News Release

July 15, 2008

Crane movement made easy for Gaus with Grove GMK4100

Gaus's GMK4100 was used to place 136 struts, 36 panels and 18 frost protection panels for a new logistics center in Bingen, Germany.

High Resolution Photograph

German rental company, Gaus, sent its Grove GMK4100 all-terrain crane to a jobsite in Bingen, Germany, to help with construction of a new logistics center. The crane helped position 180 precast elements as part of a new facility for Germany-based logistics giant, Rhenus. 
 
Helmut Gaus, owner of Gaus, said Grove’s all-terrain crane technology made travel on the project easier.  
 
“We have great faith in the Grove brand and GMK technology. With independent MEGATRAK suspension and all-wheel steer, Grove all-terrain cranes combine high driver comfort on-road with unrivalled off-road performance,” he said. “MEGATRAK offers excellent ground clearance on site, and on this project we were able to move the GMK4100 around the site with its full 26 t counterweight. In fact the GMK4100 has 11 different counterweight options which allow us to save on time, transportation and, of course, money.”  
 
Main contractor on the Bingen job, B.F.M., based in Korschenbroich, Germany, utilized the GMK4100 to place 136 struts, 36 panels and 18 frost protection panels. The concrete struts, which were used in the foundation as well as the main building, were 16 m long and weighed 21 t and 28 t. To place these elements, the GMK4100 worked with 27.8 m of main boom and positioned the loads at radii of between 8 m and 12 m.  
 
For the panels, which weighed 14 t, the main boom was increased to 31 m and the loads positioned at a radius of 16 m. For the frost protection elements, which weighed 3.5 t, the crane used main boom of 48 m and the elements were placed at a 36 m radius. Alfred Ebert, Gaus’s operator on the project, repositioned the crane a number of times during the project but said that was easy with the GMK4100.   
 
“As with many other technical functions on the crane, the suspension and leveling are easily controlled and also displayed in the new ECOS control system,” he said. “Having identical ECOS control systems in both cabs on the crane makes operations like these much easier. It gives better familiarity and makes things more efficient.”    
 
The crane was supplied to Gaus by German Manitowoc dealer KranAgentur Werner. The GMK4100 is the company’s latest delivery and its seventh Grove crane in a fleet of eight. Grove’s GMK4100 has a maximum capacity of 100 t and a maximum main boom of 52 m. Manitowoc has recently upgraded the engine choice on the crane and it is now equipped with a more powerful 335 kW Mercedes engine. It also has a new heavy duty luffing jib for increased lifting duties. As with folding jibs on other Grove all-terrain cranes, the operator can hydraulically luff the jib using controls in the cab.   
 
Once completed, Rhenus’ logistics center at Bingen will cover 42,000 m2 including a special water-proofed zone for goods such as cosmetics and household products. It is positioned close to the A61 freeway allowing for optimized distribution to retail stores.  
 

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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For More Information Contact:

Eliza ArnouldBen Shaw
Manitowoc CranesSE10 Creative
+1 33 472 182 061+1 44 (0)1892 549609
eliza.arnould@manitowoc.comshawi@se10.com
©2008 The Manitowoc Company, Inc.