Belize Sugar Industries (BSI) has added a second-hand Liebherr LTM 1130-5.1 mobile crane to its fleet, making it one of the first Liebherr cranes to operate in Belize.
The 130t crane will be used for maintenance, repairs and assembly tasks at the company’s sugar factory.
The Belize-based factory, employing 600 people, also generates electricity, approximately half of which is supplied to the national grid.
BSI buyer Immer Torres stated that the need for increased lifting capacity has become more pressing, as the plant’s previous crane, a 110t unit, could no longer fully meet requirements.
Torres said: “Our need for lifting capacity for maintenance and modernisation work within the plant has risen sharply. The 110t crane, now 33 years old, which we had previously used for these tasks, was no longer able to fully meet the plant’s requirements.”
The LTM 1130-5.1, sourced from Liebherr’s site in Veracruz, Mexico, was selected in part due to its availability in the region.
According to the company, the crane’s 60m boom and five-axle design make it suitable for a range of work around the production facility.
Torres said: “With our ‘new second-hand’ crane, we will now be able to carry out maintenance work on the production plant, repair jobs and assembly work using a single crane. Previously, we regularly had to hire an additional machine for these tasks in addition to our own crane.”
This marks BSI’s first use of a Liebherr crane and introduces one of the earliest Liebherr mobile cranes to the country.
Torres also highlighted the importance of long-term service and spare parts access, stating, “For us, the available services and the long-term guarantee of spare parts supply were just as important as the crane’s technical specifications.
“With a plant that produces both sugar and electricity, we need to be able to plan maintenance work reliably. Liebherr gives us the necessary assurance for long-term operation.”
