The cranes operated under a stringent height restriction of 25 meters to meticulously position a 22-ton substation. The two Grove GMK5150XL all-terrain cranes, owned by Southern Cranes & Access, successfully executed two similar operations at the airport in recent months. A key factor in selecting these cranes was their capacity to transport substantial counterweights while adhering to the UK's axle load regulations.
Significant engineering work near the main control tower at London Gatwick Airport proceeded without disrupting flight operations, thanks to the deployment of two Grove GMK5150XL mobile cranes from Southern Cranes & Access.
Clive Sadler, Director of Southern Cranes & Access, elaborated on the rationale behind choosing the Grove cranes for the substation installation:
“Our objective was to complete all operations beneath a 25-meter height to avoid necessitating a suspension of aircraft movements. Given that the substation features eight lifting points, utilizing a single crane would have required an additional longitudinal spreader beam. Therefore, it was prudent to distribute the load across two cranes. We opted for the GMK5150XL models due to their impressive counterweight capacity (30.9 tons within a 16.5-ton per-axle limit), allowing us to minimize the need for extra support vehicles, ultimately saving both time and costs. Additionally, the cranes boast a compact footprint and present a visually appealing profile in our new livery," he stated.
All personnel from Southern Cranes & Access on-site were required to possess full accreditation from Gatwick Airport prior to the lift. Furthermore, the GMK5150XL cranes underwent rigorous screening before being granted access through a designated security gate.
Before the installation, Southern Cranes & Access retrieved the substation from the B&S Group factory, where it was equipped with Schneider electronic systems for UK Power Networks. The transport of the 22-ton module, along with supplementary steel legs, stairs, and walkways, was conducted under escort due to its 4.1-meter width (measuring 12.8 meters in length and 3.6 meters in height). As the substation exceeded the width limit for the standard security gate, alternative arrangements were necessary to utilize a different gate and escort the substation along the main taxiway amidst aircraft movements.
Despite the complexities involved in this project, the installation was successfully completed without any incidents and adhered to the established schedule. This marks the third such installation that Southern Cranes & Access has accomplished at Gatwick Airport in recent months.
Established in 1997, Southern Cranes & Access is a family-owned business specializing in mobile crane hire, contract lifting, and powered access solutions, serving the southern regions of the UK, including Sussex, Surrey, Berkshire, Hampshire, and London, along with the surrounding areas.
ABOUT THE MANITOWOC COMPANY, INC.
The Manitowoc Company was founded in 1902 and has over a 120-year tradition of providing high-quality, customer-focused products and aftermarket support services to its markets. Manitowoc is one of the world's leading providers of engineered lifting solutions. Manitowoc, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, markets, distributes, and supports comprehensive product lines of mobile hydraulic cranes, lattice-boom crawler cranes, boom trucks, and tower cranes under the Aspen Equipment, Grove, Manitowoc, MGX Equipment Services, National Crane, Potain, and Shuttlelift brand names.
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