VIDEO: Grove GCK3045 and TMC540 mobiles get UK launch
08 July 2009
A pair of new Grove wheeled mobile telescopic cranes have been launched to the UK market. The GCK3045 city type and the truck mounted TMC540 were shown to 50 prospective buyers at a customer day held at the new Manitowoc UK facility in Buckinghamshire north west of London.
Both the 45 tonne capacity GCK and the 40 tonne capacity TMC were shown for the first time at the Intermat exhibition in Paris in April.
The three axle GCK3045 has a 34 m boom and is described by Manitowoc as a city crane that "will open up new jobs for customers in a wide range of city centre and indoor industrial projects." It is the first Grove city crane and will be offered for sale in Europe.
"We are very excited to launch this crane, which has been developed in partnership with Kobelco Cranes," said Neil Hollingshead, Manitowoc global product manager for all terrain cranes and rough terrain cranes.
Like other city class models the GCK3045 has a single cab and "boom down" design. Optional is a 6.3/10.2 m "twist" jib that attaches by elevating the boom and giving the jib a twist before bolting into position. It can be done by one person and within the crane's 2.55 m width. Size is important for operation on confined city job sites. The GCK3045 is 9.07 m long and 3 m tall.
Power is from a six cylinder 330 kW diesel in the carrier. Maximum travel speed is 80 km/h. It can travel under 12 tonnes per axle with full counterweight.
The 40 tonne capacity TMC540 mounted on a four axle Scania truck is a European version of the TM 500 E2 sold in the US.
The model for Europe has the longer (31 m) box boom of the two options available on the US version. Total weight fully equipped and with full counterweight comes in under 32 tonnes to allow unrestricted and permit-free road travel in Europe.
At the UK launch event a presentation was also made of the new Crane Star asset management system soon to be standard equipment on Manitowoc cranes. The customer day also served to introduce the new Manitowoc UK headquarters that opened in late 2008. It consolidates the UK operation at one central location. Existing facilities in Uxbridge, Middlesex and Sunderland were closed.
