MBTM (Mellet Billon Travaux en Montagne), a company specialising in the installation, maintenance, and civil engineering of ski lifts, rented two Potain MDT 219 J10 topless tower cranes to help construct a gondola lift at an altitude of nearly 3000m in the Chamonix Valley, France.

The work is part of the reconstruction of the Grand Montets gondola which was destroyed by fire in 2018. The project includes the construction of two new lift stations.

The difficult conditions of the high-altitude construction site required a helicopter for the construction of pylons and a comprehensive plan developed by Potain’s Lift Solutions team. The helicopter was also used to install the Potain topless tower cranes.

MBTM chose the Potain MDT 219 J10 cranes for the job because of their high lifting capacity and modular design that allows crane components to be separated into individual lift weights not exceeding the 2400kg payload restriction of the helicopter.

Counter jib erection

MBTM and Valente worked closely with Potain’s Lift Solutions department to ensure each load delivered contained precisely the right components needed at each stage of installation while adhering to the strict maximum payload limit of the helicopter.

The crane for the construction is no longer anything like a conventional crane. Indeed, the conditions at altitude and the helicopter winching of the various components required in-depth work upstream between the crane rental company Valente, the project manager MBTM and Potain’s Lift Solutions department. The role of the latter was decisive and a real added value for the customer and the lifting schedule.

“The Lift Solutions team at Potain provided us with exemplary service. Their comprehensive plan and customer-centric approach to this project ensured we were able to complete the installation as efficiently as possible, even with the extreme nature of this construction site,” said Jean-Philippe Valente, CEO of Valente Grue Assistance.

Potain’s support and service team worked closely with MBTM and Valente throughout the duration of the project including parts, service experts, and technical assistance as needed. The new lift is scheduled to open in time for the 2026/2027 ski season.

A video of the crane erection can be seen here.