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Liebherr acquires Hong Kong dealer

Liebherr Biberach has completed the acquisition of the Shriro tower crane division from the Shriro group in Hong Kong.

The deal is an asset based transaction and includes 24 tower cranes, with 20 sales and service staff, all of whom have transferred to the new Liebherr distribution operation. The business will report into Liebherr-Singapore which will now be responsible for the Liebherr tower crane business throughout Asia.

The Shriro Group has had close ties with Liebherr since 1978 when, under the name Peninsula Engineering & Equipment, it became the official Liebherr dealer for its tower cranes in Hong Kong and Macao. Liebherr will now run this sales and rental business itself, while Shriro will focus on its core business – international trade in consumer goods. No financial details of the transaction have been disclosed.

Dominique Tasch, managing director of Liebherr Biberach said: “The crane specialists are superbly trained and have already completed courses at our manufacturing plant in Biberach. That means that the transition will be very smooth and existing contracts and obligations will be met without any restrictions. The takeover will enable Liebherr to place a permanent footprint on the Asian market as a manufacturer.”

“We are particularly focussing on project business and special building sites. Liebherr can provide excellent services for complex special projects, using the expertise of its engineers from the ‘Tower Crane Solutions’ Business Unit. We work with the customer to find a safe, economical solution to technically complicated building projects.”

First SCX1000A-3 in Holland

Dutch engineering contractor Gebr. De Koning has taken delivery of the first 100 tonne Hitachi-Sumitomo SCX1000A-3 lattice crawler crane in the Netherlands.

Purchased through Hitachi (Europe), the SCX100A-3 lattice crawler crane can be rigged with up to 60 metres of main boom, or a combination of boom and 28 metre jib for a maximum system length of 79 metres. Powered by a stage IIIB complaint engine, the new crane has been ordered with an additional winch and a wider skywalk on its main boom for enhanced safety and easier assembly. The crane will be used to carry out concrete, waterworks and foundation contracts.

Gebr. De Koning managing director Leo van Dijk, said: “We prefer to buy rather than rent our crawler cranes, as they are used on most of our projects. We continue to choose Hitachi, because of the competitive price, high quality and overall reliability of the products. The environment is also of paramount importance, for example when working on a ProRail project the Co2 emissions are carefully monitored and the fuel consumption is also an important factor.”

Based in Papendrecht, Gebr. De Koning handles a number of projects, including the construction of bridges, tunnels and quay walls, as well as subcontracting for house building, utility and civil works. It purchased its first Hitachi crane – a KH100 – in 1978 and currently has a fleet of six Hitachi cranes as well as a number of Hitachi excavators.

Two new Liebherr cranes for Emerson

UK rental company Emerson Crane Hire, has taken delivery of the first of two new 40 tonne Liebherr LTM1040-2.1 two axle All Terrain cranes.

The new models are equipped with a new style front bumper more in line with other Liebherr All Terrains, and also features the latest operator cab, with improved comfort and visibility. Disc brakes are also now a standard on this model, which according to Liebherr give better braking efficiency and lower maintenance costs. The units are also equipped with the latest Mercedes stage 4 final engines and Telma retarder braking.

The crane has a 35 metre main boom plus a 9.5 metre swingaway extension for a 44 metre overall length and working radius of up to 39 metres. It also features the Variobase system which allows the outriggers to be individually deployed at varying lengths and then benefit from the automatic selection of the maximum lift capacities for each individual set up.

Liebherr area sales manager, Steve Elliott said: “Liebherr is very pleased to have delivered the first of two LTM1040-2.1s ordered by Emerson for 2015. With the options chosen Emerson has introduced the latest equipment and technology available on the market today which is sure to give their own clients the very best in safety, quality and flexibility at the job site”.

Emerson managing director Liam Clancy added: “The team here at Emerson’s are really excited with the delivery of our two new LTM 1040-2.1s, along with our brand new LTM 1300-6.2 arriving this summer. These additions to our fleet are part of the ongoing investment we are making into new equipment, these cranes are leading in the industry with their state of the art technology, including the Variobase outrigger system offering safety and capacity benefits to our clients”.

Four more Kobelcos for Weldex

UK based rental company Weldex has taken delivery of four new Kobelco CKE G series crawler cranes as part of its ongoing fleet modernisation programme.

The company purchased two 60 tonne CKE600G machines and two80 tonne CKE800G cranes which will be based at the company’s depot in Derbyshire, England. The CKE600G israted at three metres and can handle seven tonnes at 12 metres radius on its 51.8 metre maximum boom. The CKE800G will take seven tonnes out to 20 metres with its 55 metre maximum boom length.

The new cranes also feature low emission technology meeting Stage IIIB (Tier 4i) with Diesel Particulate Filters, and exhaust gas cleaning systems. Fuel saving measures include: Auto idle stop, the G-winch which enables the line to be raised at high speed without raising the engine speed; and the G-engine which limits maximum engine speed by controlling pump capacity.

Weldex chief executive Dougie McGilvray said: “We have 120 cranes with an average age of four and a half years. They are all new and that is the way we want to keep it. The company aims to replace all of its machines every eight years. That is why we are working with Kobelco to update and modernise our fleet.”

“We do a lot of work within London area so we are looking at upgrading our fleet to all 3B compliant machines. The cranes will be working on Crossrail and the new Thames Tideway Tunnel as well as carrying out general construction work in London and all over the UK.”

Mark Evans sales manager Kobelco Cranes Europe added: “We experienced major growth throughout 2014 but this year is set to be even better with our first quarter sales outperforming the same period last year by a long way”.

Crane overturns in Lichtenstein

A mobile swing cab industrial crane overturned last week in Balzers, Lichtenstein, while picking & carrying a large concrete panel.

The crane an 18 tonne Bollhalder Bakran 90, with an articulated boom, owned by Autokran Ag Rheintal was travelling close to an embankment leading down to a stream when the swinging load took the crane over sideways. Fortunately the operator was unhurt. And quick action by the fire service managed to prevent any serious contamination of the stream.

A large All Terrain crane was called in to lift the overturned machine back onto its wheels.

First Tadano AT for Emsley

UK rental company Emsley Crane Hire has taken delivery of a new 40 tonne Tadano ATF 40G-2, taking its total fleet to 60 units.

This latest acquisition is the first Tadano All Terrain crane for the Harrogate based company, which last purchased a Tadano crane in the 1990s when it bought six new Tadano truck-mounted cranes.

The two axle 4x4x4 crane features a 35.2 metre main boom plus a nine metre swingaway extension, automatic lubrication/greasing system, Xenon boom lights and Tadano’s latest AML safe load indicator with full area limitations. The delivery is part of a three unit order with Tadano.

Director John Emsley said: “The Tadano is well proven in this class and the time was right to introduce this as a new model in our fleet. We continue to invest and expend due to the current workload and continue to provide the best possible service to our customers.”