12.11.2015

First Manitowoc MLC 650 in Australia

The first Manitowoc MCL650 in Australia has been delivered to Tutt Bryant Heavy Lift & Shift's, Perth Depot and has immediately gone to work. The MLC650 is also the first crane in the country with the Variable Position Counterweight (VPC).

Malcom Smith, Tutt Bryant national crane operations manager said: “We wanted the MLC650 for very clear reasons - We believe in selecting equipment with a point of difference from our competitors, and the MLC650 has given us an advantage. With the VPC, there are fewer pieces of crane to transport and it takes less time to erect which saves costs for us and our customers. Also, the flexibility in the crane’s configurations enables us to work on a wide range of projects with various capacity needs".
Please register to see all images

The first Manitowoc MCL650 in Australia has been delivered to Tutt Bryant

John Stewart, vice president and general manager of Manitowoc Cranes in Australia, added: “Tutt Bryant always try to give their customers better productivity on the job site and provide them with solutions that their competitors can’t match. Our conversations regarding the MLC650 started soon after we announced the introduction of the crane and from the outset it was clear that this crane would be a great fit for their equipment fleet.”

The MLC650’s first job was at the Australian Marine Complex just outside Perth lifting 64 pipe spools that weigh up to 250 tonnes and measure up to 80 metres in length. Each spool is trial-lifted and tested prior to being loaded onto a barge before it’s taken offshore and then lowered into the ocean for subsea installation as part of the Wheatstone LNG project. The crane is working 24/7 on the 20-week job.
Please register to see all images

The MLC650’s first job was at the Australian Marine Complex just outside Perth lifting 64 pipe spools that weigh up to 250 tonnes and measure up to 80 metres in length.

“This is the perfect crane for this project and we set up with minimal ground preparation,” said Smith. “It’s 100 percent pick and carry chart and high wind speed rating have made the work much more efficient. The VPC Max enables us to perform multiple load outs in a single shift that would have been unachievable with a floating tray superlift crane. Plus the support we receive from Manitowoc Crane Care and from our dealer WATM has been second to none. This is one of the leading crane designs in the world but really its beauty is in its simplicity.”

“A customer told us that if he could have used the MLC650 on a recent project just completed in Australia, he could have saved $5 million. This crane is perfect for the installation of tunnel boring machines, infrastructure, road bridge beams, refineries, coal-fired power station shut downs and wind tower erection and maintenance. Renewable energy is a significant market where we believe the MLC650 will succeed, too.”