The development, situated in Malvern, Pennsylvania consists of two, four-storey apartment buildings and a one-storey clubhouse. The company deployed its Potain HDT 80 and Potain Igo T 85 A cranes for the job site.

In particular, a large retention pond situated on one side of the job site limited the space in which the company could erect a crane and perform lifts. Mobile cranes would not have fit on the job site, but MK Builder’s two self-erecting cranes were easily erected. And because the cranes both feature long radii and ample height under hook, the contractor has been able to complete its lifts without having to decommission and re-erect the cranes multiple times on the site.

The HDT 80 features a 148ft (45m) jib length and 176ft maximum hook height while the Igo T 85 A has a 148ft jib length and 167ft maximum height.

“We chose the HDT 80 and the Igo T 85 A to help build both four-story buildings and the clubhouse because they could reach the height that we needed,” said Jacob King, superintendent at MK Builders. “Also, with the retention pond being on site, these cranes enable us to reach the other side of the building without having to move the crane. We wouldn’t be able to complete the job as effectively with a mobile crane.”

In its fleet, MK Builders has another two Potain Igo T130 self erectors. Stephenson Equipment, a Manitowoc dealer in Pennsylvania, helped the MK Builders team choose its self-erecting cranes from Potain.

The fact that operators can use the remote control to operate this crane from anywhere on the job site — in the building or on the ground — is the best thing that could have happened for us,” said King. “It’s all about speed and efficiency. We complete jobs quicker with the tower cranes and with less people.”

MK Builders started the Malvern residential project in October 2018 and expects to complete it by March 2019.