Gaffert chooses Grove crane to install glass panels on The Edge

Dutch crane and transport company Gaffert called in its long-boom Grove GMK5250XL-1 for some delicate high-rise lifting work in the Dutch capital of Amsterdam.

The all terrain crane was chosen for the precise placement of new glass panels at the Edge, an office development once dubbed ‘The Smartest Building in the World’.

A Grove GMK5250XL-1 works with full main boom and 25.8 meters of luffing jib to position glass panels on an office development in Amsterdam.

To install new panels in the spectacular glass atrium at the top of the building, the GMK5250XL-1 was rigged with its full main boom of 78.5 metres, the 17.8 metre hydraulic bi-fold swingaway jib, and an additional 8 metre jib extension.

Working with 70 tonnes of counterweight, the crane lifted multiple glass panels, each weighing 600 kg, at a radius of 78 metres. During the lift, the main boom was set at 45 degrees,, while the hydraulic jib was positioned at 50 degrees. The GMK5250XL-1 proved to be the ideal solution for the job because of its unique combination of reach, capacity, and precise control, Manitowoc said.

The choice

Gaffert carried out the installation efficiently, despite challenging lift conditions and the high-profile nature of the project, the company said.

“The Grove GMK5250XL-1 was the only crane for this job. It’s got a 78.5 metre main boom, the longest on a 250 tonne capacity crane, and we were able to use it with the hydraulic luffing jib, which we offset to its maximum 50 degrees, providing a unique combination of capabilities. Positioning glass panels on the roof of such a prestigious development adds pressure, but we had complete confidence in our GMK5250XL-1, and it delivered excellent performance again,” said Theo Gaffert, owner and director.

Gaffert’s Grove GMK5250XL-1 has featured on multiple long-reach projects, including a similarly challenging job at another Amsterdam office development.

The GMK5250XL-1 is the strongest 250 tonne crane on five axles, according to Manitowoc. Maximum tip height can be extended up to 109 metres, and the crane is packed with Grove’s trademark technologies, including MegaTrak suspension, a 78.5 metre boom with MegaForm shaping and Twin-Lock  pinning, Grove Connect  telematics, and the Maxbase variable outrigger system for greater on-site flexibility.

Power for both the carrier and the superstructure comes from a six cylinder inline Mercedes-Benz OM471LA engine rated at 390 kW, capable of running on regular diesel or HVO (hydrogenated vegetable oil). Despite its power and reach, the crane offers compact working and traveling dimensions, with an outrigger base 9 x 7.8 metres and a travelling footprint of 15.6 x 2.99 metres.

The crane was supplied to Gaffert via the Manitowoc facility in Breda, Netherlands. Gaffert is a Dutch crane rental and transport company based in Veghel, Netherlands, and has been in business since 1938.