Potain HDM 40 pulled up Norwegian mountain on skis for restaurant build

Contractor Hent is constructing a three-storey restaurant at the summit station of the Fjellheisen cable car on Fløya, a popular tourist destination overlooking the northern Norwegian city of Tromsø. The site sits 421 m above sea level, so the company needed a crane that could be installed quickly and work reliably in a remote, exposed spot.

Up the mountain on skis

Norwegian Potain dealer Kranor proposed the HDM 40 for its combination of lifting performance and simple installation. Choosing the crane turned out to be the easy part — getting it to the summit demanded an unusual piece of logistics. Custom-built twin-tip skis were fitted to the crane’s chassis, and two snow groomers towed the complete unit up the mountainside. Once at the top, the crane was anchored to the jobsite’s concrete foundation to keep it stable in an area known for strong winds.

“The only solution was to put the crane on two large skis and pull it up Fløya mountain with the support of two powerful snow groomers. Getting the crane to the mountaintop is a truly unique logistics achievement.”

— Andreas Jensen, regional manager, Kranor

Four tonnes at altitude

The 14-tonne HDM 40 offers a maximum capacity of 4 t and lifts 1 t at the tip of its 35 m jib. On Fløya it is handling timber sections and concrete slabs, all of which arrive on site by helicopter. The self-erector was first manufactured in 2005, and Manitowoc says regular maintenance and parts support from Potain and Kranor are keeping the two-decade-old crane performing reliably despite the harsh location.

Tromsø-based Kranor runs a fleet of more than 150 Potain cranes, covering both self-erecting and top-slewing models, and still operates a number of machines over 20 years old.

Skywalk over the fjords

The new building will be three times the size of the restaurant it replaces and will feature an outdoor skywalk with views over the fjords and the Arctic landscape — and a prime vantage point for the Northern Lights. Construction started last year and is due for completion in 2027.