GSK55s find homes in Bavaria

Two German rental companies have added Grove's trailer-mounted GSK55 cranes to their fleets.

Klema Kranverleih from Munich and Kranprofis Allgäu from Pforzen, near Kaufbeuren, are both in the German state of Bavaria. They purchased the 55 tonne capacity cranes after Manitowoc staged a series of live product demonstrations at the end of 2011.

The GSK55 combines the upper works of a Grove GMK3055 all terrain crane with a specially-designed trailer chassis that allows it to be towed behind a standard truck tractor.

"The crane offers the strength of a 3-axle machine but the transport configuration of a standard truck. This means it avoids the time consuming travel permit process, making it a more versatile machine that can travel with greater freedom on the roads," said Wolfgang Klenner, Klema managing director.

The GSK55 can be towed with its full 43 m main boom and 10.6 tonnes of counterweight behins a standard 2-axle tractor, and still weigh less than 40 tonnes, said the manufacturer.

"This makes it a lower-weight crane, which is free to travel on all German roads without a special permit. In addition, the GSK55 is classified in Germany as a 'trailer-mounted work machine', meaning any truck towing it is exempt from road charges or taxes," added a Manitowoc spokesman.

Klema Kranverleih owns 30 truck mounted cranes based throughout southern Bavaria. Its fleet includes several Grove mobile cranes with capacities ranging from 40 to 300 tonnes capacity.

Kranprofis Allgäu specializes in the rental of construction cranes. Its range of Grove cranes offers capacities from 55 to 220 tonnes.