According to Joel Hunt of Cropac’s sales staff, the cranes had an arduous work schedule.
“During their time on site the cranes were on call from 9am to midnight and they clocked up an average of 250 working hours per month,” he said. “The highest quality marble and limestone were shipped to the job from Italy and then hand-carved in place. The cranes were placing these pieces which weighed from 1t to 3t.”
The temple owner, the India-based faith group Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan (BAPS), managed the construction of the temple and the operation of the cranes. The two cranes utilized in the construction of the Hindu temple were the HDT 80 self-erecting crane that was on site for three months, and S282 truck-mounted self-erecting crane, which was only necessary during the final month of construction.
The Potain HDT 80 has a maximum capacity of 6t and maximum jib of 45m. The S282 has a maximum capacity of 2 t and a maximum jib of 25 m.
“The precise control of the Potain cranes in setting these delicate blocks just millimeters apart made them the perfect choice for this job,” said Joel Hunt. “Both were maneuvered via remote control so the operator was able to position himself perfectly for monitoring the lifts. The cranes were also very easy to set up and then remove from site which was an added bonus.”
The temple was built entirely by volunteers from India and other parts of the world. BAPS is a religious organization with 640 temples in 45 countries. The temple is the only one of its kind in Canada and officially opened in July with His Divine Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, spiritual head of BAPS, in attendance.
Potains lift stone cladding for temple Potains lift stone cladding for temple
