First Potain Hup 32-27 self erectors in Australia

Australian crane rental company, Active Crane Hire, has added two Potain Hup 32-27 self erecting tower cranes from manufacturer Manitowoc to its fleet.

According to Manitowoc, Active Crane Hire is the first company in Australia to have this type of crane which Hermann Buchberger, managing director at Active Crane Hire, said “fills a gap between large self-erecting cranes and small tower cranes.”

Manitowoc commented that the crane offers very flexible configuration options. In particular, its adjustable two-section mast has a third section within the second. This, Manitowoc said, allows the third mast section to be telescoped out, boosting its working height to 27 metres.

This will enable Active Crane Hire to use the crane in a range of scenarios on the job site, Manitowoc claimed. Indeed, the cranes are already being used in the construction of a seven-storey apartment building on a residential development project in Ryde, a suburb of Sydney. Manitowoc said that the compact footprint and versatile configuration options of this crane make it ideal for such urban, low-rise construction projects.

“Unlike most cranes used for low-rise construction, the Hup 32-27 has a 27 m working height, meaning it fits above the local tree line, which tends to be around 21 m,” explained Buchberger. “It’s also compact enough that if we need to install it underneath a tower crane on an existing site, we can do that. This eliminates the need to rearrange cranes on site.”

The Hup 32-37 has a capacity of 4 tonnes, and can lift 1 tonne at its jib end of 32 m. It has a rear-slewing radius of only 2.25 m, enabling it to be positioned closer to buildings. Despite being taller than the Igo 36, a predecessor, the Hup 32-27 occupies the same footprint. Manitowoc said this makes it ideal for space-restricted job sites. Its two footprint options (4 x 4 m or 3.5 x 4.42 m) and an unfolding movement mean the crane can be set up in even the most congested spaces, according to Manitowoc.

Manitowoc said the crane has three raised positions of the luffing jib (10, 20 or 30 degrees), in addition to horizontal. To maximise operator efficiency, the crane has a new radio remote control with a large colour screen and easy-to-use navigation (via a jog dial). New Smart Set Up software displays on-screen, step-by-step information during erection. “It is small and flexible enough to handle construction work for four-storey to seven-storey developments,” Buchberger concluded. “It’s more user-friendly than the alternatives and the commissioning is faster, which saves us time and money.”