Gaffert goes long with Grove GMK5250XL-1 in Amsterdam

• Dutch crane rental company Gaffert called on one of its Grove GMK5250XL-1 cranes for a challenging high-rise lift on a prestigious office development.
• The crane’s class-leading boom and jib capabilities meant it was the ideal choice for the work.

Dutch crane and transport company Gaffert called in its long-boom Grove GMK5250XL-1 for some delicate high-rise lifting work in the Dutch capital, Amsterdam. The crane was the perfect choice for the precise placement of new glass panels at the Edge, an office development once dubbed ‘The Smartest Building in the World’.

To install new panels in the spectacular glass atrium at the top of the building, the GMK5250XL-1 was rigged with its full main boom of 78.5 m, the 17.8 m hydraulic bi-fold swingaway jib, and an additional 8 m jib extension. Working with 70 t of counterweight, the crane lifted multiple glass panels, each weighing 600 kg, at a radius of 78 m. During the lift, the main boom was set at 45º, while the hydraulic jib was positioned at 50º.  

Thanks to its class‑leading boom length and flexible jib, the GMK5250XL‑1 proved to be the ideal solution for the job. Its unique combination of reach, capacity, and precise control allowed Gaffert to carry out the installation efficiently — despite the challenging lift conditions and the high-profile nature of the project.

“The Grove GMK5250XL-1 was the only crane for this job. It’s got a 78.5 m main boom, the longest on a 250 t capacity crane, and we were able to use it with the hydraulic luffing jib, which we offset to its maximum 50º, providing a unique combination of capabilities. Positioning glass panels on the roof of such a prestigious development adds pressure, but we had complete confidence in our GMK5250XL-1, and it delivered excellent performance again,” said Theo Gaffert, owner and director of Gaffert.

Gaffert’s Grove GMK5250XL-1 has featured on multiple long-reach projects, including a similarly challenging job at another Amsterdam office development. The GMK5250XL-1 is the strongest 250 t crane on five axles. Maximum tip height can be extended up to 109 m, and the crane is packed with Grove’s trademark technologies, including MEGATRAK® suspension, a 78.5 m boom with MEGAFORM® shaping and TWIN-LOCK® pinning, Grove CONNECT™ telematics, and the MAXbase™ variable outrigger system for greater on-site flexibility.

Power for both the carrier and the superstructure comes from a Mercedes-Benz OM471LA engine rated at 390 kW, capable of running on regular diesel or HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil). Despite its power and reach, the crane offers compact working and traveling dimensions, with an outrigger base measuring 9 m x 7.8 m and a traveling footprint of 15.6 m x 2.99 m.

The crane was supplied to Gaffert via the Manitowoc facility in Breda, the Netherlands, which also provides a range of customer support options, including parts, service, maintenance, training, and EnCORE™ rebuilds and refurbishments.

Gaffert is a Dutch crane rental and transport company based in Veghel, the Netherlands, and has been in business since 1938.

CONTACT

Anna Theilen    
Marketing Communication Specialist
Manitowoc    
T +49 4421 294 4632
anna.theilen@manitowoc.com