[Job Story] A Single Potain Tower Crane Replaces Multiple Mobile Cranes on Reykjavik Residential Build

DS Lausnir supplied the topless tower crane to ÓS-Byggingar for an eight-story development built largely with precast concrete sections.

A Potain MDT 489 topless tower crane is handling all lifting duties on a new residential development in Reykjavik, Iceland, where the project team needed a lifting solution suited to a site built largely from precast concrete.

The crane was purchased by local Potain dealer DS Lausnir and is being rented to ÓS-Byggingar, which is overseeing construction of the eight-story complex. According to DS Lausnir, the project would usually require multiple mobile cranes in Iceland because of the scale of the development and the use of precast sections. Instead, the dealer proposed a single Potain MDT 489 to cover the whole site from one location.

“For this project, the customer wanted a new way of thinking. To build a project of this size in Iceland using precast sections would usually require multiple mobile cranes. But we designed a solution using only the Potain MDT 489 to cover the whole site. This turned out to be the most cost-effective and efficient way. So we purchased the first MDT 489 in Iceland, and it is already proving to be a great success.”

Said Daníel Sigurðarson, owner of DS Lausnir.

The Potain MDT 489 has a maximum capacity of 25 t. On the apartment block project, it is configured with 55 m of jib, compared with its 80 m maximum jib length, and is operating at a working height of 39 m. The crane is

on an 8 x 8 m stationary cross base.

Because it is the only material-handling option on the jobsite, the crane is working long shifts of 10 hours a day, six days a week. The company said it is maintaining excellent uptime during the project.

Once complete, the complex in Hafnarfjördur, Reykjavik, will include 106 apartments, retail outlets and a car park.

The MDT 489 is engineered with a compact configuration and built for high performance. Its topless technology is designed to make overlapping with other cranes easier, helping minimise interference and support uninterrupted operations.

For DS Lausnir, the project also underlines the importance of equipment support in Iceland’s operating environment. The company points to the need for machines that can work in harsh climate conditions, supported by technicians, parts availability and technical expertise.

“Navigating Iceland’s harsh climate requires equipment that is rugged and versatile. Equally important is having the right resources to deliver strong customer support. At DS Lausnir we have highly-qualified technicians, a large stock of parts, and technical expertise on call. We also work closely with the central Manitowoc customer support operation, which is the most complete offering in the industry.”

Said Daníel Sigurðarson.

DS Lausnir was founded in 2002 and specialises in the sale and rental of lifting equipment. In 2022, it was appointed dealer for Grove mobile cranes and Potain tower cranes in Iceland. The company now employs 40 people and operates a fleet of 75 tower cranes and 20 mobile cranes, many of which are Potain and Grove models.

Alongside the new Potain MDT 489, DS Lausnir also added two Grove all-terrain cranes at the end of last year, which have been adapted to local conditions.

[Job Story] A Single Potain Tower Crane Replaces Multiple Mobile Cranes on Reykjavik Residential Build published on The HeavyQuip Magazine.