LTM 1300-6.3 – A powerhouse over the rear

"The telescopic section, which is really long at 90 metres, and the super lifting capacity when working over the rear make this new mobile crane very appealing for us," says Marco Floßdorf, explaining his company's decision to buy the LTM 1300-6.3. In February, the young company officer and scion of the family business was present when the mobile crane was handed over at the Liebherr factory in Ehingen. "The new crane will certainly be used on all kinds of jobs at our company and, if necessary, will be a capable assistant to our LTM 1650-8.1."

One of the first jobs on which the modern 300-tonne mobile crane was deployed involved two tandem lifts that were executed with Floßdorf's most powerful mobile crane. Two enormous steel boilers, the heaviest weighing almost 100 tonnes, had to be installed in a new power plant at a paper factory in Düren. Some very cramped conditions and a pipe bridge running between the pre-assembly site and the installation site made the job a bit of a challenge. Originally, the customer planned to use a crawler crane. However, a well thought-out concept designed by Thorsten Mahlberg from Floßdorf's technical field service, which instead involved operating mobile cranes on both sides of the pipe bridge, convinced the client. Mahlberg positioned the LTM 1650-8.1 – equipped with Y-guying and 155 tonnes of ballast – directly in front of the power plant construction site. The LTM 1300-6.3 was used on the other side of the pipes to guide the mighty steam boilers into a vertical position while they were being turned.

Taking on a load via the rear support

The VarioBase®Plus trapezoidal support on the LTM 1300-6.3, one of this mobile crane's many innovative features, provided more than sufficient stability while the two Liebherr machines lifted the huge steel elements from their pre-assembly site. The new crane had to cope with a maximum load of 48.2 tonnes at a radius of 14.3 metres before the large crane gradually took over the load and moved the boilers into a vertical position. Lifting them into the prefabricated steel structure for the future power plant was then the sole responsibility of the LTM 1650-8.1 and its two experienced drivers, Martin Pohl and Martin Holzem.

Both men's expertise really became apparent as the heavy steel blocks were carefully inserted into the new building. During this demanding manoeuvre, there was only about a hand's breadth of space between them and the steel construction on the side of the boilers, which were around twenty metres high. These first had to be precisely positioned and then held in place for hours until the enormous load was released following welding work on the structure.

Jibs of other LTM cranes are compatible

Floßdorf did not purchase any jibs for its new LTM 1300-6.3. "If the long telescopic boom is ever insufficient, we can use the fixed or hydraulically adjustable jibs from our other Liebherr cranes," said Michael Sadrinna, pointing out the advantageous compatibility of the Liebherr machines. As an active and progressive company – its portfolio includes heavy transport, rental and working platforms – Floßdorf owns a modern fleet of cranes made exclusively by Liebherr. Therefore, there is no shortage of equipment in stock for its LTM units.

Indeed, the 90-metre boom of its newly acquired mobile crane will probably suffice for the vast majority of the company's future assignments. Thorsten Mahlberg, Floßdorf's project manager, already has his eye on the new 300-tonne crane for the planned dismantling of a 70-metre-high chimney. "We could hang a demolition grapple from the hook block on the LTM 1300-6.3, which could then nibble away at the chimney from above. Of course, with its long telescopic boom the crane would be perfect for that."