May 10 - Cologne, Germany-based crane rental company HKV Schmitz & Partner (HKV) has taken delivery of its second Liebherr LTM 1500-8.1 mobile crane in a year.
The LTM 1500-8.1 can be driven without the telescopic boom, which reduces its gross weight to less than 60 tonnes.
Managing director of HKV, Herbert Schmitz, explains: "Although the removal of the telescopic boom takes an hour, we are subject to fewer regulations from the authorities and no longer have to take long diversions. For example, we can drive over more bridges, which saves time and distance. The increased mobility outweighs the additional time by far."
HKV's Michael Schmitz continues: "It also means that we are no longer exclusively restricted to driving at night and we do not need a police escort. That makes us significantly more flexible. It's also a great benefit for our personnel."
The company will use the crane to replace a seven-axle LTM 1400-7.1, in order to cater to the higher requirements for repairing and re-powering wind turbines, claims Liebherr.
From left to right: Ralf Plättner, Wilhelm Dyck, Michael Schmitz (HKV Schmitz & Partner); Erich Schneider (Liebherr-Werk Ehingen); Herbert Schmitz, Günter Niedermeier, Josef Forsbach, Thomas Müller (HKV Schmitz & Partner).
