IDP Supplies Potain Cranes for Major New Development in Egypt

More than 35 Potain tower cranes are working on the construction of the New El Alamein City, an urban development being built on Egypt’s northern coast. The cranes were sold by International Development Programmes (IDP), Potain’s dealer for Egypt. The high-profile project will offer year-round living and accommodate a population of more than 3 million across an area of approximately 52,000 acres. The new city will house hotels, universities, sports clubs, entertainment outlets, residential units, business centers and even a scientific research center.

The fleet of Potain cranes onsite includes MCT 85, MCT 205, MC 235 C and MC 310 K12 models. All are built at the Potain factory in Zhangjiagang, China, and selected for their reliability and performance. Two of the preferred choices for the site are the MCT 85 and MCT 205, both topless models. The MCT 85 is the successor to the MCi 85 A. It offers a maximum jib length of 170 ft. (52 m) and a tip load of 1.2 tons (1.1 t). Its maximum capacity is 5.5 ton (5 t). The MCT 205 is a topless crane with a maximum capacity of 11 ton (10 t). It can lift 1.9 ton (1.75 t) at its maximum jib end of 213 ft. (65 m).

The cranes began arriving on site in 2018, and are configured at working heights of between 131 to 590 ft. (40 and 180 m), with jib lengths ranging from 164 to 229 ft. (50 to 70 m). The cranes work around the clock rotating between three shifts daily, lifting loads from 5.5 to 13.2 ton (5 to 12 t) and are expected to be on site for at least five years.

Noreen Soliman, marketing and communications manager at IDP, said: “Using Potain cranes gives the contractors the confidence they need to complete a project of this scale. To date, the feedback on their performance has all been positive. Potain is a trusted brand in Egypt, with the range, reputation and performance to keep a high-profile project like this on track. We also pride ourselves on the parts and service support that we provide to our customers and that means there’s one less thing to worry about on the job site.”

Contractors on site include Redcon and Red Sea Construction, SIAC Construction, The Arab Contractors, CRC Dorra, Orascom Construction and a joint venture between Hassan Allam Construction and Consolidated Contractors Company. The New El Alamein City is the first in a new generation of millennium cities in Egypt.

IDP has been a supplier of Potain cranes to projects in Egypt for the past 44 years. Established in 1974, it is one of Egypt’s leading companies in the supply and service of heavy construction and industrial equipment.