For Immediate Release

September 13, 2005

New Grove All-Terrain Completes Work on Floating Casino

Imperial Crane's Grove GMK5165 at work.

US crane rental firm, Imperial Crane has purchased a new Grove GMK5165 (known as the GMK5130-1 internationally) from local Manitowoc Crane Group dealer Walter Payton Power Equipment. The 165 USt (130 t) GMK5165 first appeared on US soil at CONEXPO 2005 in Las Vegas, and will add to Imperial Crane’s existing line of Grove all-terrains.

Based just outside Chicago, Illinois, Imperial Crane works out of three locations to provide crane rental services to subcontractors in the Greater Chicago/Northwest Indiana area.

The Grove cranes Imperial owns now include a 300 USt (250 t) model GMK6300 (GMK 6250 internationally), a 240 USt (200 t) GMK5240 (GMK5200 internationally) and a variety of smaller capacity five-axle models, including two 120 USt (100 t) GMK5120B (GMK5100 internationally) units.

Among the first jobs for Imperial’s GMK5165 was a series of lifts at the Blue Chip Casino in Michigan City, Indiana, US. Built to resemble a luxurious cruise liner, the stationary casino floats on Lake Michigan, and comprises a multi-deck gaming and leisure complex with an adjacent hotel. Continued growth means the owners are having a second “vessel” built nearby, as well as three new on-site restaurants and a four-story parking garage. With such a wide variety of lifting work on these separate projects, the GMK5165 proved an ideal candidate for the job.On the casino site the crane was used to lift a variety of materials, including 17,000 lb (6345 kg) pre-cast concrete panels. Other than its ability to handle these sections comfortably, one of the main advantages Imperial feels the GMK5165 has over its competitors is the size of its six-section main boom and hydraulic offsetting jib.

The GMK5165 is often working for the company with full main boom of 197 ft (60 m) and with the addition of a 36 ft (10 m) jib. The crane’s strong lifting capabilities come thanks to its MEGAFORM boom design and ability to accommodate a counterweight of 57,300 lbs (21,387 kg). Aside from the Blue Chip Casino, the GMK5165 has been kept busy by Imperial, as Larry Eckardt, service manager at Imperial Crane, explained.

“The GMK5165 is used for daily rentals as well as short and long-term duty-cycle work. A typical load is usually around 13,000 lbs (4852 kgs) which the crane lifts easily, at a radius of up to 140 ft (42 m),” he said. “We employ our own operators for a crane of this size and we can ensure a quick turnaround. The GMK5165 gets to do on average about seven lifts per day.”

Work at the Blue Chip Casino is set to finish in December 2005. With heavy-duty work, such as lifting concrete panels, becoming a ‘routine’ task, the GMK5165 is sure to become a hit for Imperial.

About The Manitowoc Company
The Manitowoc Company, Inc. is one of the world's largest providers of lifting equipment for the global construction industry, including lattice-boom cranes,tower cranes, mobile telescopic cranes, and boom trucks. As a leading manufacturer of ice-cube machines, ice/beverage dispensers, and commercial refrigeration equipment, the company offers the broadest line of cold-focused equipment for the foodservice industry. In addition, the company is a leading provider of shipbuilding, ship repair, and conversion services for government, military, and commercial customers throughout the U.S. maritime industry.

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