18.03.2009

New Grove City crane

The ‘unknown’ three axle ‘City’ All Terrain crane that our readers spotted last August in Germany was in fact a prototype for Grove’s new 45 tonne GCK3045.

Details are still sparse, but the Kobelco-built City crane features a six section, 34 metre main boom with a heavy-duty bi-fold swingaway jib. Power is supplied by a Hino engine and it has 12 tonne axle loads. The unit is due for unveiling at the Intermat exhibition in April.
Please register to see all images

The Grove GCK3045

Grove parent, Manitowoc already has OEM agreements with Kobelco to market its small crawler cranes in Europe, under the Manitowoc badge, while Kobelco has agreements with Grove to market its GMK 5130 and GMK 6300 All Terrain cranes in Japan. Kobelco launched its first City crane – the RK70M - in 1989.

More details of this new crane will appear in the Vertikal Intermat Guide, with a detailed review in the next issue of Cranes&Access

Vertikal Comment

Terex Demag has had the European City crane market virtually to itself over the past few years, although Liebherr has its 55 tonne LTC1055-3.1, - but with hydrostatic drive it is better suited to specialist industrial type lifting applications or crane rental work over shorter distances than many rental companies like to work.

Japanese manufacturers have a strong reputation for designing and building practical, reliable small City cranes. If the New Kobelco built machine is built along the same lines, it is likely to prove to be a winner and the deal will prove to be a coup for Manitowoc.

No matter what happens this new product will unquestionably re kindle interest in larger City type All Terrain cranes.