Manitowoc made its mark at the 2013 Crane Industry Council of Australia (CICA) conference in September. The company launched the 400 t capacity Grove GMK6400 all-terrain crane in Australia at the event. The crane was the largest machine at the show and was setup alongside a 100 t capacity Grove GMK4100.
CICA, which took place in Tasmania from 11 through 13 September, combines an outdoor crane display, a two-day speaker conference and a crane exhibition. Ingo Schiller, EVP of Manitowoc Crane Care, participated in the conference and sat on the manufacturer’s panel at the event.
“Despite a recent slowdown in mining, Australia remains a key market for us,” says Schiller. “LPG projects are still ongoing, which is off-setting the relatively flat general construction market. We are also hopeful that new government investment in infrastructure will kick start growth once again.”
Among the key topics discussed at CICA were Manitowoc’s use of a unique single-engine concept on the GMK6400, the latest environmental and inspection standards in Australia, and future cranes under development.
The GMK6400 at CICA was used in a special safety demonstration by a professional safety company to show how to rescue someone from a man basket.
Grove’s GMK6400 offers the best lifting capability of any six-axle mobile crane and includes a self-rigging Mega Wing Lift capacity-enhancing attachment. Main boom on the GMK6400 is 60 m and when working with its luffing jib, the crane can perform lifts no other six-axle or even seven-axle crane can currently achieve.
The GMK4100L is a four-axle, 100 t capacity all-terrain crane with a 60 m boom, which can be extended to 77 m with a jib.
The Crane Industry Council of Australia (CICA) is the leading national body for the crane and lifting industry in Australia.