July 2 - Crane manufacturer Liebherr-Werk is currently constructing the LR 13000 model crawler crane which the company claims "ushers in a whole new dimension in size for crawler cranes of conventional design."
The new unit, with a maximum lifting capacity of 3,000 tonnes at 12 m outreach, is expected to be popular with project cargo forwarders and construction companies working in the power station construction sector. With the latest generation of nuclear power plants in particular, the lifting of extremely heavy unit items is an essential.
Added to this, there is an industry trend for pre-assembled modules to increasingly require lifting as complete units. This is resulting in increased weights of assemblies.
In refineries, there is a growing demand for industrial columns to be set up which can weigh 1,500 tonnes and reach 100 m in length. Ever larger cranes are also needed for the preliminary assembly of offshore steel structures such as oil platforms.
