New Grove all-terrain cranes take Australia by storm

• Latest-generation Grove GMK cranes prove hugely popular with Australian rental companies with close to 40 orders received over an 18-month period.
• Long main booms and class-leading load charts deliver superior on-site performance.
• Reduced road weights and increased flexibility mean that the new cranes more easily meet the challenging highway regulations of Australia’s states.

The last 18 months have seen a surge in the number of long-boom Grove all-terrain cranes heading into Australia. The machines’ combination of exceptional reach and easier mobility is proving a successful formula for rental companies with near continuous deliveries of the GMK4100L-1 GMK5250L and GMK5150L heading to crane depots across the country.

One of the most active purchasers in recent times has been NSW-based Borger Cranes which has ordered five Grove units: two GMK5250L cranes and a GMK4100 are already working plus two GMK4100L-1 cranes are due for delivery shortly.

Shawn Borger managing director at the company said the cranes have been kept busy since their arrival.

“With the GMK5250L and GMK4100L-1 we have the versatility to send the machines to a variety of job sites which translates into very high utilization ” he said. “Whether it’s projects in central Sydney or Newcastle or larger infrastructure jobs out of town these new Grove cranes are great additions to the fleet because we can configure them to suit the travel and lifting requirements of a particular job site.”

Other companies adding this latest generation of long-boom Grove all-terrain models include:

• Somerton Victoria-based Metcalf Crane Services which took a GMK5250L
• Tomago NSW-based Wheeler Crane & Services which ordered a GMK5150L
• Sydney based Melrose Cranes & Rigging which ordered two GMK5150L units
• Henderson WA-based Crane Corp Australia which took a GMK5250
• Henderson WA-based WB Global which took a GMK5250
• Holroyd NSW-based Fullers Mobile Cranes which took a GMK5250
• Lithgow NSW-based Turner and Central Crane Services which took a GMK5250
• Carrick Tasmania-based Pfeiffer Cranes which took a GMK4100L-1
• Springvale Victoria-based Skylift Cranes which took a GMK4100L-1

In recent years Grove has underlined its position as the industry’s leading supplier of all-terrain cranes particularly in terms of stringent axle weight requirements and category-leading reach. With the GMK5250L and GMK4100L-1 now firmly established in the market the order book for the newer GMK5150L has been building.

The ‘L’ suffix of the GMK4100L-1 GMK5250L and GMK5150L identifies them as having exceptionally long booms within the manufacturer’s range. The GMK4100L-1 has a 100 t capacity and a main boom of 60 m. With a strong focus on roadability the crane is able to meet the 12 t per axle limit when traveling with 6.7 t of counterweight. In this configuration the unit offers around a 10% capacity improvement over its predecessor the GMK4100L.

On the 250 t capacity GMK5250L the improved roadability of the crane is enhanced by its innovative machine design which includes the VIAB turbo clutch. This unique addition improves driving performance in a number of ways and also delivers impressive fuel savings estimated to be some 30% below that of its predecessor the GMK5220. Maximum main boom on the GMK5250L is 70 m.

For the GMK5150L the main boom is 60 m while the maximum capacity is 150 t. The crane is powered by a single engine allowing it to carry more counterweight for greater capacity. At 12 t per axle the GMK5150L will accommodate 7.9 t of counterweight while the maximum possible counterweight is an impressive 45 t. This gives the crane a 20% load chart advantage over the GMK5130-2 (the crane it replaces) and makes it the strongest crane in its class.

Neil Hollingshead sales director – mobile cranes for Manitowoc’s Australian office said a busier working environment meant companies were looking for cranes that can take on more projects.

“Infrastructure work is driving the market in NSW after the slowdown in Australia’s mining sector while other states are showing signs of recovery as rental companies replace older models with these latest state-of-the-art models ” he said. “The popularity of this current generation of Grove all-terrain cranes comes from the fact they offer something different. Customers like their innovative design which allows them to configure the cranes for a wider range of work. Also their easier transport configuration means they can move more rapidly between jobs improving return on investment.”

All Grove cranes in Australia are supported with the company’s industry-leading support program Manitowoc Crane Care. The company operates this directly as well as through its nationwide network of dealers.