Grove launches new lifting technology

Manitowoc's new Grove GTK1100 is a new concept in lifting engineering. With its specially-developed wheeled mobile carrier, vertical telescopic mast and a luffing telescopic boom at its top, the GTK was designed to maximize lifting capacity at height, while offering a lower cost of operation compared to existing technologies, Grove said.

The design offers benefits for work on wind farms, refineries, power plants, petrochemical facilities or anywhere space is at a premium, the company said. It is designed to need little space for erection and can be transported to site on four trailers - against as many as 25 trailers for other cranes with similar lifting capabilities, Grove said.

Manitowoc Crane Group based the GTK1100's primary carrier on a standard semi-trailer design. The vertical tower unit consists of a six-section telescopic mast that extends up to 266 feet. Four spreaders at the top of the mast attach by pendant links to four outriggers at the base of the crane for stability. Mounted at the top of the vertical tower is a telescopic luffing boom. When fully extended, the GTK1100 will have a maximum lift height of over 459 feet. Final specifications have yet to be confirmed, but initial tests suggest the crane will lift loads of more than 77 tons up to 394 feet.