Manitowoc has launched the GMK6300L truck mounted crane and MCi 48C tower crane in India
US-based Manitowoc entered India with the acquisition of Shirke’s construction equipment business in the year 2007. The acquired assets included a manufacturing facility at Pune, which continues to make tower cranes under the Potain brand for Manitowoc. Potain, for the record, is one of the most popular tower crane brands the world over. Apart from the Pune facility, Manitowoc, whose history dates back to 1902, also has a working relationship with TIL (Tractors India) of Kolkata. Among the various businesses that TIL is into, one involves the manufacture of mobile cranes under licence from Manitowoc – the Grove brand of mobile cranes to be precise. Through TIL, Manitowoc has launched the Grove GMK6300L mobile crane in India. Having gained in popularity over two years after the mobile crane was launched in various markets in the world, the India launch of the Grove GMK6300L aligns with the sale of two units. Both the cranes have been bought by Mumbai-based Shri Dinesh Cranes.
Powered by a 551hp Mercedes Benz OM502LA 8 cylinder, water-cooled, turbocharged diesel engine, the Grove GMK6300L comes with a seven-section, full-power Megaform boom with twin-lock pinning. A 286hp Mercedes-Benz OM926LA, 6 cylinder water cooled, turbocharged diesel engine powering the superstructure, the crane offers a class-leading boom length of 80m lets the crane tackle jobs where similar cranes would need to rig a jib.
The patented, independent, six-axle Megatrak suspension system of the 300-tonne capacity mobile crane enables it to navigate even the toughest of job site terrains. The versatility of this crane has resulted in an order of 100 deliveries within two years of its launch in various markets of the world. The 100th GMK6300L was sold to German crane and lifting company Firmengruppe Ziegler in December 2012, and has already completed its first job.
Considered as one of the most advanced machines to come out of the Groove mobile crane business vertical of Manitowoc, the second GMK6300L bought by Shri Dinesh Cranes will go to work on a range of projects immediately. The projects include refinery shutdowns and tower crane erections.
With tower cranes replacing manual labour, the launch of the MCi 48C tower crane in India aims at addressing the mid-level construction jobs. The MCi 48C is expected to leverage the popularity gained by the MCi 85 A tower crane the company has been making in India for a while now. The MCi 48C, in fact, adds to the range of tower cranes the company makes in India apart from the MCi 85 A. These include the MC 120, MC 175 B and the MC 205. Maximum capacity for the MCi 48C is 2.5 tonne. The crane will lift 1 tonne out to its maximum jib end of 36m. Freestanding working height for the crane can be up to 34.7m, but it can climb much higher with its telescoping cage. The mast is 1.2 m x 1.2 m, and hoisting power comes from a 15 PC 13-5, which can raise 2.5 tonne at up to 21 m/min, or 1.3 tonne at up to 42 m/min.
Speaking at the launch of MCi 48C in Mumbai, Raman Joshi, Managing Director, Manitowoc Cranes India, said, “Tower cranes is still a new trend in India. We are the first mover for tower cranes, and the first to make them in India.” “While tower crane growth will come from the increase in use of pre-cast structures, it is cranes like MCi 48C, which will take mechanisation to smaller projects,” he added.
While Mr Joshi drew attention to the fact that the MCi 48C will enable the crane company to make money, Raymond Tang, regional product manager for tower cranes, mentioned that anticipated work levels in India should make the new Potain popular.
Having set up a training centre at the Pune plant to train crane operators in an effort to ensure cost effective and safe operation as well as proper maintenance, the company has received good inquires in the first two months of 2013. The year 2012 was a dull year, more activity starting to show at the end of the calendar year. Reflecting on the Asia Pacific region for the year 2012, Gilles Martin, Executive Vice President, Asia Pacific, said, “Manitowoc has a good year.” Admitting that the market sentiment in China was weak in 2012, Mr Martin mentioned that it were the markets of USA, Latin America and Africa, which helped the company perform admirably. Admirably enough to surprise the stock market with the results.
Stressing on the strategy of Manitowoc to identify pockets of growth, and worked towards them, Mr Martin expressed that mining, oil & gas, and infrastructure markets are going strong in the Asia Pacific region. Working towards expanding the operations of Crane Care, the service arm of the company in India, Manitowoc, at the upcoming Bauma show at Munich, Germany, in April this year, will unveil the MLC 165 lattice-boom crawler crane. Designed for global markets, this crane will have a lifting capacity of 165-ton, and an 84m boom. Easy to assemble, and disassemble, this crane will have a luffing jib arrangement option. Power is expected to come from either a 224kW Cummins Tier III engine, or a 239kW Cummins Euromot 3B engine, depending on the market.
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