As good as new

They are quickly available, are characterised by proven quality and, all in all, are also a sustainable solution for the construction industry: used cranes. From 30-tonne cranes on tyres to large crawler cranes, Liebherr is alsorepresented in this market with its complete product range. While demand has so far been particularly strong from the USA, Eastern Europe and Australia, the Brazilian market is also showing great interest in used mobile and crawler cranes from Liebherr.

Crane types with load capacities of 250 tonnes or more, 5-axle cranes and lattice boom cranes are particularly in demand. At the same time, many operators are replacing their cranes that are more than ten years old. “Liebherr cranes are very popular on the used market and have a considerable resale value. This is due to several factors, such as their high quality, the availability of spare parts and the service we offer our customers on site, even after many years,” says Mathias Ehrlich from Sales Brazil. Ready-to-use used cranes are a lucrative alternative to a new crane due to the lower investment sums and fast delivery times.

“Before the used cranes are sold again, we bring them up to the latest state of the art, check them for safety and install additional equipment, if necessary,” says Ehrlich, explaining the concept. Customers can choose whether they want to buy their “new used crane” in as-is condition or completely reconditioned. “At the customer’s request, we can not only repaint our used cranes, but also deliver them with a different boom configuration, additional winches or lattice booms, for example.”

“While we initially only accepted used cranes in exchange for a new crane, we now also buy back our used cranes without this condition,” says Rechtsteiner. “At the same time, we are continuing to drive forward our used crane business internationally.” Brazil is still a relatively young but promising market – particularly with regard to the development of renewable energies and the associated construction projects, such as the erection of wind farms.This is where large cranes are used.

The Group is represented by two production companies at the Guaratinguetá location in the state of São Paulo. “As part of Liebherr Brasil, which was founded in 1974, we offer the complete programme for the mobile crane division here: technical customer service, a spare parts warehouse on site, 16 service engineers stationed at various locations throughout the country, as well as a workshop where any repairs can be carried out,” reports Felix Mussotter from Sales South America.

In recent years, business with used cranes has also picked up considerably in South America’s largest country. “For around two years, we have been supplying more used cranes to Brazil, particularly large cranes with five axles or more, as well as crawler cranes. This development is mainly due to the lengthy delivery times for new cranes, which can be around twelve months since the coronavirus pandemic,” reports Mussotter. And Rene Porto, Division Manager for Mobile and Crawler Cranes at Liebherr Brasil, adds: “On the one hand, the wind power sector is fuelling demand for used cranes. On the other hand, there are numerous projects in the mining and oil & gas sectors that give rise to corresponding demand. Young used cranes that are up to five years old are in high demand.”

Since 2021, several used cranes ranging from the LTM 1250-5.1 to the 750-tonne crane have gone to longstanding customers – all of them Brazilian crane rental companies, which in turn operate in the oil & gas, mining and wind industries. One such company is Guindastes Tatuapé. To meet the growing demands of the wind energy sector, the company has acquired the LG 1750, a versatile mobile crane with a luffing jib. With a maximum load bearing capacity of 750 tonnes, this model can be used in a wide variety of areas. “After extensive research by our technical team and taking into account market demand, we have come to the conclusion that the LG 1750 has technical features and capacities that meet most current market requirements, particularly in the wind energy sector. The long-standing partnership between Guindastes Tatuapé and Liebherr, which is based on the reliability of all Liebherr machines in our fleet, also influenced the decision in favour of the LG 1750,” emphasises Commercial Manager Marcelo Monteiro.

Thanks to long-standing partnerships, our customers in Brazil have also built up a great deal of trust in Liebherr. “Our customers know that they can rely on excellent after-sales support, even for older used cranes, and that they will still receive a reliable supply of spare parts after many years. This gives the customer great security when investing in a Liebherr used crane,” says Porto. Customers can expect fully repaired and reconditioned used cranes in very good condition. “And that’s what we can offer them!”

This article was published in the UpLoad magazine 01 | 2024.