Crane industry news Archives | Page 11 of 37

UK’s first LTM1300-6.2 is delivered

King Lifting has taken delivery of the UK’s first LTM1300-6.2 six axle 300 tonne All Terrain crane.

The company ordered the new crane shortly after its launch at Bauma 2013, along with two 60 tonne, three axle LTM1060-3.1s which were delivered in March. The LTM1300-6.2 features a single engine which provides the power for the carrier as well as driving the crane superstructure via a combination of mechanical shafts.

Liebherr claims that this makes it significantly easier to modify its power units to meet changing emissions regulations, while offering a reduction in both weight and maintenance. The new crane comes with a 78 metre main boom, and has been ordered with the full 70 metre luffing jib with adapter to utilise the sections to make up a 42 metre fixed jib. The LTM1300-6.2 also features a 22 metre bi-fold swingaway extension with hydraulically controlled offsets, and two seven metre extension sections.

The crane has four main outrigger positions, fully retracted, half extended, three quarters and fully extended and is fitted with Liebherr’s Variobase system which assesses the extension position and support force of each outrigger and calculates the load chart available for that set up.

In addition to this new LTM1300-6.2 King Lifting has taken delivery of a 200 tonne five axle LTM1200-5.1, which will share the extension inserts ordered with the LTM1300. The two latest deliveries bring the total number of Liebherr cranes delivered to King Lifting since the start of 2014 to eight units, joining an LTM1030-2.1 and five LTM1060-5.1 cranes.

King Lifting’s commercial director, Tristan King said: “We are very happy with the Liebherr products acquired in the past 12 months, which complement our operations and help us to stay fully competitive across the UK.”

LTM 1060-3.1 for Davies

UK crane rental company Davies Crane Hire has taken delivery of a 60 tonne Liebherr LTM1060-3.1 All Terrain crane for its depot in Carmarthen, Wales.

The three axle LTM1060-3.1 has a 48 metre main boom and a 16 metre bi-fold swingaway, providing a maximum tip height of 67 metre tip height, and a maximum radius of 48 metres. It can also be fitted with a special 1.6 metre lattice jib which can be offset to 10 degrees. The crane has a 6x6x6 all wheel drive and steer chassis and can travel within 16 tonne axles weights with 12.8 tonnes of counterweight.

Liebherr GB sales manager Steve Elliott, said: “The new LTM1060-3.1 is increasingly opening doors and creating new opportunities for Liebherr in the UK. I am positive Davies will not be disappointed with this exciting new addition to its fleet.”

Davies Crane Hire managing director Malcolm Davies, added: “Bringing a Liebherr crane into our fleet proved to be an easy decision when it came to the LTM1060. The crane not only looks the part but operates very smoothly and I am convinced it will more than meet both our and our customers’ demands.”

German debut for Explorer 5600

Eslohe-based cranes service provider Blüggel Krane has taken delivery of the first 160 tonne Terex Explorer 5600 All Terrain crane in Germany.

Its first job was to lift a 17 tonne bridge, measuring 29 metres in length, on to a heavy haulage vehicle at a radius of approximately 20 metres. Once the bridge was taken to the new location, the crane then lifted it and set it down on top of its concrete piles.

The five-axle 5600 features a seven section 68 metre main boom with a bi-fold swingaway and a 12 metre straight insert, offering a maximum tip height of 95 metres. Features include a single engine concept, start/stop function, wireless remote control, and Terex’s IC-1 control system.

Company owner Friedrich Blüggel said: “One of the main reasons why I decided on the Explorer 5600 was the fact that it could work in tight spaces, as was the case with this project on the Ruhr: It has a width of only 2.75 metres, which makes it as compact as the AC 120 we already had, but it also delivers much greater performance – it’s an enormous leap forward in terms of technology.”

“This project was our chance to put our new Explorer 5600 to the test. Before starting the project, Jens Röttger (a Terex technician) taught us everything there was to know about the machine for three days and then, on site in Olsberg, provided us with invaluable advice regarding the crane’s configuration.”

New president Liebherr Cranes USA

Georg Diesch, president of Liebherr Cranes Inc in the USA has been promoted to managing director of Liebherr Hydraulikbagger, in Kirchdorf an der Iller, Germany, after 11 years in job, with Daniel Pitzer replacing him.

The Kirchdorf factory manufactures Liebherr wheeled and crawler excavators and material handling equipment. It was the company’s first facility, set up by Hans Liebherr and the place where he built the first Liebherr tower crane.

Pitzer took over as president at the start of the month, and assumes responsibility for the distribution of Liebherr All Terrain and large crawler cranes in the USA. For the last nine years Pitzer has worked at the Liebherr mobile crane plant in Ehingen, Germany, managing sales to several English speaking countries.

Pitzer said: “I’m looking forward to take over this new role and to work with my team to further strengthen our relationship with our customers in America.”

Diesch added: “I would like to congratulate Daniel on his promotion and am very pleased that we have a very motivated and knowledgeable professional taking over to continue Liebherr’s success in the USA.”

Custom Liebherr towers for Shwe Taung in Myanmar

Myanmar contractor Shwe Taung Development has taken delivery of three Liebherr 280 EC-H 12 tower cranes.

The first of the three cranes was supplied to help with the construction of the Twin Centro development in Yangon, Myanmar. The location of the project site meant that the crane needed a shortened jib, which was designed especially for the project, a company spokesperson said.

The Twin Centro development, on Baho Road in Sanchaung Township, is made up of a 16 storey apartment building, complete with a pool, recreation centre and garden. Shwe Taung is the owner and developer of the project.

Mike Tay, sales manager at Liebherr Singapore’s tower crane division, said, “The development is on a particularly busy road, opposite one of Yangon’s leading hospitals, and the twin tower blocks are located very close to the road. Shwe Taung asked us to modify the jib to prevent it over-sailing the road.

“The standard configuration for this model is a jib that extends to a maximum 75 m and, although they needed the maximum load lift of 12 tonnes, they required a shorter jib. Together with our partner, Octagon International Services Co Ltd, responsible for promoting Liebherr tower cranes and providing aftersales and training, we found the ideal solution for the site by providing a jib with a maximum 40 m length and a tip load of 7.6 tonnes.”

As a result of the changes, the maximum load of 12 tonnes will be handled in 2-fall reeving and can be taken out to 26 m, Tay explained.

The crane has been positioned between the two towers, allowing it to service all the lifting requirements for both towers. The project is due for completion in late 2015.

Terex Explorer 5800 at the Jack Daniel’s distillery

Gilley Crane and Jack Daniel’s recently came together when Gilley Crane was tasked with lifting two boilers weighing more than 100,000 pounds each at the Jack Daniel’s Distillery in Lynchburg, TN. The plan required each boiler to be lifted twice at a 28-foot radius in a confined space.

“At one end of the lift, we had to work around a fenced-in lot nearby other equipment, while at the other end we had to work around rebar sticking up around the boiler base,” explains Gilley Crane Owner, Robert Gilley.

Working in the confined area, Gilley Crane’s crew needed a compact crane with good maneuverability. Having only a two-day window to complete the project, the company needed a crane that offered fast mobilization, quick setup and efficient operation.

Gilley Crane selected their new Terex Explorer 5800 all-terrain crane, purchased from its Terex Crane distributor in Cleveland, Renegar-Driggers Machinery Co, Inc. Gilley Crane’s four-man crew quickly roaded the Explorer 5800 crane plus full counterweight the 30 miles from its Manchester yard to Lynchburg. It required four additional transports to move the crane’s 154,800 pounds of counterweights to the project site.

Powered by a 12.7-liter, 550-hp Tier 4F (Euromot Stage IV) engine, the crane has the power to quickly make it to the jobsite at speeds reaching 53 mph. Once on-site, engine speed and power is reduced to 1600 RPM and 275 hp respectively, providing ample capacity for proper crane operation while reducing fuel consumption.

In total, the project required eight lifts to move and place the two boilers and bases. The 20-foot-tall by 25-foot-long boilers and 10,000-pound bases were first placed onto trailers and moved approximately 200 yards to their final location. Working with 55.4 feet of main boom at a 28-foot radius, the Explorer 5800 delivered more than enough capacity to lift and position the boilers and bases.