Mini crane specialists GGR Group were hired by Constantine Limited to take on an extraordinary job at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh this week, as a UNIC spider crane was used to lift their latest exhibit, a sperm whale’s skull, into pride of place.
The skull belonged to a 40 foot long sperm whale nicknamed “Moby” who became stranded in the River Forth in 1997 and sadly died despite rescue efforts to push him back out to sea. Now on permanent display in the museum’s Grand Gallery, this remarkable specimen is part of National Museum Scotland’s impressive whale collection which is one of the largest in the world.
Exhibit logistics and installation specialists Constantine Limited and an expert operator from GGR’s Scottish crane hire branch were on hand to carefully lift the skull up onto its 4 metre high stand using a 0.995 tonne capacity UNIC URW-095
mini crane. The spider crane lifted the 4.7 metre long skull in two parts, first the bottom jaw was fixed into position then the 600kg main skull section was placed on top.
The 600mm wide chassis of the UNIC mini crane meant that it could be easily navigated through doorways, narrow corridors and around corners to reach the Grand Gallery. The museum is a familiar location for GGR’s Scottish team as their mini cranes and vacuum lifters were also used to fit internal glazing as part of its major refurbishment project in 2011.
The compact size of the UNIC URW-095 spider crane makes it a popular choice for working in restricted access areas. The LPG power (liquefied petroleum gas) and battery-powered options mean no toxic fumes are released so the crane can safely work in environmentally-sensitive and protected locations. GGR’s low-emissions UNIC cranes have worked at historical sites, churches and museums throughout Scotland, helping to restore the 560 year old Rosslyn Chapel in Midlothian and lifting Roman sandstone slabs at The Hunterian in Glasgow.
For more information about National Museums Scotland visit www.nms.ac.uk
To find out more about GGR Group’s mini cranes and other lifting solutions visit www.ggrgroup.com
Editors Notes
With depots in Glasgow, Manchester and Long Crendon, GGR Group is currently Europe’s leading supplier of vacuum handling equipment, compact pick and carry cranes, Unic mini spider cranes and restricted access lifting machinery, along with a variety of complementary products and services.
Established in 1995, the family-run business employees over 90 people in the UK and 30 dealers across Europe and the United Arab Emirates.
GGR Group consists of seven brands– UNIC Cranes Europe, GGR Glass, GGR Galizia, GGR AirLift, GGR Cladding, GGR Rail and GGR Gulf. Our mini cranes and lifting equipment have proven invaluable for vast range of industries including marine & shipyards, rail, oil & gas, construction, glazing and more.
To find out more about GGR’s values and product range please visit www.ggrgroup.com
About National Museums Scotland: National Museums Scotland is one of the leading museum groups in the UK and Europe and it looks after collections of national and international importance. The organisation provides loans, partnerships, research and training in Scotland and internationally. Its individual museums are the National Museum of Scotland, the National Museum of Flight, the National Museum of Rural Life, and the National War Museum. The National Museums Collection Centre in Edinburgh houses conservation and research facilities as well as collections not currently on display.
Author;
Editorial Contact:
Kerry Edwards
PR and Marketing Coordinator
Kerry.edwards@ggrgroup.com
+44 (0)161 683 2580
Source:
GGR Newsletter
