17 new Grove all-terrain cranes for Germany’s MAXIKraft Group

• By November 2020 MAXIKraft’s fleet will be replenished with 17 new Grove mobile cranes, including the GMK3060L, GMK4090, GMK5150L and GMK5250L-1 models.
• Six of the new Grove GMKs left the Manitowoc factory in Wilhelmshaven for several of MAXIKraft Group’s job sites at the end of June. This first batch consisted of two GMK3060Ls, three GMK4090s and one GMK5150L crane.

Germany’s MAXIKraft Group has placed a major order with Manitowoc for 17 new Grove all-terrain cranes, the first six of which were delivered at the end of June. An additional 11 cranes will be delivered from the Manitowoc factory in Wilhelmshaven in the coming weeks and months.

The order is significant for the lifting and transport company, which has 23 locations in seven federal states. The Manitowoc management team was keen to show its appreciation to the MAXIKraft crane operators, as well as the manager of MAXIKraft’s subsidiary Kranlogistik Lausitz in Eisenhüttenstadt, who represented the Group at the handover in Wilhelmshaven. The contingent celebrated the departure of the first six GMKs in bright sunshine.

“We are proud MAXIKraft has come to rely on our crane technology from Wilhelmshaven,” said Giorgio Angelino, SVP mobile cranes at Manitowoc. 

Erdogan Arslan, regional director mobile cranes CEN, Scandinavia and used cranes at Manitowoc added, “MAXIKraft and Manitowoc have enjoyed a longstanding partnership. Thank you for the trust you have placed in our product and customer service.”

The two GMK3060Ls, three GMK4090s and GMK5150L set off for the various MAXIKraft locations.

Power and roadability

The impressive GMK3060L, which made its debut at bauma 2019, is a compact powerhouse with a seven-section, 48 m long main boom. As for the GMK4090, it is the most compact four-axle model on the market, making it an unbeatable taxi crane. It can travel quickly from one job site to the next, carrying up to 10.2 t of counterweight within its 48 t gross vehicle weight and with 12 t/axle distributed equally.

The five-axle GMK5150L, meanwhile, offers the ultimate in lifting capacity with the ability to raise 150 t from its 60 m main boom — with 10.2 t of taxi ballast within 12 t/axle and a maximum counterweight of 44.5 t. A vehicle width of just 2.75 m makes it easy to maneuver, even on confined job sites. 

The MAXIKraft Group of companies already runs numerous Grove cranes, and Owner Maik Kanitzky is pleased with the new additions from northern Germany.

“The new Grove mobile cranes from Wilhelmshaven will help us modernize our fleet and offer impressive efficiency. They can travel with extensive equipment and counterweights, they have high load capacities, and as such, perfectly meet the needs of our customers. This focus on the customer is our trademark at MAXIKraft,” he said.

Longstanding partnership

“Thank you very much for your confidence in Manitowoc and KranAgentur Werner, and I look forward to further good cooperation,” said Frank Lichtenberg, managing director of KranAgentur Werner, who assessed MAXIKraft’s project needs and together with Manitowoc closed the deal.

Crane operator Uwe Michael, who has been operating Krupp and Grove cranes for almost three decades, drove the GMK4090 to the MAXIKraft site in Leipzig. 

“I always enjoy driving Grove cranes. GMKs stand firmly on the ground and are really powerful when it comes to the load capacity. The warm and friendly atmosphere at the crane briefing and handover in Wilhelmshaven was really special!” he said.

The all-terrain cranes will be deployed on a variety of projects, including in the infrastructure and industry sector, and the construction, chemical and energy industries. One week after the handover, Gerd Wieder, branch manager of Kranlogistik Lausitz, was thoroughly happy. 

“Our new GMK4090 is running really well,” he said.

German MAXIKraft Group was founded by Maik Kanitzky in 1992, and he continues to run the Herzberg-headquartered group of companies today. MAXIKraft Group consists of five subsidiaries, MAXIKraft, Maximum, Kranlogistik Sachsen, Kranlogistik Lausitz and Treffler. Across a total of 23 branches from Braunschweig to Munich, MAXIKraft employs 500 people and offers customers crane work and services from its 200-strong fleet of mobile, lattice and crawler cranes, which are able to lift loads from 25 t to 1,000 t. The company also provides its customers with special heavy transport services.

Image caption: Celebratory handover of the first six out of a total 17 new Grove GMKs to the crane drivers and employees of MAXIKraft Group at the Manitowoc factory in Wilhelmshaven. 

Georgio Angelino, SVP mobile cranes at Manitowoc (1st from left); Andreas Cremer, VP product management mobile cranes at Manitowoc (4th from left); Gerd Wieder, branch manager of Kranlogistik Lausitz (5th from left); Erdogan Arslan, regional director mobile cranes, CEN, Scandinavia and used cranes at Manitowoc (7th from left); Frank Lichtenberg, managing director of KranAgentur Werner (8th from left).

CONTACT
Insa Heim
Marketing Communication Manager | Mobile Cranes Europe & Africa 
Manitowoc
T +49 4421 294 4170
insa.heim@manitowoc.com