Manitowoc has introduced two new all-terrain cranes in the 90t and 80t class, the Grove GMK4090 and the GMK4080-2, for the global market.
According to the company, the new taxi cranes feature a modern, compact design that puts emphasis on roadability and manoeuvrability. They are built in response to customer demand for lightweight, flexible taxi cranes in the respective capacity classes, representing a generational upgrade over the previous GMK4080-1/GMK4100B, a popular all-terrain crane in Europe due to its versatility in applications, especially with rental companies.
While the GMK4090 will be released globally, the GMK4080-2 will not be available in all, said the company in a statement.
Andreas Cremer, global product director of Grove all-terrain cranes, said the GMK4090 and the GMK4080-2 models are essentially the same crane, but the latter carries less counterweight to match the load chart of its predecessor, the GMK4080-1/GMK4100B.
“The GMK4090 has been designed with flexibility and manoeuvrability as main focuses,” he said. “With its best-in-class taxi load chart and compact footprints, this crane will be ideal for a variety of jobs, such as general construction and plant maintenance work. Various counterweight options also give it versatility in roading, which can increase efficiency and return on investment for many owners.”
The GMK4090 offers a 51m, six-section MEGAFORM boom that utilises Grove’s TWIN-LOCK pinning system. Boosting its overall reach is a 9/15 m bi-fold swing-away jib that can be extended with a 6m boom extension for a total jib length of 21m.
The new taxi model also offers excellent roadability and travel features, says Manitowoc. The GMK4090 can travel with a maximum 18.3t counterweight. Within the most widely prevalent per axle weight of 12t, it can transport up to 9.1t to the job site without the need for an additional transport truck. The result is a taxi crane with a strong capacity that can keep transport costs low, said the statement.
The GMK4090 also crane features compact dimensions, with a narrow 2.55m width to access and manoeuvre within tight job sites. It has a minimum tailswing of 3.53m so it stays within the maximum outrigger width. The GMK4090 also offers the new MAXbase feature as an option, a variable outrigger setting that gives the crane more setup flexibility on the job site, especially when erecting it on irregular ground.
Manitowoc’s statement added that the new crane also features the company’s Crane Control System (CCS) operating interface that has now been standardised across its crane offerings and is featured on every new model.
“We spoke to many customers when designing this new crane to fully understand their needs and desires for cranes in this class,” Cremer explained. “When seeking to replace the very popular GMK4080-1/GMK4100B, we had to ensure that the GMK4090 would be extremely versatile in travel, set up and lifting options. This is The Manitowoc Way in action, and the result is a new crane that should help crane owners increase efficiency and utilization in their fleets.”
