Grove history

Grove Manufacturing was started in 1947 by John Landis Grove. He and his brother Dwight Grove and Wayne Nicarry built farm wagons. Needing a way to lift and move the steel used to make the wagons, John designed a rudimentary rubber-tired crane. In time he would produce the first mobile hydraulic industrial cranes, and Grove went from a farm machine company to a crane company.

Ardelt, a German crane manufacturer was established in 1902, whose works in the Soviet-occupied zone were taken over during the war in 1945. On 1st October 1946, the family found a new plant in West Germany in Wilhelmshaven. 1953 these works were acquired by Friedrich Krupp AG, and was renamed Krupp-Ardelt GmbH in 1954. 10 years later, Friedrich Krupp GmbH acquired the remaining 49% shares and the company was renamed Krupp-Kranbau. The Wilhelmshaven plant was integrated into the Krupp Industrie- und Stahlbau (headquartered in Rheinhausen) in 1968. The 500 GMT was developed and built in 1984. MEGATRAK® was effected in 1988.

Grove Worldwide takes over Krupp Mobilkrane GmbH in 1995 and Deutsche Grove GmbH is established and the Grove GMKs were born. And in 2002 Manitowoc Cranes acquired Grove and along with it, Deutsche Grove starting a new beginning for Grove GMKs. Learn more