m. However, the machine’s biggest selling point is its versatility, offering users an array of options for adjusting the height and reach, making it suitable for a wide range of applications and projects. Several jib configurations are available, which offer horizontal reaches of 11.1 m, 23.3 m or the 32 m maximum. With the possibility to raise the jib at 10°, 20° or 30°, along with a telescopic mast, the Hup is one of the most versatile self-erecting cranes on the market. Maximum height under hook for the crane is an impressive 40 m.
Bangkok-based Christiani & Nielsen set the crane to work immediately after the launch event, sending it to a project in Khon Kaen, in the northeast of the country. It will be working at a factory for the next two years lifting steelwork, cement and formwork, with loads ranging from 1 t to 2 t. Som Puangmalai, senior manager, equipment and steelwork at Christiani & Nielsen, explained why the company chose the crane:
“We decided on the Hup 32-27 because it’s a better and more cost-efficient alternative to a mobile crane. We would need four mobile cranes to lift what we can with this one crane. With its reach and height, it can stay in one place to do all the jobs on the site. It’s also quick to erect and easy to control.”
Over the past 85 years, Christiani & Nielsen has constructed close to 2,000 projects, and the company has a fleet of 15 Potain tower cranes.
“Potain cranes provide the high level of quality that we need, and Manitowoc’s Crane Care is also excellent, as is the service we get from SB Siam,” Puangmalai added.
Moving into Malaysia
Meanwhile in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Potain dealer IFT helped stage an open house at the offices of its customer, Sunway, with the Potain Hup 32-27 again taking center stage. Jean-Pierre Zaffiro, Manitowoc’s global product director for self-erecting cranes, and Remi Deporte, Manitowoc’s global product director for tower crane mechanisms, were both in attendance. Together they provided live commentary during demonstrations of the crane. Approximately 200 guests, including many from the Malaysia Contractors Association, were in attendance.
The Hup 32-27 on display in Malaysia was purchased by long-standing Potain customer, Selangor-based HAB Construction. The company bought its first Potain cranes from IFT back in 1996, and it has a history of trendsetting in the Malaysian construction industry. The company was the first to purchase an MCR 225 A luffing jib crane in the country, back in 2008. Today HAB has three of these cranes and will shortly add a fourth, along with the first Hup 32-27.
Ong Tien Ling, executive director of HAB Construction, traveled to the Hup 32-27 launch at the bauma 2016 trade fair and said he knew he wanted it right away.
“The Hup’s height is perfect for the projects we work on, like shopping malls and car parks. We consider it to be like a mini tower crane. Its speed and ease of use are impressive, and the fact that it’s easy to transport is a huge bonus, too,” he said.
The Hup 32-27 will be working for the next 12 months on the new DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in I-City, Selangor. The development includes a three-story car park, an office tower, a hotel and two residential buildings. It will hoist formwork and rebar and help with concreting before one of the company’s MCR 225 A cranes is brought in to work on construction of the tower. Founded in 1981, HAB construction specializes in high-rise construction, mainly in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.
Bright future
As construction and infrastructure levels continue to rise in Southeast Asia, contractors are increasingly looking to new technologies that can offer better efficiency for their operations. With this in mind, Potain self-erecting cranes represent an innovative and productive option for modern small- to medium-sized job sites. Judging by the high levels of interest shown in Thailand and Malaysia, it seems that these distinctive cranes will soon become a regular fixture on projects across Southeast Asia.