LR 1800-1.0: First job in wind farm

The first job for the brand new LR 1800-1.0 was in a large wind farm in North Rhine Westphalia, around 120 kilometres to the east of the Ruhr district metropolis of Essen. Around 70 vehicles transported the components for the wind power version of the machine to the site. Four towers from system manufacturer Enercon had already been erected by a Liebherr LTM 11200-9.1 mobile crane with heights of up to 88 metres and were now ready for completion.

When the new machine was erected for the first time, the team from Colonia received active support from three service personnel from Ehingen and the Liebherr repair centre in Oberhausen. After a few days, the LR 1800-1.0 towered into the air with a 171 metre main boom and a 12 metre jib.

For the heaviest components of the wind turbine, whose hub is at an imposing height of 160 metres, the crane had to position gross loads of 89 tonnes at a dizzying height with absolute accuracy.

Colonia and the new crawler crane LR 1800-1.0 erected a total of four turbines in the extensive wind farm. What about afterwards? Colonia Sales Manager Thomas Reuther is optimistic for the future: “We bought the full version of the crane, and in addition to the wind power equipment, we have various main boom versions and a set-up configuration with a luffing jib available. That enables us to carry out major industrial work or hoist bridges. The crane is one hundred percent variable and can be used in many different areas.”

The Cologne-based company has a workforce of around 250 providing towing services, heavy haulage logistics and industrial installation work and often carries out work for customers in the petrochemical industry. In this sector, the crawler crane will significantly expand the range of services from the crane service provider in the future.