A GMK6300L from Grove placed equipment on the roof of a hospital in New Zealand at an 82 m radius. The 300 t capacity crane, which features a class-leading 80 m main boom, was the only crane in the country capable of performing the lifts on the time-sensitive project at Tauranga Hospital on the country’s North Island.
As well as the long radius, time was a major challenge on the project. Hospital parking lots are not designed for six-axle all-terrain cranes, so a portion of the area surrounding the building had to be closed. This meant the team was given just ten hours to complete the job, ensuring disruption was kept to a minimum.
The Grove GMK6300L is owned by local crane rental company Pollock & Sons. The family-run business felt its 300 t crane was the best and only choice to complete the job and limit disruption, as Wayne Slater explains.
“Placing a few 500 kg objects on the roof of a six-story building doesn’t sound hard, but add the variables of a hospital, 10 hours and limited space, and suddenly you’re in a world of trouble,” he says. “But we confidently knew what the GMK6300L is capable of. We got set up in no time, made our lifts without a hitch and finished well within the time-frame.”
The GMK6300L was set up at the hospital in just 90 minutes. It was configured with 92.5 t of counterweight and a 21 m luffing jib extension, taking its reach to 101 m.
The equipment lifted onto the hospital’s roof included air-conditioning units and components to construct a cell phone antenna. The maximum load was 0.5 t. Once complete, the crane was de-rigged for travel in another 90 minutes.
The Grove GMK6300L’s maneuverability came into its own at the job site. Despite its massive capacity, the crane’s all-wheel steering gives it a minimal turning radius, which allowed the team to position it with ease in its precise location.
Following the success of the job, the hospital owner, Bay of Plenty District Health Board, has made a dedicated crane pad for the GMK6300L, making it easier for it to return and complete other jobs at the hospital.
Grove’s GMK6300L all-terrain crane is one of its most successful and popular cranes. Since it was first introduced in 2010, more than 120 units are now at work across the globe.
Established in 1965, Pollock & Sons Crane Hire is one of New Zealand’s leading lifting specialists. The company operates a 15-strong fleet of mobile and tower cranes, which it provides to projects across the North Island.