Two Potain MCH 175 hydraulic luffing jib cranes have been used to help build a new Grade A office complex – called The Nexus – in the District 1 of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam. Local contractor Ricons purchased one of the units for the project and rented the other, both from Potain distributor Minh Chi. The cranes started working on The Nexus jobsite in September 2021.

“We selected Potain cranes because they are the best in the industry, and we are fans of the MCH 175’s VVH hydraulic luffing system. The crane has a short out-of-service radius, making it easy to work in tight spaces such as downtown construction sites,” said Nguyen Hoang Khang, project manager at Ricons.

The MCH 175 provides a maximum capacity of 10 t, maximum radius of 55 m, and maximum tip capacity of 1.5 t. Configured with 50 m jib lengths and with working heights to reach up to 147 m, both MCH 175 cranes were expected to remain on site until February 2023.

A highlight of the MCH 175 is its VVH hydraulic luffing technology for raising and lowering the jib. This innovative feature moves the jib from 10° to 87° in less than two minutes, for faster work on site. The design also eliminates the need for luffing ropes, which saves on assembly time.

To further reduce on-site assembly time, the crane’s hydraulics are pre-connected at the factory, allowing contractors to get to work faster, while the innovative hydraulic cylinder that powers the luffing motion offers lower energy consumption than conventional luffing jib cranes. This means it requires a smaller generator, lowering costs for owners.

Covering a total building area of 114,000 sq m, The Nexus project consists of five basement levels and two towers of 26-stories and 35-stories respectively. It is being built for developer Refico by Ricons, which has delivered high-rise buildings, hotels, resorts, factories, infrastructure, and more over its 17 years in business.