Orascom Construction buys Egypt’s first Potain luffers tower cranes
The MCR295 luffing jib tower cranes are being used for the development of Cairo’s Maspero Triangle district
Egyptian contractor Orascom Construction has acquired the country’s first two Potain MCR 295 luffing jib tower cranes.
The 16t cranes with 60m jib at the end were purchased from local Potain dealer IDP, who had erected the cranes to support the development of Cairo’s Maspero Triangle district.
“The Potain brand’s reputation for quality in urban development and innovative technology gave us the trust and confidence to expand our fleet with the new MCR 295 cranes. We are proud to have the first units in Egypt working on this prestigious project,” said Hossam Mounir, Equipment Deputy Director at Orascom Construction.
In early October 2021, Saudi Arabia and Egypt signed $1.8bn worth of contracts with consortiums to connect the nations’ power grids.
The 75ac area by the River Nile is home to several high-profile buildings including the Radio and Television Union Maspero building, the Foreign Ministry building, the Dar al-Maarif building, the Italian Consulate, and the Ramses Hilton Hotel.
Given the limited space, Orascom Construction said it needed cranes that were not only reliable, consistent, and high performing but which could also work efficiently on a confined jobsite, helping to meet delivery deadlines.
IDP and Potain erected the cranes with an initial 37m height under hook, and they will reach a final height under hook of 150m. The cranes will remain on site for approximately three years.
In early June 2022, Manitowoc launched a new version of the Potain MCT 565 for short-jib applications.
“We were impressed by the speed and professionalism with which the IDP field service team and Potain technicians erected the cranes on site, and they have since been proving their worth on this upscale project as world-class machines,” Mounir concluded.
In mid October 2022, Orascom Construction said it added $670mn to its backlog in Q3 2022.
