Feltham chooses Bennetts for complex tower crane job

Jost JTL 108 owned by Bennetts at work for Feltham Construction in Slough, UK, on a site where oversailing issues had to be considered. Photo: Bennetts

Multiple challenges had to be overcome on a commercial site redevelopment project to the west of London in the UK.

Tower crane specialist Bennetts worked with contractor Feltham Construction to provide an efficient and high capacity lifting solution for the new residential building.

A 6 tonne capacity Jost JTL 108 luffing jib tower crane was chosen, partly for its capacity and its ability to handle the issue of oversailing neighbouring properties.

It offers a steep jib angle when operating and also, when out of service, offers a minimum swing radius of 9.6 metres. This helps both to prevent oversailing and jib clashes on congested urban sites. The crane can also reach all corners of the site.

Luffing benefits

A further benefit is that its low power requirement means it can take electricity from the grid and doesn’t need a generator.

Edward Seager, Bennetts Cranes managing director, explains, “it also excels in energy efficiency, requiring only a 50 kVA mains power supply. With inverters on all three motors, it achieves a power surge just 20 per cent higher than the running current. This innovative design makes it ideal for city centre sites as it reduces power consumption, eliminates the need for a separate generator, and offers cost savings, environmental benefits, and quieter operation.”

Most of the work is lifting concrete formwork and skips, plus rebar bundles and other building materials.

For his part Adam Jervis, Feltham Construction senior contracts manager, said, “Choosing the right tower crane for prominent sites, like the one in Bath Road, can be tricky due to the proximity of neighbouring buildings and residents. Having collaborated with Bennetts on a number of sites around Wiltshire and Oxfordshire since 2009, we approached the team confident in the level of site planning expertise they would bring to this build. The Jost JTL 108 has provided the perfect solution and is helping ensure an efficient and productive build.”

Jost JTL 108 is a 6 tonne capacity luffing jib tower crane with a minimum radius of 9.6 metres. Photo: Bennetts