Guay uses its Grove GMK6400 to lift a bridge girder at Rivière-à-Pierre.
Guay’s Grove GMK6400 overcomes icy weather to erect a wind turbine in Lac Alfred.
Grove recently passed a milestone, celebrating the sale of the 50th Grove GMK6400 all-terrain crane. One of those first 50 went to Quebec, Canada-based company Guay. Having had the crane for less than a year, Guay is putting it to the test on a variety of job sites across the country and reporting much success.
Guillaume Gagnon, vice-president, said the 400 t (450 USt) Grove GMK6400 is a versatile crane and is cutting the cost of doing business.
Among the many jobs Guay is using the crane for is a wind energy project in Lac Alfred. There, the company is repairing gearboxes on 80 m (262 ft) towers. Guay used the GMK6400’s Mega Wing Lift and luffing jib to lift the 29 t (32 USt) load at a radius of 27 m (90 ft). Guay credits the Mega Wing Lift and luffing jib attachments for securing a successful lift.
“We are now able to perform a lot of jobs we were doing in the past with our 500 t (600 USt) all-terrain cranes, but now we can use the GMK6400 with its capacity-enhancing attachments,” Gagnon said. “Because of this, we can be more competitive on our hourly rate and the cost of mobilization and demobilization, which allows our customers to save money on their projects.”
Another project Guay is using the GMK6400 for is to construct a new Walmart in Blainville. Using 55 m (179 ft) of boom at a 41 m (133 ft) radius, the company lifted construction materials in loads up to 16.3 t (18 USt). Gagnon said the capacity and reach of the GMK6400 made it ideal for the job, when in the past, the company might have had to use a much larger crane that took up more space on the job site.
“What is great about this crane is the strong capacity, especially with the Mega Wing Lift and optional luffing jib,” Gagnon said. “For example, we are able to replace our 300 t (350 t USt) all-terrain cranes on job sites with the GMK6400, which gives us more flexibility in our dispatching because it can handle a wider range of applications.”
And as another testament to the GMK6400’s diverse array of applications, Guay used it to help construct a bridge at Rivière-à-Pierre. There the crane lifted construction materials that weighed up to 31.3 t (35 USt) at a radius of 28 m (91 ft). Again, it was the reach and capacity of the GMK6400 that led to a successful lift.
The GMK6400 has a 60 m (197 ft) boom. When rigged with the luffing jib that extends from 25 m – 79 m (82 ft – 259 ft), the maximum tip height reaches 134 m (438 ft). With this setup, the crane can perform lifts no other six-axle, or even seven-axle crane, can currently achieve.
A single engine drive system on the GMK6400 drives both the carrier and superstructure. This reduces its overall weight and improves fuel economy. Manitowoc’s engineers reallocated the weight savings to other parts of the crane’s design, further boosting capacity.
Headquartered in Quebec City, Guay is a family-owned company that was started by Jean-Marc Baronet in 1964. The company is pleased that Baronet continues in his role as president. Guay specializes in crane rental, rigging and transport, and has one of the largest crane fleets in North America. With 15 branches, the company owns 550 cranes, ranging from 2 t (2 USt) to 1360 t (1500 USt).
Guay purchased its GMK6400 from Strongco, an Ontario-based seller and renter of industrial equipment for industries including construction, road building, mining and forestry. Strongco is one of Canada’s largest construction equipment distributors with an extensive network of branches across the country and in the northeastern U.S.