GCA subsidiary AUTAA deploys new Grove crane for hospital expansion in France

• AUTAA, a French lifting company and subsidiary of transport and logistics giant Charles André Group (GCA), deployed its new 300 t GMK6300L-1 all-terrain crane to assemble prefabricated modules for a local hospital’s extension.
• The crane’s compact dimensions and quiet operation impressed from the outset, ensuring operations at the hospital continued with minimal impact from the expansion work.

French lifting and transport company AUTAA Ile de France wasted no time in putting its new Grove GMK6300L-1 all-terrain crane to work. The company is part of GCA Exceptional Lifting and Transport, a newly formed division of the giant Charles André Group (CGA), which was created when GCA purchased AUTAA in 2023.

Shortly after delivery, the crane was dispatched to its first jobsite where it is assembling prefabricated modules for an extension at Saint Camille Hospital in Bry-sur-Marne, 17 km east of Paris. The extension will be built from 21 modules, with the heaviest weighing 21 t and positioned at a 32 m radius. Each is lifted into position as a single piece.

“We are very impressed with our new GMK6300L-1; the crane was compact enough to fit in the limited space on the jobsite, ensuring minimal disruption to hospital operations and allowing the ambulance traffic to continue uninterrupted throughout the work. Additionally, because the GMK6300L-1 has two engines including a smaller one in the superstructure, noise levels were kept to a minimum. It’s a crane that checks all the boxes,” said Eric Grimaldi, managing director of GCA Exceptional Lifting and Transport.

Getting to grips with the GMK6300L-1 was a seamless process for skilled operator Eduardo Catarino, who previously ran a 130 t Grove GMK5130-2 and 150 t Grove GMK5150L.

“We’re only using 41.9 m of boom and 74.5 t of counterweight for this job, so it’s well within the capacities of the GMK6300L-1. The crane operates extremely well, and the hoist and slewing are very precise. Those features are really important for the ground crew. I can’t wait to use the crane’s full 80 m boom to see how well it performs,” Catarino said.

The 300 t GMK6300L-1 all-terrain crane builds on the success of its predecessor, the GMK6300L. It offers even better lift capacities on its 80 m boom and has an optional extension of up to 37 m for a maximum tip height of 120 m. There’s a flexible 26 t heavy roadable counterweight available with interchangeable slabs, for optimized logistic costs. With its Mercedes engine and fully automatic Allison transmission, it’s a reliable and powerful addition to any crane fleet.

GCA Exceptional Lifting and Transport operates from 11 facilities across France with a fleet of 110 mobile cranes and a team of 365 people. It is part of the Charles André Group, which was founded in 1932 and is currently run by Delphine André, granddaughter of the company’s founder. In 2023, GCA generated revenue of €1.7 billion and employs 10,000 people in 15 countries. The company serves a wide range of industries, including aeronautical, food and beverage, automotive, construction, natural resources, chemical, defense, energy, environment, rail, and logistics. The acquisition of AUTAA in 2023 created the new division GCA Exceptional Lifting and Transport.

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