Scholpp went through a period of marked growth in the late 80s, increasing staff levels from 85 in 1985, to 180 in 1992. In that year, and following the reunification of Germany, the company established Scholpp Montagetechnik Sachsen GmbH & Co. KG in Chemnitz, in the formerly communist east. Two years later, in 1994, the company acquired Sauter GmbH Frankfurt, increasing the scale of its press and heavyweight lifting and installation operations.

In 1998, Scholpp bought heavy installation and production-line construction specialist Herog Schwermontagen und Anlagenbau, allowing it to pitch itself as a complete service provider for production line installations. By 2006, the company had more than 700 employees, working from 22 locations.

Götz Schleith, Scholpp technical services manager, described Scholpp’s fleet: “We have 40 mobile cranes in our fleet. The smallest is a 20t Locatelli ATC 20, and the biggest a 650t Demag AC 650. We also have tower cranes, a Liebherr MK 80 and a brand new Spierings 599.

“We don’t favour any product, we always look for the best and latest technology for Scholpp. Every manufacturer has fine and good types of cranes. We are looking for the best for our customers and our jobs. In my personal opinion, though: There is no better way to drive than in a Liebherr crane.”

Over the last year, Scholpp has purchased a Liebherr LTM 1250 6.1, a Demag AC 200 1p with six axle chassis, two Faun ATF 80s, and three Grove GMK 3055s. For 2007, the company has bought a Locatelli ATC 20 (delivered this year in October 2006), a Demag AC 30 City (May), a Demag AC 40 -1City (August), a Spierings TK 599 (November 2006), a Grove GMK 4100 L (May), a Grove GMK 5130 (April), and two Faun HK 40 (March).

The companies wide range of cranes, and complementary specialisations in heavy lifting, transport, and installation, have seen it working on a range of interesting jobs. Earlier this year, Scholpp used its Terex Demag AC 200 1P to install a 65m high telephone mast in a difficult to reach location, for the Australian soccer world cup team (see Cranes Today, August 2006, p8).

At the Mercedes Motor Museum in Stuttgart, Scholpp installed lifting equipment and hoists for the new building, and transported and installed exhibits and other items ranging in weights from 80kg to 17t. A special crane, the Octopus, was used for many of the jobs at this location. The crane features hybrid electric diesel power, can fit into most industrial elevators, but can lift loads of up to 5t. The crane can work at radii of up to 21m.