SOFIALEX completes fast-track build with Potain Igo T 130 cranes

SOFIALEX finished a four-month prefabricated construction project in Mionnay, France, using four Potain Igo T 130 cranes rented from local dealer Valente Grue Assistance.

Between April and July 2024, prefabricated construction specialist SOFIALEX deployed four Potain Igo T 130 self-erecting cranes from local dealer Valente Grue Assistance on a project in Mionnay, Ain, France. The cranes were essential for lifting prefabricated elements weighing up to 5 t to construct four office buildings totaling 4,800 m² of floor space. Alongside the offices, two logistics buildings are being built covering 20,000 m² and 10,000 m². Operating eight hours a day, the cranes played a crucial role in meeting the project's tight four-month timeline.

The Potain Igo T 130 has a maximum load capacity of 8 t and can lift 1,400 kg at the end of its 50 m jib. It has a maximum hook height of 37.3 m when using its three vertical extension masts. For the project in Mionnay, the cranes were configured at a 22.3 m height and with 33.5 m of jib. The customer preferred to power the cranes via generators, and this flexibility in operation is another key advantage for users.

Potain self-erecting cranes such as the Igo T 130 are ideal for short-duration construction projects where medium-sized loads must be lifted. They offer fast installation and disassembly and can be positioned to cover an entire jobsite with their excellent reach. Because all material handling is delivered via the crane, it also removes the need for alternative options such as telehandlers, which can cause ground damage and add exhaust fumes to the working environment. Additionally, the cranes offer radio remote control allowing the operators to position themselves in the best vantage point for direct movements – making lifting work faster and easier. Potain radio remote controls are easy to use and include feedback screens that display reach, height, moment, load, wind speed, and more.

SOFIALEX had full confidence in the Igo T 130 model, having previously successfully used it on a project for transport company Transdev in Salon-de-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône. SOFIALEX has also been a longstanding customer of Valente Grue Assistance, renting Potain cranes from the dealer’s 300-strong fleet for over 10 years. “We are completely satisfied with these machines and use them regularly on our jobsites. They offer great quality and reliability, and we get excellent support from Valente. We needed cranes that were fast to assemble and disassemble, and high-performance lifting abilities, so they were a perfect choice,” said Stéphane Duchet, president at SOFIALEX.

Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Genas, Rhône, SOFIALEX has 22 employees and operates nationwide.