Raimondi tower cranes put to work in Sharjah

Aljada is a US$6.5 billion project being built by developer Arada as part of Sharjah’s new central business district. Photo: Raimondi

A vast mixed use development is under construction in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, with the help of six more tower cranes from Italy-based manufacturer Raimondi.

The new “large-scale master community” Aljada is a US$6.5 billion project being built by developer Arada as part of Sharjah’s new central business district. 

Local agent Raimondi Middle East installed six flat top tower cranes for the latest construction phases. Four of the cranes are 8 tonne MRT159s, already known in the region, while the other two are T187s, deployed there in the GCC for the first time.

Raimondi Middle East already has a fleet of more than 200 tower cranes and expansion is ongoing. “Raimondi is a vital part of the construction works for Arada’s flagship megacity. Our long-standing partnership with the developer has been built on reliability, responsiveness, and consistent project delivery,” said Wael Hasan, Raimondi Middle East general manager.

Raimondi already supplied dozens of cranes for projects there.

“Aljada is a fast-track project and, as with current and previous phases, seamless co-ordination during delivery, assembly, and installation was essential to ensure alignment with project schedule. This is why models with ease of installation and great versatility were chosen,” Hasan explained.

Raimondi Middle East has more than 200 tower cranes in its rental fleet. Photo: Raimondi

New models

The two new 10 tonne capacity T187s have the high specification Lumina operator cabin and are erected with jib lengths of 60 and 65 metres, giving tip loads of 2.59 and 2.09 tonnes, respectively.

Their tower heights are 57 and 63 metres. Hoist winches are 30 kW, giving a maximum hoisting speed of 115 metres a minute. Drum capacity is 510 metres.

“Raimondi’s Middle East rental fleet now includes several T187 flat-tops. The T187 has excellent specifications in terms of lifting capabilities, speed, and configurations,” explained Hasan.

Commenting on the new model Eng. Muath Bani-Issa, Raimondi Middle East head of operations, said, “Beyond its mechanical strength, the crane’s integrated ConCore system allows for ease of commissioning, while enabling us to remotely monitor performance and operations in real time.”

For quicker and easier erection the four MRT159s arrived on site pre-assembled with ropes already installed. The30 kW hoist winches offer a maximum speed of 136 metres a minute. Jib lengths on the four were 50 and 65 metres and at the time of writing they were freestanding at heights up to 51 metres.

Five of six cranes will be climbed progressively through the project until reaching a maximum final height of 85 metres. They are scheduled to be on site for up to 18 months.