Bong-Hwang goes to work in South Korea

South Korean contractor Bong-Hwang has taken delivery of a Grove GMK5250XL-1 all terrain crane, following a handover ceremony at the Manitowoc factory in Wilhelmshaven, Germany earlier this year.

The new GMK5250XL-1 joins a GMK5120L in the Bong-Hwang fleet. (Photo: Manitowoc)

The 250 tonne capacity crane was purchased with several optional features, including a 17.8 metre bi-fold swingaway jib, self-rigging auxiliary hoist, and a boom removal kit.

First job

The new five axle crane has been dispatched to its first job, installing 3 tonne precast concrete slabs at a new chemical plant for industrial giant Han-Hwa in Eumseong, about 100 km southeast of Seoul.

“Chemical plants like this one typically have very narrow roads, making a compact crane that can match or outperform larger models the only solution for this project,” said Lee Guan-Hwi, CEO of Bong-Hwang.

“The manoeuvrability offered by the Megatrak running gear, and the short, 5.2 metre tailswing lends itself to manoeuvring around these tight industrial jobsites, even with a full counterweight of 80 tonnes.”

“Removing the need to repeatedly install or remove counterweight saves us a lot of valuable time too. And the choice of five outrigger positions makes setup in tight spaces quicker and easier. Working at a 30 metre radius, we extend the boom to 70 metres, and the 3 tonne concrete slabs can be easily handled.”

Industry hub

Bong-Hwang was established in 2012 and focuses on factory building and renovation projects. The Eumseong area is a hub for semiconductor manufacturing, with many of those manufacturers being important suppliers to Samsung.

“We expect our new GMK5250XL-1 will be kept incredibly busy over the next few years,” concluded Lee.