Grove truck mounted crane launched in Russia

Manitowoc introduced the Grove GBT35 truck mounted crane at the 2011 CTT construction equipment exhibition in Moscow, Russia.

The locally-assembled truck crane has a 35 tonne capacity and a 39 metre, five-section full-power boom. This is 3 m longer than the nearest competitor and 8 m longer than most cranes in its class, claimed the manufacturer.

"Cranes in this capacity class are designed for reliability, easy operation and productivity. We looked at each key factor and manufactured a crane that sets the benchmark in Russia," said Guillaume Van Hoeck, EMEA business manager for truck cranes at Manitowoc.

Manitowoc launched the crane in conjunction with Global Cranes, one of its Russian dealers. Global Cranes will assemble and sell the crane for Manitowoc in the Moscow area. The GBT35 combines a Grove upper works with a locally-built Volvo truck carrier. The truck also uses standard tyres and does not require a special permit to travel on Russian highways.

The crane has a 58 m maximum tip height with jib extensions. It uses Grove's Easy Glide boom wear pads. The pads reduce boom chatter and vibration for smoother crane operation.

Oleg Sokolov, Manitowoc sales manager for mobile cranes in Russia, said the company worked hard to manufacture a crane appropriate for the region. "Russia is one of the world's largest truck crane markets and customers have a strong opinion about what these cranes should offer," Sokolov said. "We worked hard, studied the market and talked with customers about their needs."

Features include a PAT load moment indicator and ergonomic cab with large glass area for better visibility. The operator can also control the swing speed of the crane by adjusting a dial on the swing motor brake release valve.