The Liebherr 55-tonne crane, which was first unveiled at Bauma 2025, takes mobility to a new level. Designed as a true ‘taxi crane’, the 3-axle model can carry up to nine tonnes of counterweight whilst maintaining an axle load of twelve tonnes. Despite its low weight, the new crane offers impressive lifting capacities. “We are proud to be one of the first companies in France to take delivery of an LTM 1055-3.3. The crane features a lightweight, high-performance boom with a length of 40 metres, which offers outstanding lifting capacities, particularly at long reaches,” reports Alexandra Da Rocha, who, together with her sister Elsa, has taken over the family business Limalev, founded by their father.
The new acquisition marks an important milestone for the long-established crane company. Limalev was founded in Limoges in the 1960s. Since its takeover in 1994 by Enrique Da Rocha, the company has been consistently developed and modernised. Since 2023, the two managing directors, Alexandra and Elsa Da Rocha, have been running the family business, which today operates a fleet of six mobile cranes. Lifting is in the blood of these two entrepreneurs: both hold a crane operator’s licence and do not hesitate to take the controls of a crane themselves.
In recent years, Limalev has pursued a targeted investment strategy to best meet the technical requirements of its customers. The addition of the lightest 3-axle all-terrain crane on the market fits seamlessly into this strategy, bringing additional versatility, high performance and maximum operational flexibility to the fleet.
Equipped with the state-of-the-art LICCON3 crane control system, the LTM 1055-3.3 is part of the latest generation of Liebherr mobile cranes. Elsa Da Rocha explains: “Thanks to the innovative trapezoidal outrigger base, including VarioBase® Plus, the crane achieves load-bearing capacities comparable to those of the next higher crane class – particularly at large working radii. This is crucial for many of our construction sites, which are often characterised by confined spaces and restricted access.”
The low axle loads of the LTM 1055-3.3 ensure enormous flexibility and greater cost-effectiveness in day-to-day use. In many markets, there is no need for time-consuming permits, escort vehicles or restrictions on permitted driving times. When operated with a trailer – on which the full eleven tonnes of ballast can be transported and then lifted onto the crane in a single lift at the construction site – a nationwide permanent driving permit is available in Germany, for example, without any restrictions or driving conditions.
