MJR Contractors Ltd., Toronto, Ontario, recently used two Manitowoc lattice-boom crawler cranes to help construct the $42.6-million Tullamore Pumping Station and Reservoir in Caledon, Ontario.
The new Tullamore station is part of a system that delivers clean water to the Peel Region on the edge of metropolitan Toronto. The station includes a 12.7-million-gallon reservoir, seven pumps, a service room, a generator room, and an administration building. Romag Contracting Ltd., Mississauga, Ontario, was the general contractor for the 15-month construction project, which began in the fall of 2011 and wrapped up in December 2012. Concrete forming subcontractor MJR Contractors, Toronto, brought Manitowoc Model 8000 and 12000-1 lattice-boom crawler cranes on site to handle forms and concrete buckets for its work.
For this job, MJR rigged the 80-ton-capacity Manitowoc 8000 crawler crane with a 150-ft. boom and 40-ft. jib, and equipped the 110-toncapacity Manitowoc 12000-1 with a 160-ft. boom and 60-ft. jib. MJR used the two cranes to handle the nearly 194,000 sq. ft. of forms needed to construct the floor slab, walls, and vertical roof-support columns for a 335-ft. x 271-ft. x 23-ft. enclosed in-ground reservoir. Romeo Duarte, vice president of MJR, said, “For maximum efficiency, we positioned the Model 8000 down in the reservoir and took advantage of the larger Model 12000-1’s longer reach and higher capacity by having it work at ground level outside the excavation.” Both cranes handled forms used for pouring the reservoir’s cast-in-place slabs, walls, and columns. The forms weighed an average of 4,200 lb., with the largest weighing 7,300 lb. The 12000-1 handled the forms at radii to 185 ft.
Although MJR pumped 85% of the 15,172 cu. yds. of castin-place concrete needed for the reservoir, the two Manitowoc cranes placed the other 15% by bucket. They also poured nearly 3,000 cu. yd. of fill concrete. For concrete pours, the Manitowoc 8000 handled a 1.94-cu.-yd. bucket and the 12000-1 worked with a 2.94-cu.-yd. bucket. When full of concrete, the 2.94-cu.-yd. bucket weighed 11,500 lb. MJR’s Manitowoc 12000-1 handled it at radii from 50 to 116 ft. In addition, other subcontractors on the site rented MJR’s Manitowoc cranes to set structural steel, place pipe, handle rebar, and lift large mechanical components.
Some of the larger lifts MJR made with the Manitowoc 12000-1 included setting eight 100-ft. steel trusses weighing 9,500 lb. each at radii to 110 ft.; placing a 7,926-gal. diesel fuel tank at a 70-ft. radius; and placing 5,500-lb. sections of pipe at a 150-ft. radius. Both of the Manitowoc cranes delivered 100% availability while working nine hours a day from Mondays to Fridays, plus four hours on Saturdays.
“The Manitowoc 8000 has been in MJR’s fleet since 2004,” said Duarte. “It has performed well and is always ready to work when we need it. That made it easy to choose another Manitowoc when we wanted to expand our fleet with a larger machine.” Duarte also notes that MJR crane operators’ preference for running Manitowoc cranes factored into the company’s purchase decision. A brand-new Manitowoc 12000-1 lattice-boom crawler crane joined a Manitowoc Model 8000 crane to handle forms, concrete buckets, structural steel, and components for a new pumping station and reservoir in the Region of Peel (northwest of Toronto). MJR bought its 12000-1 with an optional higher-capacity HD hoist that develops 25,000-lb. single-line pull. Duarte says the higher capacity is a big advantage for fast handling of forms and concrete buckets. The Tullamore project was the first for MJR’s brand new Manitowoc 12000-1, which was delivered directly to the jobsite on six trucks. “The job at Tullamore was fairly large, and we needed a higher-capacity crane that could crawl between the pumping station and reservoir to make big lifts,” said Duarte.
He notes that the 12000-1 is now slated to begin work on a nearly identical project in January. MJR purchased its new Model 12000-1 Manitowoc from Strongco Corp., Mississauga, Ontario, one of Canada’s largest construction equipment distributors, with 27 locations stretching from Alberta to the Maritime Provinces. Strongco territory manager Chris Gray said MJR came to Manitowoc with a list of needs, all of which the Manitowoc 12000-1 fulfilled. “MJR’s decision was made easy due to Manitowoc cranes’ proven lifting strength and reliability,” said Gray. “Quick erection, easy transportation, Strongco’s extensive product knowledge, and Manitowoc’s Crane Care service also factored into the purchase.” At Tullamore, MJR’s crew erected the Manitowoc 12000-1 with the help of a National Crane NBT55 boom truck owned by Ward Crane Rentals Ltd., Scarborough, Ontario. “The 12000-1 can erect itself,” said Gray, “but in this case, MJR elected to rent the boom truck to unload components, stack counterweights, and help install components.”
The NBT55 is the largest boom truck offered by National, which is part of the Manitowoc family of crane products. It can lift 55 tons and be equipped with a 102-ft., four-section, full-power boom, or a 128-ft., five-section, full-power boom. Gray notes that the National NTB55 features Manitowoc’s Common Control System, which features controls like those found in larger cranes. “It’s part of Manitowoc’s plan to simplify operator familiarization by making controls similar among all of its products,” he said.
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