10.05.2017

Second LTM 1500-8.1 for HKV Schmitz

German crane rental company HKV Schmitz & Partner has taken delivery of a 500 tonne Liebherr LTM 1500-8.1 All Terrain crane.

The eight axle crane features a seven section, 84 metre main boom plus Y Guy superlift system, 91 metre luffing jib and a 56 metre fixed jib. The maximum system height is 142 metres with 108 metres radius and 165 tonnes of maximum counterweight. It is the company's second LTM 1500-8.1 and will replace a 400 tonne Liebherr LTM 1400-7.1. The crane will be used to repair and repower wind turbines.

Liebherr has also designed a system to remove the main boom quickly and easily in order to ease road movement when necessary, reducing its gross vehicle weight to under 60 tonnes.
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Liebherr LTM 1500-8.1

Managing director Herbert Schmitz said: "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."

Technical director Michael Schmitz added: "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."
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(L-R) Ralf Plättner, Wilhelm Dyck, and Michael Schmitz of HKV, with Erich Schneider of Liebherr, and Herbert Schmitz, Günter Niedermeier, Josef Forsbach and Thomas Müller of HKV

HKV Schmitz has been operating for over 20 years beginning with mobile crane rental, adding heavy haulage services later on. The company runs a fleet of 25 mobile cranes all from Liebherr, with 45 employees.