Two new Liebherr 5-axle cranes in the Dominican Republic: Grupo Modesto takes delivery of an LTM 1150-5.3 and an LTM 1230-5.1

Grupo Modesto, S.A. is a pioneer as it is one of the first crane hire companies in the Dominican Republic to have purchased a new Liebherr mobile crane. Normally, the Caribbean country purchases used cranes. “Over recent years, our country has experienced strong economic growth. Cranes with a load capacity of 150 to 230 tonnes are currently in high demand. The LTM 1150-5.3 and LTM 1230-5.1 are versatile, even on bigger projects”, reports José Roberto Modesto, Vice-President of Grupo Modesto.

The Dominican company ordered the mobile cranes with comprehensive equipment. ”The second winch was a key piece of equipment in our decision, so the cranes can work in dual-hook mode. Other key criteria included the variable VarioBase® support base and VarioBallast®. This means we can work safely and efficiently even on construction sites where space is tight. We chose Liebherr because we’ve had good experience with them. Their service is first-class, and the focus is on us as customers and our needs”, says Modesto.

Proven in action

The first mission for the two new cranes took them to the port of Santo Domingo, where an old harbour crane was being dismantled. The challenge lay in the height of the lifts, with safety being the top priority. The LTM 1150-5.3, which was ballasted with 29 tonnes, lifted a work basket containing two crew who were detaching parts of the old harbour crane. The LTM 1230-5.1 then lowered these parts and moved them downwards ready for transport off site. The heaviest part, weighing 6 tonnes, was handled at a lifting height of 75 metres. To do this, the 230-tonne crane was set up with 42 tonnes of ballast. The crane work for the dismantling mission took a total of eight days.

First crane rental company in the Dominican Republic

Grupo Modesto, S.A. was founded in 1975 and is the oldest and also the first company in the Dominican Republic to offer a crane hire service. Today, the company employs around 50 people and operates 20 cranes, with lifting capacities ranging from 5 to 350 tonnes. In addition to the crane sector, Modesto is one of the oldest construction companies in the market with divisions such as prefabrication and heavy transport.