07.07.2014

First LR 11000 delivered

The first 1,000 tonne Liebherr LR 11000 crawler crane has been delivered and carried out its first job.

Owned by Austrian crane rental and heavy haulage company Felbermayr, the crane was transported directly from Liebherr’s plant in Ehingen to the Plojesti refinery in Romania, in order to lift several steel cylinders into place. The largest of them measured 58 metres in length by four metres wide and weighed 335 tonnes.

With an available working area of just 35 by 35 metres and a five metre wide corridor in which to assemble the crane’s lattice boom and 36 metre luffing jib, the LR 11000 was rigged with over 700 tonnes of counterweight.
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Liebherr's 1,000 tonne Liebherr LR 11000 crawler crane carrying out its first job

The largest vessel was originally said to weigh 280 tonnes and this was the weight used in the initial planning. However by the time additional items were added on site at the last minute, the vessel weight had increased to 335 tonnes. Thankfully the new crane was still able to manage the lift. A 750 tonne Liebherr LR 1750 crawler crane was used to tail-in and steady the vessel until it was fully upright. When the LR11000 took the full load, the weight - with hooks and rigging - totalled 357 tonnes. The crane lifted it to a radius of 27.5 metres.
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The LR 11000 and 750 tonne Liebherr LR 1750 crawler crane used to lift the 335 tonne steel cylinder in place

"The alternative crane which could have hoisted this component would have been a Terex CC 6800", explained project planner Klaus Ruhland. "But there was definitely not enough space for it. The LR 11000 was driven into the space almost by magic."

The LR 11000 will continue to work at the Romanian plant until the end of July.