MOSS POINT, MS — Hurricane Frederic struck the coast of Mississippi in 1979. The powerful Category 4 hurricane caused significant damage. It was the most expensive hurricane to hit the U.S. at the time, with damages estimated at $2.3 billion. To help manage the cleanup and enable the state to rebuild its energy infrastructure, Diane Vice and Jimmy Vice launched Vice Construction.
Forty-six years later, the company is continuing to enable power transmission for the region. Based in Moss Point, Mississippi, about 30 miles west of Mobile, the company has added a new generation with Lee Vice and Jereamy Vice joining the fold. For years, the family-owned company has had a successful relationship with Jeff Martin Auctioneers, from which it recently acquired its pre-owned Grove GMK5250XL-1.
The crane has already supported several power projects. It lifted 75-ton transformers inside a live substation and picked up rail engines for a Mississippi railroad company. It has removed 100-foot transmission poles and set new ones, lifting them over live powerlines at 30 to 50 feet in the air.
“We’ve been doing this work for nearly 50 years, and we know what kind of crane we need to get the job done efficiently,” said Jimmy, Vice President of Vice Construction. “We’re often working in tough spots — live substations, soft ground, remote locations — and this crane handles it all. The Grove gives us the strength, control, and flexibility to keep powering Mississippi.”
The GMK5250XL-1 has a 300-ton capacity; 257.5-foot, eight-section main boom; and 58.4-foot swingaway with jib and/or boom insert. It utilizes a VIAB turbo retarder clutch, which enables wear-free starting and braking, and a single-engine concept that consumes less fuel. Once on the job site, the crane can be moved while carrying its full counterweight of 88.15 tons, so it does not have to be reset with different counterweight configurations for other lifts.
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Vice Construction also has multiple Manitowoc crawler cranes in its fleet, including two Manitowoc 4000s, a Manitowoc 4100, a Manitowoc 12000, and a Manitowoc 16000. The certified pre-owned Grove GMK5250XL-1 replaces the company’s previous Grove all-terrain crane, with significant upgrades in reach, capacity, and operation with the CCS crane control system.
“We have used Manitowoc and Grove cranes for decades, and this newest addition is already proving its worth. It’s reliable, easy to move, and lets us get on and off the job site quickly,” Jereamy said. “It gives us the reach and control we need in challenging conditions.”
