Two Grove five-axle cranes team up for bridge replacement job in New Zealand

New Zealand demolition specialist Nikau Group deployed its Grove GMK5250L and paired it up with a Grove GMK5250XL-1 from local rental company Ashton Crane Hire for a bridge project in the Auckland suburb of Albany.

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The cranes were used in tandem to lift and remove bridge beams of the old McClymonts Bridge over the busy State Highway 1.

Working side-by-side on the highway project, the two all-terrain cranes lifted six 23 m (75 ft) hollow core beams, each weighing up to 60 t (66 USt), over the course of several nights. For the job each crane was configured with 50 t (55 USt) of counterweight. Altogether, the cranes worked for nine nights on the project, carrying out two lifts per night. As the project was taking place over such a busy and important highway, all work had to be carried out during the night, Sunday to Thursday.

“Being the main highway, the road had to be open again by 4 am each day, no exceptions,” said John Paul Stil, director at Nikau Group. “The two Grove GMKs worked extremely efficiently so we could get on with our work. Once we had the heaviest beams out of the way we used our Grove GMK4090 for lifting the lighter beams.”

The Northern Corridor in Auckland is currently undergoing an upgrade, to provide better links for State Highway 1 travelers in Auckland and improve transport options on the North Shore. As part of this project, the old McClymonts Bridge has been replaced with a longer and wider bridge that was completed earlier this year. The Northern Corridor Improvement project is being run by a joint venture between construction supplier Fulton Hogan, construction company HEB Construction and the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA).

Strong and versatile

The 250 t (300 USt) capacity Grove GMK5250L is a powerful and versatile five-axle crane. It has an impressive 70 m (230 ft) seven-section main boom, along with a 21 m (69 ft) hydraulic luffing swingway jib, helping the crane to lift higher and reach further. For added versatility, the jib can take an 8 m (26 ft) boom extension, two 8 m (26 ft) jib inserts, or a combination of both for a total possible jib length of 37.3 m (122 ft).

At 78.5 m (257.5 ft), the GMK5250XL-1 has the longest main boom on five axles. Combining a 250 t (300 USt) capacity with excellent maneuverability, the crane can perform a multitude of jobs, ensuring high return on investment. With its single engine design and EUROMOT 5 emission levels, the all-terrain crane meets the latest regulations.

“The two 250 t GMKs have great lifting capabilities, even with 50 t (55 USt) of counterweight,” says John Paul Stil. “And frankly, it looked great having two Grove 250 t cranes on the project.”

Nikau Group has been serving the New Zealand building and construction industries since 1980, specializing in deconstruction and dismantling, demolition, earthworks and more. The family-owned company works on large-scale construction projects across its native New Zealand and the wider Asia-Pacific region.

Founded in 2015, Ashton Crane Hire provides a tailored service to New Zealand’s northern region crane hire market. The Grove GMK5250XL-1 is the biggest crane in the company’s fleet, and it also owns two GMK4100L-1 units.