Blog Archives | Page 16 of 45

Three Liebherrs for Schmidbauer

Germany’s largest crane rental company Schmidbauer has taken delivery of three new Liebherr All Terrain cranes.

The order comprises a 100 tonne five axle LTM 1100-5.2, a 130 tonne LTM 1130-5.1 and a three-axle 60 tonne LTM 1060-3.1. All three will be stationed at the company’s headquarters in Gräfelfing, near Munich.

Schmidbauer chief executive Werner Schmidbauer said: “We were persuaded by the LTM 1060-3.1 due to its 48 metre telescopic boom and high load capacities. What is more is that its compact dimensions make it ideal for use in the very constricted conditions found in the city of Munich.”

Founded in 1932, the Schmidbauer group runs a fleet of more than 255 mobile cranes from 20 locations throughout Germany. It also has more than 150 heavy transport vehicles in its fleet.

Liebherr confirms 1% decline

Liebherr has said that it excepts to achieve total revenues of €8.87 billion in 2014, one percent below that achieved in 2013.

The decline, as reported in November, is due almost entirely to lower shipments in mining equipment business. Mobile crane shipments will be close to last year’s levels, when 1,416 new cranes were delivered, while revenues will be slightly higher. Sales of marine cranes are 20 percent higher.

Geographically the group did well in Western Europe where revenues increased significantly, while Africa and the Americas were flat and the Far East, Australia and the Middle East saw declines.

For 2015 the group is forecasting that revenues will increase as it benefits from anticipated global growth of 3.8 percent.

First Power Boom on an LR11000

The first Liebherr LR 11000 to be fitted with a Power Boom attachment has gone to work in Germany.

The 1,000 tonne crane used the new P.Boom for the first time to place a large turbine house, weighing almost 220 tonnes onto a tower near Cuxhaven in North Germany.

The 6.2 MW pilot system was erected by Senvion (previously REpower) in the new test field for offshore wind turbines. Crane company Nolte decided to use a Liebherr LR 11000 crawler crane owned by Austrian based Felbermayr, while supplying the assist cranes from its own fleet.

The LR 11000 was shipped to Bremerhaven from the Romanian port of Konstanza after completing its first lift at a refinery near Bucharest. It was then transported to the site and fitted with the new boom.The crane was ready to start lifting seven days after its arrival on site. It was rigged with a hook height of 147 metres. Sections from the crane’s luffing jib are used within the double lattice section of the main power boom. The standard main boom sections are then used to create a heavy luffing jib. This configuration provides a 50 percent increase in critical lift capacities on the jib.

Klaus Ruhland, a Felbermayr project planner speaking of the lift, said: “Normally a 1,350 tonne Liebherr LR 11350 or a Terex CC 8800 would have been required for this lift. The 220 tonne load, had to be lifted to a height of 130 metres at a radius of 30 metres. Just for comparison, without the PowerBoom, it would only have been able to manage around 160 tonnes at this height and radius”.

The massive turbine is driven by a three blade rotor with a 152 metre diameter which was fully pre-assembled on the ground before being lifted into place.

The crane was rigged with 78 metres of Power Boom, a 66 metre luffing jib and a 42 metre derrick boom. A total of 590 tonnes of ballast was used, including a 50 tonne central counterweight, 220 tonnes of superstructure counterweight and a 320 tonne suspended counterweight.

First Jekko SPX 1275CDH

Italian mini crane manufacturer Jekko has shipped the first of its 7.5 tonne SPX 1275CDH tracked mini cranes, delivering it to its Benelux distributor Hocap in the Netherlands.

The SPX-1275CDH has a five section 17.7 metre main boom with a 19 metre maximum tip height at which it can handle 1,700kg. An 8.8 metre telescopic extension takes this up to a tip height of 27.8 metres with 900kg lift capacity.

The outrigger base can be set from a minimum 3.36 x 3.36 metre footprint up to 4.6 x 4.6 metres, while the tracks extend from 1.45 to 2.05 metres at which it can pick & carry up to 2,000kg. The unit is operated by a Scanreco radio remote control. Power comes from both an Isuzu diesel or an electric motor.

Failing to manage traffic

Spotted in Weymouth, UK, a four axle All Terrain crane carrying out a lift with apparently little consideration for traffic management.

The crane, owned by South Coast Crane Hire, was reportedly lifting a caravan at the Chesilvista Hoilday Park and, for whatever reason, was forced to set up in the middle of the site entrance.

According to our correspondent no attempt was made to warn passing drivers – or pedestrians for that matter – seeing as it has been set up over the pavement/sidewalk as well. Although the crane was short rigged, this has not been enough to prevent the outriggers and counterweight from protruding the opposite traffic lane. Cars driving towards the crane are forced onto the wrong side of the road, close to a roundabout with restricted visibility.

In the words of our correspondent: “One for your death wish section I guess? No traffic management and I had to drive over the outrigger pad to get past. There wasn’t anyone or any signs on the road warning about the crane either. This is a good example on how not to do a job!”

On a positive note, the crane looks well maintained and the operator has used some decent mats under the outriggers, however we do agree with our contributor that it qualifies for our Death Wish series.

Repeat port order for Terex

German port operator Eurogate has ordered 15 Terex NSC 634E straddle carriers after ordering the same number earlier this year.

Set for delivery at the start of 2015, the 60 tonne diesel-electric NSC 634E straddle carriers are capable of lifting one over two containers. They are also fitted with Terex’s NTS 62F twin-lift spreaders, which are hydraulically braced in order to limit damage in the event of a collision.

Eurogate managing director Peter Zielinski, said: “Straddle carriers and spreaders form a powerful package that impressed us. A TPS service center is also located directly on our terminal premises and the service technicians are always available via the hotline. This helps us to maintain the availability of all Terex straddle carriers at our terminal.”