Potain and Grove cranes raise €30m Mulino Caputo mill in southern Italy

Two Potain tower cranes are at the centre of a €30 million project to build a new milling facility for pasta-flour producer Mulino Caputo in Ripamolisani, southern Italy. The plant is intended to raise milling capacity significantly and support growth in the country’s agri-food sector, with completion scheduled for 2030.

Evy 30-23 opens the site

Contractor Gruppo Mitri Costruzioni (M.B.C.) started the job with a Potain Evy 30-23 self-erecting crane. With a 4-tonne maximum capacity and a 30-metre jib, the compact self-erector was quick to transport and set up, letting the contractor get the site working while space was still tight.

GMK5150L-1 erects the big tower

As the structural phase approached, M.B.C. brought in the larger Potain MDT 259 J12 topless crane. For its assembly the contractor chose a Grove GMK5150L-1 all-terrain crane, rated at 150 tonnes with a 60-metre main boom, valued on this site for its compact footprint and precise control.

The MDT 259 J12 went up with a 60-metre jib at a 70-metre hook height and moved straight onto structural work, placing components of up to 12 tonnes and helping install process equipment. The model offers a 12-tonne maximum capacity and jibs to 65 metres.

“The coordinated use of Potain and the Grove cranes on the new Mulino Caputo facility reflects a growing trend on large construction sites for highly specialized lifting technology to improve productivity and operational sustainability. The combination of cranes on this project allowed us to successfully meet operational demands, from the flexibility required during the early stages of construction to the heavy lifting needed during the project’s structural phases.”

— Devis Mitri, general manager, M.B.C.

A benchmark mill for Europe

The finished complex will house high-capacity storage silos, milling systems, raw-material processing lines and packaging and logistics facilities. Throughout the build, M.B.C. has been supported by Manitowoc’s team in Italy for local service and technical assistance.