4 minutes - magazine 02 | 2025
Powerhouse in continuous operation
Almost eight years ago, we shipped the first of our LTM 1450-8.1 models. Now, there are some 250 of them in use around the world – and no fewer of 15 of them are rolling through the Netherlands.
The LTM 1450-8.1 at Jenniskens: powerful, reliable, indispensable
The Dutch company Jenniskens purchased one of the first mobile cranes of this type back in 2018. Since then, the 450-tonner has been the company’s flagship crane of its almost 30-strong crane fleet, taking care of heavy lifts. We paid a visit to the crane on one of its typical construction sites.
The LTM 1450-8.1 has been an indispensable tool for the crane and transport services provider Jenniskens. The Dutch family-run company operates out of Wijchen, not far from the border with Germany. “The mobile crane remains our most powerful machine and we’re beyond happy with our 450-tonner.” These are the words of Jeroen Jenniskens, one of the three brothers in charge of the company and who took over from their father three years ago.
“The LTM 1450-8.1 has proven itself to be exceptionally reliable and powerful in the field,” says Jeroen, “and the superstructure has notched up an impressive 6,500 hours of operation so far. We mainly use it for building construc?tion projects, but also quite a lot for infrastructure projects such as bridges or viaducts. The crane also regularly works on a major barrier construction on a North Sea dyke. We were only there again in May and we swapped several 90-tonne cylinders,” reports Jeroen. “In addition to its lifting power and 85-metre-long telescopic boom – with this length also often saving us having to build up the lattice jib – we love the crane most of all because of its superb flexibility. The adjustable ballast in combination with VarioBase® is absolutely fantastic. It means we’re able to use the LTM 1450-8.1 even on narrow construction sites.”
Jack Heldens: He has been sitting at the controls in the crane cabin since the LTM 1450-8.1 was first supplied to Jenniskens.
Over 100 suction dredger assemblies
Jack Heldens and Evan Geurts are also happy with their machine. Jack has been sitting in the Liebherr craneʼs cabin since the very first day. Evan has been working with it for four years. We meet the two friendly crane operators at sunrise by the banks of a large quarry pond close to the Ijsselmeer. The evening before, they had parked their mobile crane on the sandy ground and made it ready to pull. A suction dredger – dismantled the day before at another location – was to be put back together again on the water. A routine job for the pair. Jack has already done this sort of work well over 100 times. “Each year, we dismantle around 20 of these machines and put them back together again at their next mission location,” he says, getting straight to it. There isnʼt much time to sit around and chat, as the assembly team is already waiting.
Six huge individual components, each weighing up to 35 tonnes, are put together create the “zandzuiger”, as itʼs called in Dutch. The work progresses quickly. Jack, Evan and the assembly team with their life jackets are a well?practised team. One component after another is quickly hanging on the crane hook. Once all the pontoons have been safely positioned on the water and joined up, the team continues with the giant dredgerʼs superstructure. “It certainly takes 50 lifts for a floating dredger to be fully assembled,” explains Jack.
“Zandzuiger” is the Dutch name for the suction dredger assembled from numerous floating bodies. Sand is primarily required for coastal defences and for land recovery.
“LTM 1450-8.1 is very stable in operation”
In addition to crane operations, Jenniskens also offers specialist transport and industrial relocations. Around 40 staff look after customers’ needs as well as the numerous transport vehicles and cranes in the companyʼs fleet. “A large proportion of our mobile cranes comes from Liebherr, including two MK 73-3.1 mobile construction cranes,” explains Jeroen Jenniskens. “All in all, our Liebherr equipment is incredibly reliable,” he says, satisfied. “Our LTM 1450-8.1 is very stable in operation too. It has only broken down twice in seven years, and each time the Liebherr service team was able to quickly fix the problem.”
This article was published in the UpLoad magazine 02 | 2025.
