Radius Group deploys world’s first Potain MR 229 luffing jib tower crane

UK crane rental company Radius Group, which has been a Potain partner since 2008, has erected the world’s first Potain MR 229 luffing jib crane. The crane is being used on a project for housing association L&Q Group which comprises the construction of 476 new homes.

Radius Group had already selected four MR 225 A  tower cranes for the project based on the maximum capacity requirement of 2.15 t at full reach but increasing efficiency pressures led the company to swap one of the MR 225 A cranes for an MR 229 as soon as it became available.

The MR 229 is the first Potain luffing jib crane to feature Manitowoc’s Crane Control System (CCS), helping to get work done faster and more accurately. With CCS, it takes just 15 minutes to configure the crane, calibrate sensors for crane movement, and set the jib length, claims Manitowoc.

The MR 229 is also the first to include the new Potain Connect telematics system, which streamlines daily tasks, facilitates efficient fleet management, and optimises service and maintenance.

Teddy Holt, operations director at Radius Group, said: “Innovation has always been critical to Radius Group, and this is an exciting milestone for us. Being the first lifting provider in the world to erect an MR 229 on a live construction site is another great example of having a strong focus on continuous improvement, making Radius a lifting industry leader.”

The Potain MR 229 has a maximum capacity of 14 t, jib lengths ranging from 30 to 55 m and a 2.7 tonne tip load at full reach. Manitowoc says this makes it well suited for work on confined high-rise jobsites. This is helped further by the crane’s short out of service radius, which is just 10 m or 12 m depending on the jib length.

The crane also provides the option of two brand-new high-performance hoist winches: the 75HPL35 and the 110HPL35. For the Greenwich Peninsula project, it has been configured with a 50 m jib and 37.5 m height under hook and uses a 75HLP35 winch. The three MR 225 A cranes have been configured on fixing angles and with 40 m jibs.

Radius Group will be responsible for managing the cranes throughout the entire project lifecycle, including logistics, erection, operation, and dismantling. An advantage of Radius’ choice of cranes is that they will be able to erect and dismantle each other, saving money on mobile cranes. The cranes will remain in operation until Q4 2025, with the project set for completion in 2027.

Radius Group is partnered with NFT, the leading tower crane supplier in the industry, which provides a complete tower crane solution. Radius has access to the NFT fleet, which is permanently growing and counts now more than 3,000 tower cranes, with a range of modern trolley jib cranes from 178 tm to 3200 tm and luffing jib cranes from 160 tm to 650 tm.