A quartet of Manitowoc 2250 crawler cranes took center stage in the assembly of several new overpass bridges as part of a $61 million highway project in Wisconsin. The work also included the expansion of highway US 41 traffic lanes, the reconstruction of several of its interchanges and the addition of 40 roundabouts.

Dawes Rigging & Crane Rental, of Milwaukee, Wis., handled the lifting work, choosing the fleet of Manitowoc 2250 crawler cranes for their reach and capacities. Scott Jerome, senior branch manager at Dawes, said the lifts, some of which required all four cranes to work in unison, required cranes that could lift heavy loads with precision.

“The 300 USt capacity cranes were just what we needed for the large pick weights associated with many of the lifts, especially the prefabricated tub girder structures that weighed up to 120 USt,” he explained. “The Manitowoc crawler cranes exceeded our expectations and were the right crane choice for the project.”

The cranes’ 330 ft main booms were crucial to the lifts, raising loads above and across several traffic lanes and other road construction equipment to carefully position them on concrete support piers. The 2250s also endured shifting seasons to complete the project, ranging from heavy snow in February to sweltering heat in July.

Established in 1948, Dawes is an ALL Erection & Crane Rental company, which is headquartered in Independence, Ohio. Dawes has been operating in the Midwest since 1948, providing a large selection cranes and lifts. The company is a leading member of the Specialized Carriers and Rigging Association and works with all types of contractors, including general, HVAC, industrial, foundation, roofing, road and bridge builders.

Founded in 1964, ALL has grown to become one of the largest crane and equipment rental companies in North America. The company offers its fleet of cranes, aerial work platforms, boom trucks, material handlers and other lift equipment throughout the U.S. and Canada. The company provides rental, sales, service and jobsite analysis for its customers.

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Full overview of the status of your crane installations at all times: Terex Material Handling launches a new diagnostics system for crane installations with Demag StatusControl. The solution consists of an interface that is integrated into the crane installation, as well as associated software to visualise the status of the crane installation. Users can also access all relevant operating data with mobile devices based on Windows, such as notebooks or tablet PCs via WLAN or GSM at all times.

Demag StatusControl not only continuously supplies all of the latest operating data from connected crane installations, such as the remaining service life or elapsed operating data for the travelling hoist. The system also analyses and interprets the actual condition of the cranes and hoist units on the basis of comparative data and pre-defined threshold values. A colour code based on the traffic light system enables the user to see at a glance where work needs to be done. When the remaining service life drops below a certain level, rope hoists have to be given a general overhaul as specified by legal requirements, for example. The traffic light system indicates this reliably and in good time and also helps to ensure that safety requirements are met as laid down by the FEM (the European Materials Handling Federation). Status reports also document the collected data and evaluations, which can be quickly accessed to obtain a history of the installation.

“Demag StatusControl improves the operating reliability and availability of crane installations”, explains Carolin Paulus, Vice President Demag Service at Terex Material Handling. “Companies can be provided with a complete overview of the operating status of their crane installations at all times and, thanks to this cost-effective and preventive maintenance solution, they can avoid expensive repairs or unscheduled downtimes. With our IDAPSY diagnostic software, we were already the first manufacturer to introduce a tool that can read out rope hoist data.” However, since communication via IDAPSY uses a wired system, the data records had to be read out direct on the crane or rope hoist. Convenient remote monitoring with the new Demag StatusControl system now significantly reduces the effort involved in monitoring installations. “Companies save time and money, since no other equipment, such as elevating work platforms, is needed in order to read out the data”, explains Paulus. Cranes equipped with contactor controls can now also be integrated.

With Demag StatusControl, Terex Material Handling helps the owners of crane installations to plan their maintenance work: users receive information in good time regarding potential faults and risks and can intervene with preventive measures before processes are halted by costly interruptions. In this way, downtimes can be kept to a minimum. Thanks to the software’s intuitive user interface, no training is needed to use the system. The system can be employed in any crane installation, regardless of the brand or manufacturer, and can be retrofitted at any time.

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On occasion of the international trade press conference ” Pré-Intermat ” on 22 January 2015 in Paris Liebherr was the only manufacturer who was awarded with two trophies of the Intermat Innovation Award. The Gold Award in the category “Equipment & Components” went to the newly developed crane operator elevator system “LIUP” , a silver trophy in the “Engineering & Systems” category was awarded to the new Liebherr Demolition Control System ( LDC) for demolition excavators.

Existing crane operator elevator systems are equipped outside the tower section, and thus require during each dismounting of the crane to dismantle. With Liebherr innovative LiUP-System, the lift is pre-installed permanently inside the tower. Only an adjustment between each tower section is required. Thus operation costs are reduced significantly. A further innovative feature is the reduction of the energy consumption by using a battery which will is charged through the downhill rides of the elevator.

Liebherr’s new developed unique LDC-system for demolition control provide the operator of Liebherr demolition excavators at any time the accurate position of the demolition attachment in order to guarantee the stability of the demolition excavator. This system allows extended reach within safe operation mode. The challenge was to find a solution to integrate this LDC system into the electronics of the excavator and to simplify the manipulations for the operator. This was resolved by developing an automatic recognition of the attachment lengths and by installing angle sensors.

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Exactly forty years after the delivery of the first Liebherr mobile harbour crane (LHM), Liebherr Maritime Cranes set a historical record. 112 units have been supplied across the globe in 2014. This is the highest number of annual deliveries ever achieved by a mobile harbour crane manufacturer and clearly tops the old record from 2008, when Liebherr Maritime Cranes supplied 102 units.

Europe (including Russia) was again the prime market for mobile harbour cranes. 42 units were supplied to this area, which is nearly 38% of all deliveries in 2014. Second is the African market, where 33 units (almost 30%) started operation last year. Thus, the annual number of units supplied to Africa has tripled, compared to 2013. Further deliveries to Asia, the Americas, Middle East and Oceania complete the picture.

The LHM order backlog for 2015 is one of the highest ever. Moreover, the demand for Liebherr mobile harbour cranes and their innovative features is on a very high level throughout the world. For that reason, Liebherr is optimistic that 2015 will be another succesful year for its mobile harbour cranes.

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Gulfstream Park – a venue for horseracing and casino in Florida, USA – created a bronze sculpture in the form of a Pegasus and a dragon measuring 33 metres high and 63 metres long last year. It is the largest bronze horse statue in the world. A Liebherr LTM 1400-7.1 mobile crane operated by American company Allegiance Crane worked on the project. The 400-tonner produced an astonishing performance and showed off its wide-ranging functionality.

The order for the statue was awarded to the well-known art foundry Strassacker in Süssen, Germany. It was only through the decades of experience of Strassacker that this extraordinary project was actually possible. Stark Ingenieure was charged with developing the technical design, planning the erection work and producing the wide-ranging complex engineering solutions required for the statue. Stark is based in Ludwigsburg (Germany) and operates offices in Miami, FL (USA)

The LTM 1400-7.1 operated by Allegiance Crane proved to be a good choice, as Michael Stark, owner of Stark Ingenieure and Günter Czasny deputy CEO, report. “Adam Cote, the Manager of Engineering at Allegiance Crane, and his team were extremely professional on the site. We worked extremely well and closely with each other. And the crane produced an absolutely amazing performance. It has a compact design and has excellent setup processes coupled with enormous load capacities which meant we didn’t even have to move it between the various hoists. This saved us around half the time which was very important to us.”

The LTM 1400-7.1 was equipped with Y-guying and full ballast for this job. The crane set-up was completed entirely by self-assembly. The left wing of the Pegasus was the heaviest single component, weighing in at a massive 58 tonnes. The Liebherr crane had to move this component to a radius of 22.3 metres. This load capacity is excellent for a crane of this class.

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Ayesha Al Marzooqi to operate 126 metre crane moving containers from container ships to shore at Khalifa Port in Abu Dhabi.
In September 2014 Abu Dhabi Terminals (ADT), manager and operator of Khalifa Port container terminal and longtime exhibitor at the upcoming Tawdheef Career Fair, organised an open day for UAE nationals in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Ports looking to recruit UAE nationals for operational roles at the Khalifa Port container terminal.

UAE national Ayesha Al Marzooqi decided that she wanted to apply for a role as a large STS (ship-to-shore) crane operator, a truly unique role for a woman to undertake.

From the moment I heard about this role, I was determined that I wanted to go for this job. I am extremely proud to be the first female Emirati crane operator and I really hope that it will inspire more Emirati women to take up roles that are unique for women,” said Al Marzooqi.
According to Al Marzooqi, when operating a crane the most important thing is to exercise full concentration and always be ready to make immediate decisions without hesitation. The STS crane that is operated by her is 126.5 metres high and has an outreach of 65 metres, the equivalent of 22 containers with a lifting capacity of 90 tons.
Becoming a crane operator for one the fastest growing ports in the world is no easy task. ADT’s training program for operational staff consists of theoretical classroom training in which trainee operators learn all aspects of operating a crane; including crane safety and crane components.
Once the theoretical part has been completed, they then shadow a fully qualified crane operator for hands on training, which upon completion means that they are ready to start operating the crane alone.

Besides a minimum amount of training hours required, there are several exams that need to be completed before receiving the official certification.
The thing I enjoy most about my job is achieving new productivity targets. It really motivates me when I break a new record for my crane moves per hour (GMPH) which are a key indicator for performance in a marine terminal.” added Al Marzooqi.
Ayesha Al Marzooqi will be attending the upcoming Tawdheef Career Fair to talk with other Emiratis who are interested in entering such a profession.

We are immensely proud that Ayesha Al Marzooqi is the first female Emirati crane operator. Emiratisation of our workforce is one ADT’s top strategic priorities and Tawdheef provides us with an excellent platform to recruit UAE nationals in all levels of the organisation, ranging from senior and middle management to supervisory and practical roles. During the event we will focus on training opportunities for operational and technical roles and promote our successful on-job training programme for Emiratis which we started two years ago.” said Eisa Hassan Al Marzouqi, Senior Director Human Resources, Abu Dhabi Terminals.

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The trade show “World of Concrete 2015” is taking place on 3-5 February 2015 at the Convention Center in Las Vegas, USA. The Liebherr booth is located in the Central Hall, Booth #C6760.

At this major trade event for professionals from the concrete industry, Liebherr presents its truck-mounted concrete pump 37 Z4 XXT. It represents the distinctive product range of Liebherr in the field of concrete technology. Besides concrete pumps, this includes mobile and stationary mixing plants, as well as truck mixers and conveyor belts for truck mixers.

Furthermore, Liebherr presents the L 538 Wheel Loader in Las Vegas. It belongs to the new generation of mid-size range loaders, most commonly referred as utility size. These size loaders are highly versatile machines suitable for a multitude of applications. They can be used in a traditional capacity, to stockpile or move earth/materials, or can be used to handle all types of construction material through the use different attachments.

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Having undergone auditing by the German Society for Management Systems Certification, DQS GmbH according to IRIS specifications, Liebherr-Transportation Systems Marica EOOD (Bulgaria) has been successfully certified. The auditors were entirely satisfied with the ongoing improvements contributing to the overall outcome of the audit.

At the same time the facility in located in Marica, close to Radinovo, was also certified according to the standards ISO14001 and OHSAS18001 by Quality Austria – Training, Certification and Evaluation GmbH,Vienna, (Austria). The new certificates are valid until October 2017.

All production sites of Liebherr Transportation Systems have quality management systems, environmental and occupational health as well as safety management systems.

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Global crane manufacturer, Manitowoc, has supplied six Potain cranes to German construction giant, Max Bögl that is constructing a new bridge in Germany from the A3 freeway near Limburg. Working over some breath taking views of more than 230 ft. (70 m) high, the cranes tower over Lahn Valley.

The cranes for this project were supplied by Max Bögl’s subsidiary company, Max Bögl Transport & Geräte GmbH & Co. KG. Three topless Potain MDT 222 with tip heights up to 250 ft. (76.2 m) and a radius up to 197 ft. (60 m) were deployed. Two of them are mobile and one has been erected stationary. In addition, a stationary Potain MD 150 with a tip height of 98 ft. (29.8 m) and radius of 180 ft. (55 m), and a Potain MD 235 J12 crane with a tip height of 116 ft. (35.4 m) and a radius of 180 ft. is on site. Also, a topless Potain MDT 268A J12 with a tip height of 207 ft. (63.1 m) and a radius of 197 ft. (60 m) has also been erected moveable and is being rented from Manitowoc’s fleet for 15 months.

Enormous repair and maintenance costs necessitated the construction of the new Lahn Valley bridge, which involves rerouting the freeway. Additionally, the new structure will be designed with a noise barrier. The foundations of the new bridge are classic bored pile foundations but the abutment head will be poured, so two auxiliary piers are needed for this. They will be erected by a slip form method next to the future structural piers and after completion of the abutment head, two shoring structures will be built on it.

The new track is being created step-by-step in both directions and every week 16 ft. (5 m) long track sections will be built, utilizing the free cantilever method. As soon as the track towards Cologne has been completed, the Potain cranes and auxiliary piers will be shifted sideways for the same task, constructing the second bridge’s superstructure.

For the track towards Frankfurt, the cranes will be moved on a rail system. The auxiliary piers weighing almost 500 t on steel skid ways and plain bearings, utilize a hydraulic shifting system.

“Due to the special job site conditions here with a busy freeway and a railway at the south shore, all cranes had to be equipped with an operating limit system,” says Herbert Wieseckl, department manager for structural engineering technology at Max Bögl Transport & Geräte.

Selection of the crane specifications had to be taken into account because of the frame work weighing up to 8 t, which was supposed to be transferred across the Lahn River to the next crane. For the same reason, mounting heights allowing overlapping swivel movements had to be selected.

Deployment of the V63A undercarriage, a reinforced version of the V60, was necessary in order to achieve the free-standing tip heights and related capacities. Up to the first tower section, the V63A is higher than the V60, therefore it can handle 180 t of ballast instead of 132 t.

“At such tip heights, the load duty cycle performance is important,” says Manfred May, site manager in Limburg. “Therefore, the cranes have been equipped with the high performance 75 LVF hoist and all cranes have a rescue system from heights. Each crane operator has been trained for this to ensure safety. Also, concrete pumps can only be utilized up to a certain construction height so some concreting work was done by the cranes. With Potain cranes, we could pour up to 18 m³ of concrete an hour. That’s quite an accomplishment.”

Enhancing the reliability of Potain cranes, the manufacturer’s Manitowoc Crane Star division offers a remote diagnostic tool, which provides online readouts of error messages enabling the operator to correct faults in advance.

“Another important aspect of this construction site is the temperature, because now the authorities prohibit working at temperatures exceeding 38 oC,” adds May. This validates Potain’s decision to design all cranes with air conditioning as standard equipment.

The old Lahn Valley bridge was built in 1964 and is about 1,300 ft. (400 m) long and almost 200 ft. (60 m) high, according to the Federal Highway Research Institute. Its daily traffic volume exceeds 100,000 vehicles, which makes this bridge one of the most heavily used bridges in Germany. The old Lahn River bridge was beyond saving and after completion of the new bridge, the old one will be demolished.

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In line with the motto “by rail or truck to the harbor and from the Rhine across the seas”, Max Becker Trading GmbH recycles all types of scrap metal at the port of Cologne Niehl, primarily relying on the dependable materials handling machines from SENNEBOGEN. The new 850 R Special Electro, which recently has been put to use for charging the scrap metal shears and for material sorting, has a promising future here.

Located in the heart of Cologne, Max Becker Trading GmbH has been an established entity in the field of scrap recycling since 1994. The first material handling machines from SENNEBOGEN were already active in the second year following establishment of the company. Last year, Sales and Service Partner, Baumaschinen Rhein-Ruhr (BRR), delivered a new SENNEBOGEN 850 R Special Electro. Two 835 M units round out the machine pool. They are used to move, sort, store and prepare the material by further processing by the metal scrap shears for further transport by ship.

At the customer’s request, the 850 R Special was equipped with a 250 kW electric motor which yields a saving of about 50% of energy and operating costs as compared to the diesel-powered previous version. Even in stationary mode, the reach of over 20 meters easily covers an area of just under 1,300 square meters. Thanks to the stable crawler undercarriage with a 4.90 m track width, the machine is not only extremely safe but can also can be moved flexibly over the entire compound. To provide the necessary overview and reach for filling the scrap shears, the machine was elevated a total of 5.00 m by means of a tube pylon at the customer’s request. Combined with the 1.00 m rigid cabin elevation, operator Lothar Lenzen has an ideal overview of his entire work area. In addition, the spacious Mastercab offers a high degree of operator comfort and ideal ergonomics. With the all-around glazing, including floor window of safety glass, the operator always has an overview. The extensive camera system and the LED lighting set ensure a safe work environment, even in poor weather.

After the first hours of operation, operators and supervisors draw a positive balance. The electric machine convinces through low energy consumption, and the motor offers constant performance in all load ranges. Extended maintenance intervals and lower service costs are additional benefits that have strong appeal for the owner. In daily operation, the lower level of background noise is an additional argument with which the SENNEBOGEN 850 R Special Electro can score points.

Moving material safely and with pinpoint precision: SENNEBOGEN multi-shell grab
The machine was delivered from the SENNEBOGEN factory with its 1,000-liter-capacity multi-shell grapple. The 5-shell semi-open grapple with forged tips is adjusted for optimal hydraulic use. Together, machine and attachment form a perfectly matched unit. Optimized hydraulic flow ensures fast opening and closing of the HGT 1000 and guarantees maximum closing forces. This is all the more important when bulky material must be moved safely and with pinpoint precision.

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Seattle ‐ Mammoet USA has been contracted to recover the largest tunnel boring machine in the world, known as ‘Bertha’.

Bertha was built specifically for the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Tunnel project, which entails the construction of a road tunnel in the city of Seattle in the U.S. state of Washington. The machine stopped 1,000 feet into its underground operation after the discovery of damage to the seals, located at the front of the machine. In order to get the front portion of the machine to the surface for repair, a 120 feet deep recovery shaft must be constructed.

Seattle Tunnel Partners (STP) is building a 120 feet deep, 90 feet wide ring‐shaped shaft, where the lift tower can safely retrieve Bertha’s front end in open air. For this rescue operation, Mammoet designed a unique modular lift tower capable of skidding (sliding) over the 120 feet deep shaft and repair area. This lifting tower, also called a ‘gantry system’, was custom‐engineered to fit the limited space next to the Alaskan Way Viaduct, and to steer its payload within millimeters of a target.

The machine sits in saturated soil that exerts four times atmospheric pressure, as if 105 feet undersea. The soil is too soft to withstand the gantry’s heavy payload, so the gantry will be constructed on two concrete foundation beams which are installed on top of the existing concrete piles.These piles were originally designed to protect adjacent structures and utilities while digging, and will now also serve to support the gantry’s heavy payload. In order to allow the piles to support the gantry’s payload a hydraulic skid base with 48 hydraulic cylinders has been designed to equalize the loads on the concrete foundation beams. It is the first gantry in the industry which is fully supported by hydraulics.

The lift tower will lift Bertha’s entire 2,200‐ton front end as a single hoist, rotate it a quarter‐turn in the air, and set it on pre‐constructed repair supports. The gantry will then be used to disassemble the drive unit. First to be removed are the 16 electric motors. Next, the seals and main bearing will be removed and replaced. The front end will then be reinstalled and ultimately placed back in the shaft with a reverse single hoist.

An international team of Mammoet engineers designed the system within 4 weeks. Mammoet has been gathering and erecting steel parts since September from Malaysia, Europe and Canada to prepare the lifting tower. By putting together an international team of specialists and combining in-house expertise, Mammoet designed this unique system within 4 weeks to get Bertha moving again as soon as possible.

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Cranesy: What’s your favorite memory about your work with cranes?
Maggie Retta: My greatest memory was early on in my career. I was one of the first operators on a starting project and we had a lot of cranes to erect and walk onto the barges and transport to the island (work site). The head site manager came to me and said he was impressed with the safe way I operate and wanted me to be THE operator with the important and dangerous task of loading and offloading. He gave me all the manufactures requirements for me to study up on. There were 12 different cranes, all with different specifications on how to do this task. Needless to say I completed the task safely and in a timely manner and even received a $5.00 pay raise.

Cranesy: According to your opinion, what is necessary to know/do to become a good crane operator?
Maggie Retta: I believe that in order to become a true crane operator one needs to have worked on the other end of the hook as a rigger, ironworker or any craft that requires a crane to complete a task. That way once a person gets in the seat of a crane they know exactly what the guys on the ground need as far as certain techniques the operator can perform. An operator needs to be able to predict and have several alternatives moved planned out ahead of time, like in chess for example.

Cranesy: Speaking about safety lift: Write some tips for riggining at night?
Maggie Retta: Rigging and operating at night can be a very difficult job to perform. There are a number of things that can make it safer. Ensure there is proper lighting and plenty of it. More importantly, make sure the lighting is strategically placed. If lighting cannot be placed due to work area restrictions, the operator cane setup his/her crane so that the light does not come from behind the load causing a blind pick. If neither of these are possible, radio communication is a must. Do not lift a load using hand signals because at some point in the lift the signal persons hands will become invisible in the shadows. Speaking of shadows, the dark plays tricks on the eyes and depth perception is reduced to as much as 75% of what it was at noon. More reason for radio signals.

Cranesy: How has your work inspired you in your life?
Maggie Retta: Working with cranes has inspired me to never settle for what I have. I always strive to get a bigger, heavier in capacity crane than the one I currently have. And since I work to have the best at work, I take that goal and I apply it into my home life. I push to have beautiful possesions, and even outdo do my buddies on trucks and barbeque grills etc etc lol. I find it kind of funny, but I think I’ve become a bit of a snob since I became an operator (smiling).

Cranesy: Would you recommend other women to undertake this career?
Maggie Retta: I definitely recommend other women to pursue the operating if they are currently working in the the construction field. But like I said, I do believe it is a must to work on the ground first so when they get in the seat they aren’t just “pulling levers” as us operators put it. Anybody can pull a lever, but the best operate the machine.

Cranesy: Aside a work, how do you spend your spare time? Your hobbies?
Maggie Retta: My hobbies are decorating my house, fishing, boating and playing with my makeup and clothes!

Cranesy: If you could make one wish, what would it be?
Maggie Retta: If I had one wish…hmmmm…I’d have to say to be able to eat whatever and as much as I want without gaining weight. Hard for us operators to keep the pounds off as it is.

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Manitowoc is moving its Crane Care parts warehouse in Brazil from Barueri, a suburb of São Paulo, to its factory in Passo Fundo, which is located in the southern part of the country. The goal is to increase parts availability in the region by consolidating and expanding stock capabilities.

The Manitowoc offices in Barueri will also relocate to a high-rise commercial building near the current location. The changes were announced to dealers and customers in the region earlier this year.
By reorganizing its parts stock, Manitowoc aims to expand its footprint and elevate the quality of services in the region, as well as take advantage of the resources in Passo Fundo.
“We have great logistical and supplies systems already in place at the factory that we can leverage to streamline our parts and service support across the region,” said Marcelo Medeiros, Manitowoc Crane Care’s customer support director. “This change reallocates Manitowoc resources to better serve our customers in the region.”
The parts stock at Passo Fundo will store tens of thousands of items, immensely adding to the plant’s current supply. A new warehouse was built for the parts stock with a vertical design that will ease access and reduce costs.

Crane Care training is also being revamped at the Passo Fundo facility to make best use of the new system.
“Our training area with simulators is now fully integrated with the factory. This allows for more effective hands-on training,” explained Medeiros. “The proximity to our products and processes substantially adds to trainees’ learning experience.”
Similarly, Passo Fundo’s EnCORE facilities will see more benefit from the plant’s renewed infrastructure. Repair and refurbishment services will see quicker turnaround times thanks to the increased parts availability.

Becoming the hub
Nearly three years since the opening of the Passo Fundo factory, Manitowoc has established an array of logistics partners in the region. The time spent refining processes and gaining experience is making the plant central to South America’s lifting industry.

“As we expand operations in Passo Fundo, the plant is quickly becoming a hub for crane products and services in the region,” said Leandro Nilo de Moura, Manitowoc’s Latin America marketing manager. “This regional headquarters warrants some of the fastest delivery times and availability for parts in the subcontinent—something no other manufacturer can rival.”
According to Moura, Manitowoc customers in Latin America already know that Manitowoc Crane Care has unmatched parts inventory, training and refurbishment services.
“The integration of the parts and logistical systems further elevates the high standards of operation at Passo Fundo, and the new improvements and additions to our facilities will only strengthen our position in the region.”

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From now on, Liebherr is offering its customers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland as well as France and Great Britain the opportunity to hire construction machines using a smartphone and tablet app. The app provides a quick overview of the equipment available in the Liebherr hire park and of the Liebherr dealer network. The app can be used in English, German and French.

Together with its dealers, Liebherr-Mietpartner GmbH offers its customers a direct route to hiring construction machines from the Liebherr hire park. The available earthmoving machines and tower cranes are shown in the product overview. Technical data, a short description and images can also be called up. Once the user selects a machine, he/she is directed to a dealer overview. The mobile app detects the user’s location and offers contact details of the nearest dealer.

The Rental Services overview first flags up dealers near the user’s location. If deployment in a different area is planned, the dealer overview can be adjusted according to specific requirements. This makes it possible for the user to filter according to distance, post code or location in order to obtain the contact details of other Rental Services.

The Liebherr Rental Services app can be downloaded for smartphones and tablets with Apple, Android and Windows operating systems.

Links
Apple
Android
WindowsPhone

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Connecting two tunnels on opposing sides of the expansive Arazim Valley near Jerusalem requires building a record-breaking bridge that is as impressive in its height as in its length. The landmark €35 million project relies on six Potain tower cranes that are able to climb to final working heights of up to 115 m.

The rugged and uneven terrain on site added another challenge for the Kokhav Ya’ir-based Potain crane owners, COMASCO, tasked with installing tower crane foundations to ensure they were erected securely and in ample time for the bridge to progress on schedule.

Working approximately 12 hours a day, six days a week, the top-slewing Potain tower cranes are performing general lifting duties and pouring concrete to build the girder bridge. The Potain cranes at the project include a 16 t capacity MD 365 B, two 8 t capacity MDT 178s and three 12 t capacity MD 285s. The cranes offer maximum jib lengths from 60 m to 75 m and can lift between 1.5 t and 3.2 t at jib end.

The milestone project is a fitting tribute to COMASCO’s 50-year collaboration with Potain, as Mr Haim Danon, managing director, explained.

“Over the past 50 years, our work and our cranes have built some of the most iconic projects in Israel, and we are very proud to reach this milestone,” he said. “Thanks to our excellent people and the strong partnerships we have with the world’s best equipment manufacturers, like Potain, we work on the country’s most important projects – and this bridge is the latest example of our achievements.”

The Potain tower cranes arrived on site in June 2013 and will remain at the project until the end of 2015. All six cranes are climbing units, anchored to the pylons they are building. Due to the varying gradient of the terrain, the cranes stand at different heights and their final working heights will extend up to 115 m.

As part of the Israel Rail Road Project, the bridge is a crucial part of what will be a vital 70 km rail connection between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Once completed it will be the tallest and longest bridge in Israel.

Established in 1963, Comasco is among the largest equipment suppliers in Israel.

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Three Liebherr cranes are supporting construction at the FYI Centre, a twin-tower office and hotel complex in Bangkok, Thailand.

One Liebherr 125 HC-L 6/12 Litronic luffing jib unit and two 132 EC-H tower cranes have been deployed to the site, which is in close proximity to Bangkok’s Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre.

The cranes were selected due to their suitability for the confined workspace, and were delivered to lifting specialist, Thai Obayashi, by authorised Liebherr dealer, STIT Company.

“Our land area is 3.5 acres and is [bordered] on one side by a flyover, on the opposite side by a narrow residential street, and to the front by the main road,” commented Teerapong Aiemprom, site engineer at the city-centre site.

“We have been able to deploy the two high-top cranes so that their jibs are contained within the site, but it was necessary to have a luffing jib model for the third crane to prevent the jib from slewing over a restricted area,” he explained.

The FYI Centre, also known as the “For Your Inspiration Workplace”, consists of a 12-storey, 90,000m2 office tower, and a 14-storey, 239-room hotel tower.
The Liebherr luffing jib crane offers a maximum lift capacity of 12 tonnes, with a 1.9-tonne limit at full jib length. Both 132 EC-H units, meanwhile, offer a maximum load capacity of eight tonnes, and can lift 1.7 tonnes at a maximum reach of 55m.

“The 125 HC-L has a very small slewing radius through 360°, and the jib can be raised from 15° through 70°,” explained Aiemprom.
“[This means that] within this tight area, we can manoeuvre without overlapping the other cranes on the street,” he added.

The Liebherr cranes were erected at the FYI Centre in November 2014. The first stage of the project is due to complete during the first half of 2016.

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Finnish crane and lifting specialist, Konecranes has announced that its order intake and its profitability grew in the forth financial quarter of 2014 compared to 2013. Operating profit, without restructuring costs, for the whole year was equable with 2013 being €119.1 million – €115.5 million in 2013.

Order intake in the last quarter of 2014 – ending 31 Dec 2014 – was €513.3 million up 21.6% over the same period in 2013 – €422.2 million. Profit for Q4 was up €4.3 million to €47.1 million for the same period in 2013.

At the year end the order book had a €979.5 million backlog 9.6% higher than 2013.

Konecranes says that European customers are still cautious about investing, but the Purchasing Managers Indexes are giving a reason for continued optimism regarding the US market. The near-term market outlook in emerging markets remains uncertain while continued contract base growth bodes well for the future of the service business.

Based on the order book, service contract base and the near-term demand outlook, Konecranes expects sales in 2015 to be higher than in 2014. The

2015 operating profit, excluding restructuring costs should also improve from 2014.

President and CEO Pekka Lundmark said, “Year 2014 ended with a good quarter. Noteworthy is that both our business areas – service and equipment – improved from the fourth quarter 2013 in all key aspects: orders, sales, operating profit, and operating margin were all higher than a year ago.

“Summarising full year 2014, we can be reasonably satisfied with the fact that our operating profit excluding restructuring costs improved, in spite of net sales dropping by €88 million, to €2011 million. The operating margin excluding restructuring costs improved from 5.5% in 2013 to 5.9% in 2014, which is a good achievement in a volume decline, though still way below our target 10%.

“This was the third consecutive year of operating margin improvement. Systematic restructuring of non-performing units, introduction of new services, and focus on sales management were the principal contributors to the improvement. The main issue in the Service business has been the weak topline growth, but the promising order intake in the second half of the year combined with strong contract base development bodes well for both growth and profitability prospects in 2015.

“I am cautiously optimistic about the year 2015. We started the year with an order backlog that was 9.6% higher than a year ago. The funnel of new opportunities we are working on is also promising. The weakening euro is increasing the competitiveness of our European manufacturing units. Our newly launched products provide new growth opportunities, and cost efficiency programmes are moving forward.

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Recently Wagenborg executed the transport and lifting operation of two giant LPG tanks, weighing 190 and 360 tonnes, on behalf of Chemgas Shipping in Rotterdam. This client is building a coaster at a shipyard at the Winschoterdiep. Inside this coaster the two LPG tanks will be installed. Earlier the tanks were built in Willebroek, Belgium. To transport the tanks from Belgium to the Winschoterdiep and install these inside the coaster was a project perfectly suited for Wagenborg.

In Delfzijl Wagenborg Barge 1 was prepared for the RORO loading operation for the tanks in Willebroek. Subsequently the tugs Waterpoort and Waterlelie towed the pontoon to Belgium where the tanks successfully were driven on the pontoon. After sea fastening the tug Waterman and pontoon could set sail for destination Delfzijl. Upon arrival here, the transport was handed over to the tugs Waterpoort and Waterstad, which delivered the tanks over the Eemskanaal to Groningen.

In Groningen a 700 tons mobile crane and a 300 tons floating crane were mobilized to lift the tanks in the coaster, which in the meanwhile also was towed from the shipyard in Foxhol to Groningen. Upon arrival of the coaster the smallest tanks was lifted carefully inside the vessel by the floating crane Triton. After this the large tank was installed by means of a tandem lift by the floating crane and the 700 tons mobile crane. Now the coaster could return again to the shipyard, where the construction can be finished.

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Enjoy a video about the biggest crane in the world on a 32 tons truck. The new Effer 2055 in the 6s version seduced even the leader of heavy lifting in the UK, Collett & Sons Ltd.

The 135 txm Effer 2055 articulated crane in the video was delivered and mounted on an 8×4 Mercedes 4155 tractor unit by our partner in the UK, Effer Atlas, and it stands out among an extensive fleet of loader and articulated cranes used in the company’s transport and heavy moving business.
The new crane features a seven section boom – base plus six extensions – and can lift 36,000 kg at 3.50 metres – the equivalent of 44 football teams – and handle 8,700 kg at a 15 metres radius. The four axle tractor unit can handle maxium axle loads of up to 16.5 tons with a Gross Vehicle Weight of up to 150 tons.

Collected from the production factory in Bologna, Italy on 16th July, the machine arrived at Collett’s Head Office in Halifax on Friday 18th July. The Effer 2055 offers an unrivalled lifting capacity and provides Collett with the opportunity to showcase its expertise.

The model, already available up to 9S version or 6S+Jib 6S as well, represents an important evolution for the category: the electronic control system Progress 2.0 increases crane performance even when extension is at its maximum, facilitating the hydraulic system integration with other operative functions like the front stabilizers.

Moreover, the crane is equipped with Virtual Shield, an anti-collision system preventing any contacts between the crane and the truck cab for maximum safety.

“The welcome addition of the new Effer 2055 into our fleet allows Collett Transport to take a huge leap forward within the industry, offering unique lifting capabilities and providing customers with a cost effective solution for their heavy lift requirements”, said managing director David Collett. “The Effer 2055 is the very first crane of this capacity off the production line in Italy. Atlas Cranes is the recognised dealer in the UK for Effer and as we have worked with them in the past we were confident that the acquisition would be the ideal addition to our fleet. We are delighted with the results.”

Jim Smith, managing director of Effer Atlas UK, added: “Atlas are delighted to have delivered this class leading machine to one of our valued customers. Collett’s commitment to investing in new technology secures them as one of the foremost heavy haulage companies in the UK”.

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Katoen Natie N.V. has increased its lifting capacity at the port of Antwerp, investing in three new Liebherr mobile harbor cranes, one LHM 550 and two LHM 600s. Additionally, the company enforced its operations in Radicatel, France, with a new LHM 420.

In January 2015, both family-owned companies Katoen Natie und Liebherr celebrated the handover of the strongest Liebherr mobile harbor cranes (LHM) on Antwerp’s Left Bank in a festive ceremony. Ordered twice by Katoen Natie in 2014, the LHM 600 model is the strongest mobile harbor crane available in the market and provides a maximum lifting capacity of 208 metric tons and an outreach of up to 58 meters.

The first LHM 600 was delivered fully assembled in November 2014, and the second crane became operational just one month later. Due to this investment in two LHM 600s, Katoen Natie can offer high-capacity tandem lifts to its customers. Thanks to the installation of Sycratronic, one crane operator can safely handle heavy loads of up to 416 metric tons in tandem operation.

Manufactured by Liebherr Maritime Cranes in Rostock, these cranes aim to increase Katoen Natie’s competitiveness in break bulk cargo, including steel and forest products. This investment also demonstrates Katoen Natie’s confidence in their operations in Antwerp, also showing its focus on the expansion of the market share for heavy lift and project cargoes, which are large, nonstandard pieces like wind turbines.

“Thanks to our two new LHM 600s we have expanded our portfolio and are now capable of lifting loads as heavy as 416 metric tons, which is unique in Belgium. We are very optimistic that these state-of-the-art giants in combination with our long-term experience in safe and efficient cargo handling will attract new customers. Our existing customers will also highly benefit from this significant investment as we have speeded up our vessel turnaround times,” said Joos Melis, Commercial Director of Katoen Natie.

In addition to both LHM 600s, Katoen Natie has invested in an LHM 550, which started operation in summer 2014. The LHM 550 is the most-in-demand Liebherr mobile harbor crane model and has proven its capabilities across the globe. Katoen Natie’s new machine is equipped with the unique Pactronic hybrid power booster. This cutting-edge hydraulic hybrid drive for cranes allows for a plus of 30% regarding turnover capacity. At the same time, Pactronic leads to a reduction of fuel/energy consumption (litre/ton) as well as CO2 and exhaust emissions in the range of 30% depending on the operation. The tasks of this new LHM 550 in Antwerp include container and bulk handling.

Antwerp has been a market for Liebherr mobile harbor cranes for more than 20 years. In 1990, the first unit was delivered to Westerlund Corporation in Antwerp. In 2009 Liebherr Maritime Cranes opened a new office in Antwerp, and today there are eight service engineers based in Antwerp, to ensure quick response times and excellent service. Due to a notable market growth in recent years, Liebherr is optimistic that the demand for state-of-the-art mobile harbor cranes will further increase in Antwerp.

In addition to its investment in Belgium, Katoen Natie has opted for another Liebherr mobile harbor crane, type LHM 420, for their facilities in Radicatel at the northern coast of France. Delivered in 2014, the new all-purpose crane will be used for general cargo operation, container and bulk handling. The LHM 420 is Liebherr’s latest model, providing an outreach of 48 meters and a maximum lifting capacity of 124 metric tons. Katoen Natie’s very positive experience with an existing LHM 250 in Radicatel was a main reason why the logistics company opted for another LHM. This LHM 420 delivery underlines the positive trend of demand for Liebherr mobile harbor cranes in France.

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