News Release

12 July 2006

Potain preferred for Sydney hospital expansion

Sydney’s Westmead Hospital is using two Potain tower cranes in its expansion project.

High Resolution Photograph (129K)

Two Potain cranes have been central to expansion work at one of the largest hospitals in Australia – Sydney’s Westmead Hospital. The jobsite’s contractor, Thiess, originally hired an MC 85 Potain city crane for the first two phases of work, from New South Wales-based rental company Active Crane Hire. Thiess was so impressed with the efficiency of the MC 85, that they leased a larger MC 310 K12 Potain crane from Active to carry out construction work on phases three and four.

The AU$119 million (US$87 million) project is being undertaken for the Sydney Western Area Health Service, and work has so far involved the extension of the women’s health and newborn care facility, the expansion of the cancer services building, and the internal building’s refurbishment.

Mark Foster, Thiess site manager, said working with Potain and Active Crane Hire made the job run smoothly.

“We were very impressed by both the performance of the Potain cranes and also by Active Crane Hire’s professional service,” he said. “Work ran very smoothly when using the MC 85, with next to no downtime. We originally scheduled two full days for the set-up of the MC 310 K12. However, Active managed to erect and commence work in a single day, avoiding further inconvenience for hospital staff and visitors.”

The MC 85 was chosen for its lifting capacity of 5 t (5.5 USt) and for its 50 m (164 ft) jib – an important factor as this length of jib prevented interference with the hospital’s helicopter approach lane.

The MC 310 K12 provides an under hook height of 57 m (187 ft) and has a maximum lifting capacity of 12 t (13.2 USt). Its jib radius of 70 m (229.6 ft) made it possible to service all of the three building projects from a single fixed position – within a 140 m (459 ft) diameter. The crane is able to lift an impressive 3.2 t (3.5 USt) of material at its 70 m (229.6 ft) jib nose. As both cranes are electric, they have very low noise emissions –a real bonus when working in a sensitive area such as a hospital.

Westmead Hospital is the largest hospital in the western Sydney metro area. It opened in 1978, with 975 beds, as a specialized tertiary referral hospital. Expansion work began in February 2004 and is to complete in June 2008.

About The Manitowoc Company
The Manitowoc Company, Inc. is one of the world's largest providers of lifting equipment for the global construction industry, including lattice-boom cranes, tower cranes, mobile telescopic cranes, and boom trucks. As a leading manufacturer of ice-cube machines, ice/beverage dispensers, and commercial refrigeration equipment, the company offers the broadest line of cold-focused equipment for the foodservice industry. In addition, the company is a leading provider of shipbuilding, ship repair, and conversion services for government, military, and commercial customers throughout the U.S. maritime industry.

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