For our Product of the Month we’re introducing you to one of the most important families – fast becoming a dynasty – in the modern material lifting era.
The GML family, as we call it, is a range of powerful, productive, sustainable and easy-to-operate counterbalance floor cranes manufactured by Wienold.
We’re pretty proud of the GML family for three reasons:
- These highly-compact titans of lifting have done a lot to revolutionized materials handling over the last decade.
- We have worked directly with Wienold to help its engineers design, develop and test the counterbalance floor cranes.
- Hird has the largest hire fleet of GML counterbalance floor cranes in the UK and are the only crane rental company in the UK that can offer the full range.
Wienold SLK25 Counterbalance hoist
The smallest counterbalance floor crane in the GML family, the SLK25 has a safe working load of 300kg and can lift that load up to 7.9m.
It is only 800mm wide and dismantles easily to fit into a van. Swivel casters allow the SLK25 to be moved around easily. It can also be fitted with a range of accessories, including glass vacuum lifters or a winch.
WLU KS Premium counterbalance material lift
Another excellent performer in confined space, the WLU KS Premium has a maximum safe working load of 400kg and a maximum working height of 4m.
At just 750mm wide and 1060mm long, it takes up a tiny floor space for a material lift with an impressive capacity.
GML800 Manual counterbalance floor crane
The GML800 Manual is simplicity personified. It can lift a whopping 800kg up to a height of 4.98m. However, being a manual crane, loss of power is never an issue.
GML800+ Counterbalance floor crane
Like its manual ‘brother’ this member of the GML family can lift loads of up to 800kg, but to a greater height of 7.94m.
The GML800+ can be provided with two power options: 110v AC mains electricity or a bi-energy version, with DC electric batteries and 110v AC mains power for ultimate flexibility.
GML500+ Counterbalance floor crane
This family member delivers a lifting capacity of 500kg, can send a load, with its electric winch, up to a very impressive 9.9m, yet is highly compact.
At just 780mm wide and 1990mm tall in moving mode, it can be guided through narrow doorways or transported in the smallest lifts, whether construction or commercial.
Operating power can be provided with a 12v DC battery or by 110v AC mains electricity.
GML Compact counterbalance material lift
The GML Compact has the same capacity as the GML800 – 800kg – and can send loads up to a height of 6.95mm. But it is 370mm shorter than the GML800, so can be moved around more easily in confined spaces.
The manual floor crane can also be configured to lift 600kg, with half the number of weight boxes, so is ideal for operating across low load-bearing floors.
Multiple lifting attachments
Extending the GML family’s lifting flexibility still further is the range of attachments that can be fitted to each of the material lifts.
They include a crane boom, including an extendable crane boom, lifting forks and extendable forks, and a motorized crane boom for greater lifting precision.
The GML800+ and the GML500+ material lifts can also be fitted with the GA-2 glazing manipulator, developed by Wienold and Kappel, along with Hird expertise, to lift glass loads of up to 500kg (for the GML800+) up to 7.94m for installation even directly overhead.
Lifting power of its time
Why are GML counterbalance floor cranes so important to the modern construction, building refurbishment and maintenance industries?
Three key reasons are that construction sites are becoming busier, more sustainable and, really importantly, more constrained in terms of space.
Building contractors need work to be completed more quickly but also more safely. Profit margins depend on the speed. Regulatory control and reputation demand high levels of safety.
GML counterbalance floor cranes help achieve both. Being compact and easy to use, they simplify lifting processes and allow lifting to be carried out without the use of large cranes that disrupt other construction processes.
The counterbalance floor cranes can also be operated by smaller teams, often just one or two people. This makes lifting more cost-effective and reduces manual handling, improving safety.
All GML counterbalance cranes are compact in terms of their lifting capabilities. But specific models, like the GML Compact, are particularly suited to constrained space.
As the drive to reduce carbon footprints and decarbonize all aspects of our built environment gathers pace, our GML family is here to help, as all are either manual or electric powered (battery or 110v AC).
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is calling on the government to restrain demolition and instead repurpose current buildings, to reduce carbon emissions.
Such a trend means the need for cranes, like those in Hird’s GML family, that can operate easily in constrained and complex environments, is only going to grow.
Get to know Hird’s GML family
Counterbalance material lifts in the GML family are ideal for lifting all types of loads, including glass, steel beams, curtain walling, and concrete sections.
If you need to lift large loads and want to do this safely, sustainably and cost-effectively, talk to us about the GML family. The size of the range means there is very likely to be a family member ideal for your needs.
Hird can also provide LEEA-accredited counterbalance floor crane training to operate any of the counterbalance floor cranes, which are available nationally via our four regional operational centres.
Email: [email protected]
Northern
01482 227333
Central
01302 341659
Western
01384 900388
Southern
0203 174 0658
