Around two years ago, Knorr Kranverleih e.K. set the course for entering a higher load-capacity class. With the LTM 1150-5.4, the Hollenstedt-based company is now specifically expanding its fleet upwards: “A 130-tonne crane wouldn’t have made any difference to us. A 150-tonne crane certainly would. And if we’re going to buy a Liebherr, we’re going to do it properly and go for the most modern model,” says Managing Director Isa Karaxha. Consequently, the features of the LTM 1150-5.4 proved highly convincing – above all the LICCON3 control system and VarioBase®. Added to this are the visually appealing crane cab and the powerful 66-metre telescopic boom, which sets a strong benchmark in this class and opens up additional application possibilities.
At the same time, the 150-tonne crane can be used flexibly as a taxi crane and does not require an additional ballast lorry – this reduces both logistical effort and costs and is a decisive advantage in day-to-day operations. In future, the five-axle crane will be used in concrete construction, on infrastructure projects and in the industrial and energy sectors – for example, at transformer stations or in the construction of power lines.
Comprehensive service offering
Apart from the technical factors, one argument in particular was decisive in the decision to opt for the LTM 1150-5.4: the service. “You know that enquiries will always be dealt with reliably,” emphasises Karaxha, who values a partnership-based approach. “Furthermore, the purchase of our first Liebherr crane represents a clear commitment to ‘made in Germany’. We’re proud to now have a Liebherr crane in our fleet for the first time.”
Within the fleet, the new LTM 1150-5.4 fulfils a clear role: it is the largest crane in the portfolio and rounds off the existing range at the top end. In total, Knorr now has five mobile cranes and one loading crane.
Successful start in prefabricated house construction
Just one day after delivery, the 150-tonne crane demonstrated its capabilities: in Schneverdingen, it lifted prefabricated components weighing several tonnes for house construction. The mobile crane was equipped with 9 tonnes of on-board ballast for taxi operation and completed the job within three hours.
Knorr is based just outside Hamburg in Lower Saxony and employs nine staff. Isa and Jutta Karaxha are the second generation to run the crane hire business – and Florian and Sebastian Karaxha, representing the third generation, are already waiting in the wings. “Looking ahead, we plan to expand our service portfolio and offer our customers transport services from a single source in future,” says Karaxha.
