Manitowoc Crane Group  

Two new Grove mobile cranes, the GCK3045 and the TMC540, will be on display at bauma 2010. The Grove cranes were launched last year and will be featured as Manitowoc highlights their unique characteristics.

Frans Vanwinkel, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Manitowoc in EMEA, said the GCK3045 and TMC540 each offer customers a competitive edge not found in other cranes.

“These new mobile cranes show Manitowoc’s commitment to innovation,” he said. “Each offers something different to give customers a competitive advantage. Attention to detail in their design opens up new work possibilities or offers real-time cost savings.”

Grove GCK3045
The GCK3045 is Manitowoc’s first mobile city crane, and it combines a single cab with a “boom down” design for compact dimensions. The crane at bauma 2010 was sold to AKV Kranvermietung, a crane rental company based in Saarbrücken, Germany.

At 9.07 m long, 3 m tall and 2.55 m wide, the crane fits into the tightest job sites. The crane has an 6.3 m/10.2 m twist jib that can be rigged by a single operator within the crane’s width. After lifting, the boom folds down, and operators can use the automatic hook block stowing mechanism to tuck the hook block back under the boom for easier, faster and safer movement off the job site.

Maximum capacity is 45 t and the main boom is 34 m. The crane is equally well-suited to outdoor or indoor lifting. The first was delivered to rental company M.J. van Riel of the Netherlands, with subsequent deliveries to Germany, Switzerland, France and the Netherlands.

Power for the crane comes from a six-cylinder 330 kW diesel engine, and maximum travel speed is 80 km/h. The hoist has 160 m of 16 mm rope and a single line pull of 44.4 kN. It is able to travel with full complement within 12 t per axle and does not require additional counterweight.

Neil Hollingshead, global product manager for all-terrain cranes and rough-terrain cranes, said the GCK3045 is an example of innovative design translating to time and cost savings on the job.

“It’s easy to see how the GCK3045 design helps users,” he said. “The engine is mounted in the superstructure and acts as counterweight, eliminating any additional weight. There’s also a five outrigger settings for very small spaces, and the outriggers can be set asymmetrically for greater flexibility. A twist jib allows the GCK3045 to rig additional reach capability where other cranes cannot.”

Grove TMC540
The Grove TMC540 is Manitowoc’s newest truck-mounted crane, combining elements of a Grove upperworks with a rugged Scania carrier. The TMC540 at bauma 2010 was sold to Transcran, a crane rental company based in Essen, Germany.

The TMC540 has a 40 t maximum capacity and a 31 m four-section boom. The addition of a 7.9/13.7 m offsettable telescopic swingaway jib extends tip heights to a maximum of 41.1 m. The four-axle Scania carrier has one front axle and three rear axles. The axle configuration offers better maneuverability than standard 8 x 4 trucks and better load distribution and off-road ability.

The basic crane weighs less than 32 t and doesn’t need a special permit in many target markets. Parts of a Scania carrier are readily available through one of Europe’s largest truck dealer networks.

Guillaume Van Hoeck, Manitowoc’s EMEA product manager for truck-mounted cranes, rough-terrain cranes, crawler cranes, boom trucks and industrial cranes, said customers gain a real advantage with the Grove TMC540’s use of proven, simple, reliable and cost effective technology.

“Manitowoc’s cost-effective and simple technology, allows customers to cover several projects in one day,” he said. “The crane is one of the strongest in its class and is very economical to run. Our tests have shown 60 percent fuel savings and 10 percent in maintenance savings.”  

The GCK3045 is Manitowoc’s first mobile city crane and combines a single cab with a boom down design.