The recent arrival of the LICCON3 crane technology in South Africa has generated strong interest in the heavy lifting industry. Concord Cranes and Marlboro Crane Hire, two of the country’s leading crane hire companies, are among the first to receive the new 100-tonne LICCON3 cranes, the LTM 1100-5.3.
Founded in 1992 by Henry Oliver Dalais, Marlboro Crane Hire has over the years established itself as a formidable player in the lifting game in South Africa. To date, the company operates a 125-strong fleet, offering professional lifting solutions with a maximum lifting capacity of 1,200 tonnes. The latest purchase is part of a larger fleet replacement programme targeting cranes over 80 tonnes.
Concord Cranes offers a range of heavy lift solutions in southern Africa, including crane hire, expert rigging services and specialised transport solutions. Driven by innovation and agility, Concord Cranes is part of the larger Bud Group, a diversified business of scale and relevance.
Customers appreciate advanced technology, enhanced safety and striking design of LICCON3
Wayne McCullagh, CEO of Concord Cranes, is excited that the transition from Liebherr’s LICCON2 to the new LICCON3 crane control system is designed to be seamless, blending familiar, time-tested features with enhanced technological capabilities. “With the new LICCON3 system, one will experience the same familiar simplicity of LICCON2, now enhanced with a modern interface and the practical engineering excellence that Liebherr is known for,” says McCullagh.
Kathleen Dias, managing director of Marlboro Crane Hire, says several factors were central to the buying decision. These include the technically advanced concept, particularly the significant upgrades in computing power, software and data handling, designed to improve efficiency and safety across sites. The eye-catching new design was, of course, also a strong factor.
“The first thing that attracted us was the aesthetically pleasing design of the LICCON3 cranes. For me, details matter, and this crane boasts a sleek, modern and high-quality appearance, which is easy on the eye. It is one of the most beautiful cranes that I have ever set my eyes on,” says Dias. The LICCON3 cranes feature a modern, aesthetic design update characterised by premium materials, streamlined design, and a focus on both functional and visual appeal.
LTM 1100-5.3: efficient taxi crane with great performance
Another major advantage, she adds, is the combination of a 62-metre telescopic boom, enabling hoisting heights of up to 76 metres with lattice extensions and radii of up to 64 metres. The crane also carries a standard 16.9 tonnes of counterweight. With this ballast, the LTM 1100-5.3 operates as a highly efficient taxi crane below the 12-tonne per axle load limit. “Because of its ability to travel with this high amount of ballast, the crane reduces the need for additional trucks to transport counterweight. We believe this will be one of the ‘great selling tools’ for us as a crane hire company,” says Dias. In addition, Dias makes special mention of the advanced technology on the crane, which she says is key to driving safety – a key parameter in lifting operations. According to her, safety is the foremost critical trend in lifting operations, driven by the need to prevent fatal injuries and the high cost of downtime.
Liebherr’s LICCON 3 technology increases safety through a combination of enhanced, real-time load monitoring, advanced driver assistance systems and improved, intuitive operator control. As the third generation of this system, it provides faster data processing and better visualisation of critical safety data, helping to prevent accidents caused by human error or unforeseen site conditions.
The LICCON3 works intimately with VarioBase®, measuring the extension length and support force of each individual outrigger. The crane controller then calculates the maximum permissible lifting capacities in real-time for that specific, potentially non-symmetrical setup, preventing overloads in tight spaces.
Key improvements on the LICCON3 crane control
Commenting on some key improvements on the LICCON3 over the previous LICCON2 technology, Francois Pretorius, Sales Manager mobile and crawler cranes at Liebherr-Africa, highlights the enhanced operational efficiency, improved safety systems and a redesigned interface for easier operation.
“The overall design has been refined for better performance, reduced maintenance requirements and increased reliability. These upgrades collectively provide a more advanced and user-friendly solution that meets the growing demands of our customers such as Marlboro Crane Hire,” explains Pretorius.
The touchscreen function on the larger, new display in the superstructure cab means that it is now even easier and more comfortable to control the crane. The way in which the information is displayed has also been revised and simplified. In addition, LICCON3 cranes are ready for telemetry and fleet management as standard.
The home-coming and departing functions enable different lights to be activated when locking or unlocking the driver or operator cab. RemoteDrive is one of the major advantages: with Liebherr’s BTT-E remote control, the driver/operator can position the crane while standing outside the crane and visually seeing the surroundings.
Liebherr-Africa ensures reliable customer support and professional assistance
Apart from the product itself, Dias stresses the importance of a strong aftermarket support – spare parts availability, technical support and service networks – when purchasing cranes because, in the heavy-lifting industry, downtime is the primary driver of financial losses.
While Liebherr cranes are known for their durability, with a typical operating life of over 30 years, Dias says the service reliability largely sways her company’s decisions when buying new cranes. In fact, she adds, Liebherr is Marlboro Crane Hire’s preferred supplier in the large crane range (100 tonnes upwards), constituting about 30% of the company’s overall crane fleet.
“As a lifting company, we treat aftermarket support as a critical factor in ensuring that our investment remains operational, safe and profitable throughout its lifespan. With Liebherr-Africa, we have quick access to technicians and spare parts, thus maximising equipment uptime. We also appreciate the partnership we have with everyone at the organisation – we are treated with utmost respect, and we have direct access to all decision makers, which facilitates tailored solutions that meet our specific requirements,” says Dias.
Pretorius concludes: “We are excited about the opportunities that the LICCON3 technology brings to our region and are confident that it will set new benchmarks for performance, reliability and efficiency. As Liebherr-Africa, our commitment is to provide the highest level of support and technical expertise to our customers, ensuring long-term value with every investment.”
