German crane rental company Gebr Markewitsch has received the 50th GMK6400 produced by Grove. The company took delivery of the 400 t capacity all-terrain crane last month. It immediately went to work, lifting pre-fabricated steel bridge sections, weighing 40 t and measuring 18 m long, at a job site near Nuremberg.
The Grove GMK6400’s applications are growing continually and owners report that it easily complies with all of Germany’s roading regulations, which makes the crane a great addition to any rental fleet as Wolfgang Markewitsh, managing director of Gebr Markewitsch, explains.
“The deciding factor to purchase this crane was its universal applicability and its easy roadability in Germany,” he says. “With an excellent load chart and numerous industry-leading features, the Grove GMK6400 is clearly the most innovative crane in its class. Having now completed its first job, which took just two days, we are convinced it is the best crane for our business.”
The Grove GMK6400’s overall weight fits within German road laws, which allows Gebr Markewitsch to dispatch it to a wide variety of jobs quickly and efficiently, without having to worry about regional licensing laws. Several innovative features on the crane contribute to its weight-saving design, including a new single-engine concept and aluminum wheels.
The GMK6400 is the only crane in its class to feature a 12 x 8 drivetrain and wider 16.00R25 tires while still remaining within allowable weight limits. Wider tires are preferred as they reduce ground-bearing pressure, which is particularly helpful when moving the crane on site with up to 95 t of counterweight. They also improve traction.
“Many cranes in this class are severely overweight – but with Grove, you get what you see, and our GMK6400 is well within all relevant road laws and limits,” adds Dieter Popp, regional sales manager at Manitowoc.
The Grove GMK6400 also features all-wheel steer and the MegaDrive hydrostatic drive system, which allows it to travel under four-wheel drive, reducing fuel consumption, without adding excess weight.
To ensure owners get the most out of their Grove GMK6400, operators take part in an intense week-long training session. Conducted by Manitowoc, the training is a mix of classroom work and practical, on-site tests. Peter Gress, the regular GMK6400 driver at Gebr Markewitsch, said the course was invaluable.
“To get the most out of this truly unique crane, we needed the best training,” he says. “The five-day program was a great way to learn about every aspect of the crane and prepare us for its first job in an enjoyable and informative way. The guys from Manitowoc have done a truly great job - our thanks especially to the field test guys at Prüfplatztruppe.”
With sales of the GMK6400 racing to, and now surpassing, the 50 mark in just a year since its launch, the crane is firmly established as one of the most popular in the Grove line up. It offers a 60 m boom that can be extended to 134 m with a luffing jib. In that configuration, it can perform lifts not possible with any other six-axle, or even seven-axle crane.
Based in Nuremberg, Gebr Markewitsch is a family-owned transport and lifting specialist. The Grove GMK6400 is one of the largest cranes in the company’s fleet of more than 40 cranes.
Gebr Markewitsch’s other managing director, Robert Markewitsch, celebrated his 60th birthday around the time of the Grove GMK6400’s arrival. Grove presented the crane labelled with “RMK6060” to mark the occasion.
“It’s definitely the biggest birthday present I’ve ever received,” said Robert.