18.02.2021

Wasel goes bigger

German crane rental company Wasel has taken delivery of a 700 tonne Liebherr LTM 1650-8.1 All Terrain crane while also placing an order for a 1,000 tonne LR 11000 and the new 700 tonne LR 1700-1.0 lattice crawler crane, which was formally launched on Monday - see: Liebherr to introduce new 700t crawler.

The LTM 1650-8.1 comes with an 80 metre main boom, a maximum tip height of 151 metres with extensions and a maximum working radius of 112 metres. It replaces a 500 tonne LTM 1500-8.1, which it outlifts by 15 to 50 percent depending on the configuration. The new crane also has Liebherr’s VarioBallast adjustable counterweight system and Variobase outrigger set up. It now tops Wasel’s telescopic crane fleet, while a 750 tonne Liebherr LG 1750 tops its lattice truck cranes and a 750 tonne LR 1750 tops its crawler cranes.
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Thomas Wasel, who runs the business with brother Matthias, said: “We decided to buy the LTM 1650-8.1 because our 500 tonne crane is now often reaching the limits of its capacity. We often need more lifting capacity, particularly for unloading machine components off ships at ports. The new crane also delivers some major benefits for erecting large tower cranes with luffing jibs.”
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(L-R) Dieter Walz and Erich Schneider of Liebherr with Thomas and Matthias Wasel

Mathias added: "In the LTM 1650-8.1 Liebherr has found an excellent successor to the popular LTM 1500-8. We deliberately chose Liebherr’s new eight axle crane because it is relatively easy to handle for such a large crane. Being able to mount the complete rear outrigger box with just one hoist on site is a really good, practical solution.”

In addition to the new LR 1700-1.0, Wasel will also take delivery of a new 1,000 tonne Liebherr LR 11000 later this year. Wasel added: “The significant increase in capacity compared to the LR 1600/2, whilst having similar dimensions, immediately appealed to us. It’s particularly useful for wind power jobs. In addition, the fact that we can use lots of components from our LR 1600/2, for example the complete luffing jib, is ideal for us."

The company has ordered the LR 1700 with the new modular ‘M-Wagon’ ballast trailer which can also be used with LR 11000 and - if they chose to buy one - the 800 tonne LR 1800-1.0 crawler crane. “Since we do not use a ballast trailer very often, this means we can save some significant costs. It also delivers a major benefit for our crawler cranes,” said Matthias Wasel.

Based in Bergheim, to the west of Cologne, Wasel runs a fleet of around 150 Liebherr mobile cranes, almost 400 tower cranes, with 60 tractor units and with 100 semi-trailers to move the equipment around and carry out challenging haulage contracts for others. It employs around 400 across 11 locations and has been a Liebherr tower crane dealer for more than 65 years.