Manitowoc invests in welding facility

Crane manufacturer Manitowoc has invested in new welding technology at its Wilhelmshaven facility in Germany.

The investment included a new laser-hybrid welding and cutting machine. The new equipment helps reduce the need for filler material by up to 120 kg on a 60 m boom, the manufacturer said. The new welding system for booms replaces the previous submerged-arc welding unit.

Michael Hüneke, welding director at Manitowoc in EMEA, said, “To our knowledge, this factory is the only one in the mobile crane industry to use this cutting-edge welding technology – and we are very proud of it.

“The advantages are immediately obvious. For example, we do much less manipulation of the steel prior to forming the boom, which is better for maintaining and prolonging the structural integrity of the steel we use. It also uses less material than before and is much faster, because we need to do less preparation before starting to weld.”

One of the latest companies to purchase a GMK crane with a boom cut from the new laser welding set-up is Germany-based crane rental company Tecra, a subsidiary of Klema. The model, a GMK5095, was delivered earlier this year.

Wolfgang Klenner, Klema general manager, said, “In comparison with other crane models, the Grove GMK5095 offers significantly higher capacity. And since the boom is longer than most it gives us a clear competitive advantage. Here in Munich precise compliance with weight limits is crucial, so when you’ve got a boom that’s been as highly engineered as this latest one on our GMK5095 you can see tangible benefits in terms of weight and design.”

Sven Bauer, Klema Group technical manager, said, “The extremely high finish quality of Grove cranes is emphasised with this new process. Manitowoc assembles its cranes after applying the topcoat, which gives them a lasting high-quality style, distinguishing them from cranes that receive their topcoat post-assembly.”