Manitowoc launches 64-tonne Potain MR 819 luffer crane. (Image source: Manitowoc)
Manitowoc has used bauma 2025 as the platform to introduce the Potain MR 819, the company’s largest luffing jib tower crane designed specifically for the European and North American markets
With a maximum capacity of 64 tonnes and up to 70 metres of jib, the MR 819 significantly surpasses its predecessors—the MR 608B and MR 618—which offer a 32-tonne capacity.
The development of this high-capacity crane was heavily influenced by Manitowoc’s Voice of the Customer (VOC) program, which identified a growing need for larger luffing jib cranes to handle substantial precast components and support critical infrastructure developments like bridge and nuclear facility construction.
“We developed the Potain MR 819 to support our large rental and high-profile contractor customers,” said Thibaut Le Besnerais, vice president of marketing and development for tower cranes at Manitowoc. “To develop the new crane, we drew heavily on the design of our latest luffer, the MR 309. This allowed us to engineer a crane with optimally sized components that offer the easiest transport and assembly.”
Power. precision. performance.
Among the crane’s standout features is its compact out-of-service radius, which ranges from 18 metres to as little as 16 metres depending on jib configuration. This makes it ideal for high-density urban construction sites. It also utilises a dozen 5-metre sections of Manitowoc’s new 2.45-metre K 880 mast system, enabling freestanding heights of up to 65.6 metres with 50-metre jib setups. Anchored configurations can reach 210 metres with a 65-metre jib using just five anchoring frames under C25 wind conditions.
In terms of performance, the MR 819 boasts impressive lifting capabilities. With three-fall reeving and a 55-metre jib, it can lift its full 64-tonne capacity at a 17-metre radius and 10.8 tonnes at the jib tip. When set to two-fall reeving with a 65-metre jib, the crane handles 42 tonnes out to 21 metres and 7.4 tonnes at its maximum radius.
To manage these substantial loads, Manitowoc developed the 270 LVF 213 Optima hoisting winch. This unit features a 200 kW motor and 838 metres of rope, offering variable line speeds from 183 metres per minute in single-fall mode to 61 metres per minute with three-fall reeving. For luffing, the 110 kW-rated 150 VVF 90 hoist allows the jib to be raised from 15° to 87° in just 2 minutes and 20 seconds. The crane also incorporates Potain Power Control to optimise energy consumption during less time-sensitive operations.
Operators will benefit from Manitowoc’s Crane Control System (CCS), which enables seamless calibration and fine-tuned controls. The spacious Ultra View cab enhances operator comfort and performance, while the integrated POTAIN Connect telematics platform provides detailed data to support fleet management, maintenance planning, and troubleshooting.
Also read: Manitowoc to showcase advanced aftermarket services at bauma
