Netherlands training facility chooses Grove GMK3060-1 for new operators

• SOMA Training is one of many educational institutions that rely on Manitowoc to train industry newcomers on real cranes.

• The two-year-old Grove GMK3060-1, purchased used by SOMA Training, enables students to learn skills on an up-to-date model from one of the world’s most popular crane brands.

SOMA Training, a Dutch provider of lifting operations courses, has purchased a Grove GMK3060-1 for its mobile crane courses. With the all-terrain crane located at its facility in Harderwijk the organization is now able to train students from across the Netherlands in properly operating the very latest mobile crane technology.

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Replacing an older machine from a competitor brand, SOMA’s GMK3060-1 was built in 2020 and offers many advantages that are appreciated by instructors and students alike, according to Erik Baas, Manitowoc’s sales manager mobile cranes in the Netherlands.

“SOMA replaced its 35 t 2-axle crane with our 60 t capacity, 3-axle GMK, which more closely aligns with the trends and preferences in today’s rental market. This ensures new entrants into the industry will benefit from getting practical experience in a crane that’s closer to what they’ll eventually encounter in the real world. The crane is also fully compliant with the latest requirements, whether that’s Stage V engine emission standards or the latest EN13000 regulations. And, by incorporating our intuitive Crane Control System (CCS), it becomes much easier to understand and work with too.”

As good as new

Before being sold as a 'Manitowoc-approved' used crane, SOMA’s GMK3060-1 crane underwent a series of checks, repairs, and updates by the Manitowoc team. “We needed a modern crane that offered good lifting capacity and a long boom – and, with a 40 m main boom and 7 m jib, the nearly-new model clearly fitted the bill,” explains SOMA’s planning coordinator, Jeroen Boekelo. 

“It’s a perfect machine to train operators on, especially with the remote control for all crane functions. This makes it much easier for them to set up without any help. It’s almost as compact as a 2-axle crane too, but with the MEGATRAK independent suspension system, it rides more like a Grand Tourer! We are so happy with our new Grove crane – it’s a perfect fit for our needs.”

Strong support  

To provide aftermarket support for the crane, SOMA can rely on fast, direct support from a dedicated local team of Manitowoc service engineers based at the Company’s Breda facility. Manitowoc’s technical department also handles the servicing of the Potain MCT 78 acquired by SOMA in 2013, which continues to be used on a daily basis for tower crane operator training.  

The organization provides a wide range of courses for the maritime, offshore, infrastructure, and lifting sectors. Courses include official educational programs covering theoretical and practical operations enabling operators of mobile telescopic cranes, crawler cranes, and self-erecting, and top-slewing tower cranes to acquire the mandatory Dutch crane operator’s license.

Having been a leading provider of training services for over 70 years, and now operating from a 27-hectare site, SOMA is one of many such institutions around the world to rely on using Manitowoc cranes to bring through the next generation of operators – or ensure that experienced operators remain up to date with evolving technologies and regulations.