ESEASA takes delivery of the first LR 1700-1.0W narrow-track crawler crane in Latin America

ESEASA ordered the Liebherr 700-tonne crawler crane at Conexpo 2023 as part of a package that included a Liebherr LTM 1250-5.1 and two LRT 1090-2.1 rough-terrain cranes. A Liebherr LTM 1150-5.3 has since been added to its fleet.

The LR 1700-1.0W is the successor to the LR 1600/2-W and is currently the most powerful narrow-track crawler crane on the market. Company co-owner Aldo Santos says: "We opted for the LR 1700-1.0W because it is significantly more powerful than its predecessor. It also offers state-of-the-art crawler crane technology."

Increased performance and lifting height

Narrow-track crawler cranes are optimised for use in wind farms: they can travel from one turbine to the next along the existing routes and be deployed very quickly. The biggest differences between the LR 1700-1.0W and its predecessor model, the LR 1600/2-W, are the new crane's significantly higher lifting capacities and lifting heights. The new crane thus meets the more challenging requirements of working on modern wind turbines with hub heights reaching 170 metres. Liebherr also offers the LR 1700-1.0W with a luffing jib. This option was not available for its predecessor.

State-of-the-art crawler crane technology

The V-frame and VarioTray have more than proven their worth on the LR 1700-1.0, LR 1800-1.0 and LR 11000 crawler cranes. As a result, these innovative systems are also found on the narrow-track version of the LR 1700-1.0. The "VarioTray" is a small counterweight frame that can be unbolted quickly and easily as required. This eliminates the need for tiresome stacking and unstacking of counterweight plates. The V-Frame ballasting system is a hydraulically adjustable folding frame that allows the ballast radius of the 700-tonne crawler crane to be adjusted continuously between 13 and 21 metres. A rigid ballasting system is thus no longer required for large radii. These innovations offer great advantages, especially for wind turbine assembly.

As ESEASA intends to use the new crane in the wind energy sector as well as in industrial, oil and gas applications, the wide standard chassis was also ordered. This allows the crane to be driven on-site with a load on the hook. ESEASA has once again secured a project for six oil drilling platforms, covering engineering, procurement and construction – the LR 1700-1.0W is essential for the assembly of these offshore platforms.

Long term partnership with Liebherr

ESEASA’s head office is located in Mexico City. The company also owns a site covering more than 600,000 m² in Tampico in the state of Tamaulipas. The group mainly works in the energy sector (wind power and oil industry) and has specialised in engineering, logistics and crane assembly for large projects in Central America and the USA. The company has an 1500-strong workforce and a total of over 300 cranes of every conceivable type.

ESEASA operates Liebherr LRT rough-terrain cranes, LTR telescopic crawler cranes and LTM all-terrain cranes – including a large number of LTM 11200-9.1s and LTR 11200s, Liebherr's largest telescopic cranes. The company’s crane fleet also includes powerful Liebherr crawler cranes, such as the LR 13000, one of the largest crawler cranes in the world. "Liebherr offers innovative and safe crane technology. Their after-sales service and technical support are the best on the market," said Aldo Santos. ESEASA company co-owner Abraham Santos adds: "Liebherr cranes have the best cost-benefit ratio, retain their value exceptionally well, and therefore offer a high resale value."