Refinery renovation was the first job for the five-axle, 130t (143 USt) capacity machine. Work involved a variety of lifting duties including the installation of new exchangers, valves, catalyst bins, heaters, and flare stacks.

The GMK5130-1 has a six-section main boom that reaches up to 60m (197ft), a 10m (36ft) hydraulic offsetting jib and a counterweight of 40t (44 USt). According to Manitowoc, this made it ideal for hauling 27.2t (30 USt) exchangers compared to other five-axle all-terrains.

Texas oil company Western Refining controls the refinery and hired local construction firm, James & Luther Contractors, to manage refurbishment work. This company, in turn, called in Energy Transportation, which has more than 20 cranes serving the midwest, eastern and western US, primarily the Rocky Mountain region, as well as Canada and Mexico.

Manitowoc explained: “A job such as the Western refinery renovation is quite common for the company, despite the distance between Casper and El Paso being nearly 1,609 km (1,000 miles).”

Dan McGlade, president of Energy Transportation, added: “Anyone who works in the construction and lifting industries will tell you that transporting large mobile cranes over long distances in the US can be a problem, with restrictions varying from state to state. However, transporting this machine posed no such problem. It travels well and has proved to be much less of a liability where roading is concerned than other machines.”

Besides the GMK5130-1 model, Energy Transportation used nine other MCG products at the El Paso site. Its fleet of MCG products comprised a variety of truck, rough-terrain, crawler, and all-terrain units (see table). These cranes were chosen to work at the refinery because of their versatility, dimensions, and reach. The heaviest load lifted on site was a 42m (140ft), 29.4t (32.4 USt) flare stack, which was picked by a 209t (230 USt) Manitowoc Model 888 crawler crane.

Meanwhile, MCG products are helping build a new processing plant in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. Engineering specialist, Sigdo Koppers has been employed by main contractor BARA to build the new facility for state-owned mining producer, Codelco (Corporación National del Cobre de Chile).

Working at Chuquicamata Mine, 2,870m (9,416ft) above sea level, are a variety of MCG products, including: Grove rough-terrain models 58D; 530E; 530DXL; 760E; 855B; 875 and 9100, plus two GMK4090 all terrains; two Manitowoc Model 4100W crawlers; and two Potain tower cranes, an MC 85B and a GTA 82.

The Potain MC 85B tower crane, has helped erect a steel conical-shaped structure that will be used to stockpile ore. This crane boasts a 1.3t (1.4 USt) capacity at a maximum radius of 50m (164ft), and a maximum capacity of 3.9t (4.3 USt) at a 20m (65.6ft) radius.

The Grove GMK4090-1, rigged with offset lattice jibs, has an 80t (90 USt) capacity, 43.2m (142 ft) boom length, and electronic in-cab lifting data.

Equipment manager Jose Luis Chapa, said: “This crane’s combination of boom, coupled with a jib that can reach up to 27m (88.6ft), played a critical role in helping erect steel. We’re on schedule because of those two cranes.”