Liebherr delivers one hundredth LTM 1450-8.1 mobile crane to French crane hire contractor Bezombes

Just 21 months after the start of series deliveries, Liebherr handed over the one hundredth LTM 1450-8.1 in July. It went to Niort in western France, not far from the Atlantic coast, to crane contractor Bezombes, which has upgraded its fleet with the 450-tonne machine.

Liebherr unveiled the LTM 1450-8.1 with a completely new concept for 8-axle mobile cranes at the Bauma in 2016, with great economy and simple set-up on site being the main priorities. This means that the new 8-axle crane is capable of travelling on public roads with a 12-tonne axle load including its complete 85-metre telescopic boom and all supports. This enables it to be prepared for use quickly once it reaches the site.

“We had to replace our LTM 1250-6.1 after 13 years of good, reliable service because our customers are now demanding greater lifting capacity, more hoisting height and larger radii. That is why we invested in a crane in a higher performance class,” explains Benoît Bezombes, Managing Director of Bezombes Niort. "The LTM 1450-8.1 is a member of the latest generation of cranes. It is safe, easy to use, quickly ready to start work and also energy-efficient as it is a single-engine crane.”

The 85 metre telescopic boom was an important factor in the purchasing decision for Bezombes. “It enables us to erect tower cranes in record time. What is more, with its luffing fly jib, the crane delivers extraordinary lifting capacity values. VarioBase® and VarioBallast® makes us extremely flexible on constricted sites,” adds Bezombes. The company boss tested the crane personally at the Liebherr acceptance site and was delighted with the sensitivity and precision of the crane movements on the LTM 1450-8.1. He says, “The LTM 1250-6.1 was a very good crane, but the new 450-tonne crane is an enormous improvement on it.”

The LTM 1450-8.1 is now the largest crane in the company’s fleet and will be used for jobs in industry, construction and civil engineering, wind energy and for hoisting boats in and out of the water in Atlantic ports near the company’s headquarters.

Bezombes is a crane and heavy haulage contractor with a workforce of 14 and 8 mobile cranes. Almost all of them were supplied by Liebherr. “When I bought my first 250-tonne crane at the age of just 25, Liebherr trusted and supported me. We have a very close partnership with Liebherr. We have been working with the same people for over 15 years,” says Bezombes.