Adelaide’s Fleurieu Cranes recently took delivery of a 60 tonne capacity Grove GMK3060L-1. This is the second 60t Grove ordered by the company and the fifth Grove in its fleet. Fleurieu Cranes’ Business Development Manager Chris Leane explains more.
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“We took delivery of our first Grove GMK3060L-1 mid last year and it has proved to be a very versatile addition to the fleet. It is ideally suited for sites with tight tolerances and with the three axles and long boom it suits our type of work really well.
“The first Grove GMK3060L-1 was mobilised to work on the Project Energyconnect Interconnector for three months. It assisted on some of the fouudation works and civil works for the transmission tower. With the first crane being so busy, we were keen to have a second to help with the work we have around Adelaide, like lifting pools and spas into peoples’ backyards, and we’ve got some structural steel work for it too. The second Grove was commissioned in mid-March and went straight out to work,” said Chris.
The GMK3060L-1 combines compact dimensions with strong lifting capacities and long reach, thanks to the 48m, six-section MEGAFORM boom. With its additional 15m long hydraulic luffing fly jib, the Grove all-terrain crane can reach over obstacles easily.
The GMK3060L-1’s Hydraulic Luffing Jib load charts are impressive, starting at a 0 degree boom angle and going out to 40 degrees, controlled from the cab – which is extremely useful in applications with tight tolerances. The large storage space with three storage boxes on the crane itself and the extensive storage compartment in the vehicle frame allows all sorts of crane accessories to be brought along without issue and these have also received positive feedback.
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It is the most compact crane in the 60t class: In addition to having the shortest overall length and the lowest height, it also scores top marks for the smallest tail swing.
The new carrier cab has a modern design, which meets the latest crash-test requirements in Europe, and is ECE R29-3 approved.
Crane operators benefit from increased space within the cab, while the overall compact dimensions of the all-terrain cranes remain unchanged.
Within a 2.55m width, Manitowoc accommodates plenty of features in the interior. Practical compartments in the dashboard, between the seats and integrated into the vehicle’s doors, offer ample space to store loose items and documents – even in A4 format. There is further storage space between the driver and passenger seat.
The cab interior also incorporates cup holders and USB ports that allow mobile phones and other electronic devices to be charged. An ergonomic driver’s seat with air suspension, armrests and seat heating comes as standard.
User-friendliness and driver ergonomics were the priorities in the development of the new generation of Grove carrier cabs, so an understanding of operators’ day-to-day work conditions was essential to the process.
The new carrier cab has a modern design, which meets the latest crash-test requirements in Europe, and is ECE R29-3 approved.
The CCS (Crane Control System) can be reached comfortably from a seated position and has been ergonomically integrated into the cab. The intuitive interface makes the operator’s job much easier as the most frequently used settings, such as chassis level and axle locking, can be selected via the CCS. Different drive modes can also be chosen via the CCS screen. As all CCS displays offer the same layout and navigation throughout the GMK model range, it is easy for operators to switch from one Grove all-terrain crane to another.
The purchase of the second Grove GMK3060L-1 is a key element of Fleurieu Crane’s strategy of renewing the fleet to provide customers with new equipment featuring the latest technology and environmental advancements.
“In environmental terms, the 60t Grove ticks a number of boxes especially when it comes to emissions. And again, the small footprint is really important being the shortest overall length and a low driving height makes it ideal for getting around new housing estates, for example, where they are packing them in a lot tighter than they have done,” said Chris.
Chris goes on to discuss the relationship with the team at Manitowoc.
“Grove and Fleurieu Cranes have a long-standing relationship. We have multiple Groves in the fleet ranging from the 60t through to our 400t capacity Grove GMK6400,” he said.
“The support we receive from the Grove team is excellent. There’s always a couple of teething issues with the first of a new model and particularly more so for us understanding and learning about that model. But the team have always been there for us. It’s a long-standing relationship, which is going to continue and blossom as they continue to bring out new cranes with the latest technology and features including lower emissions.”
Reducing carbon footprints and focusing on a sustainable future are key topics for Fleurieu Cranes.
“As a business we made a decision to partner with Trees for Life and today we offset 100 per cent of fuel burn carbon emissions from all our cranes, trucks and vehicles,” said Chris.
“The way we achieve this is we contribute money to Trees for Life and they plant trees across the country. We’ve chosen this initiative because we want to lead the industry in this regard and not be pushed by government to do it,” said Chris.
“We’ve also focused on the sustainability of our depot, installing an extensive rainwater tank system which enables us to run predominantly on rainwater, and we have installed a massive solar panel system which enables us to run almost completely on solar generated power.
“We are looking to invest again and install large industrial batteries which will help in our quest to get completely off the grid. For now, our fleet runs on diesel, and we installed our own diesel fuelling station to further reduce our carbon footprint.
“We are ISO 14001 certified and a key element the standard are the Environmental Management Systems we have in place,” said Chris. “We are doing everything we can to lower our carbon footprint and being ISO14001 certified is very, very important to us. We will examine anything that will help the environment and Trees for Life is a very strong initiative for us.”.