Grove rough-terrain cranes improve efficiency at Chilean pellet plant
A trio of Grove cranes has improved daily tasks as well as more complex lifting applications for Compañía Minera del Pacífico (CMP). The company runs an iron-ore pellet production plant in Huasco in the Atacama region where three Grove rough-terrain cranes are crucial tools for the operation.
Located approximately 700 km (435 mi) north of Santiago the Huasco Pellet Plant opened in 1978 with a pair of crawler cranes performing its lifting work. Those cranes were replaced in 2012 as the company moved to Grove rough-terrain cranes that more easily navigated the tough job site conditions.
The three cranes include:
- RT9150E 135 t (150 USt) 60 m (197 ft) six-section pinned boom
- RT880E 75 t (80 USt) 39 m (128 ft) full-power boom
- RT540E 35 t (40 USt) 31 m (102 ft) full-power boom
Jorge Iriarte Portilla a chief maintenance mechanic at Huasco Pellet Plant said the cranes are very maneuverable on the job site are quick to set up and easy to transport. Iriarte recalled the tandem lifting of a 100 t locomotive as one of the most memorable projects the cranes worked on.
“We use our cranes mostly for maintenance tasks around the plant ” he said. “Since their acquisition five years ago as part of an investment plan the cranes have helped us become considerably more efficient in our daily operations. We have a lot of confidence in the cranes.”
Iriarte also said that Manitowoc has provided great support to CMP.
“Since the acquisition of the cranes we've had Manitowoc's full support in terms of training our mechanics and getting the information we needed for upkeep and proper handling.”
