Bratislava, Slovakia-based tower crane sales and rental company Kranimex, which is also an official Liebherr dealer, used a helicopter to transport a 40 LC top-slewing crane into the centre of Bratislava.
It had to use the helicopter because conventional tower crane assembly using a mobile crane wasn’t possible for a number of reasons. First, there was no access road to the jobsite. Second, the proximity of neighbouring buildings and power lines meant that, even if a mobile crane could reach the site, it would have needed a minimum lifting capacity of 350 tonnes, plus a jib extension. The use of such a large mobile crane would also have meant that part of the city’s tram system would have had to be suspended. All in all, Kranimex, along with heavy haulage specialist Tech-Mont, determined that the use of a helicopter was the most effective method.
The assembly took a total of two days. The MI-8T helicopter used had a maximum lifting capacity of three tonnes. This meant that the helicopter was able to transport even the heaviest crane part, a 2,750-kilogram slewing platform, without a problem. The helicopter picked up the crane components, including tower sections, jib, and counter jib, at a temporary storage location by the Danube and flew them over the city's rooftops to the construction site. Eleven flights were needed to deliver all of the crane parts. Service fitters from Kranimex took delivery of the air-lifted components before assembling the top-slewing crane.
“Strong and reliable teamwork was the key factor for this exceptional assembly,” says Patrik Šeba, service fitter from Liebherr dealer Kranimex. “This was our third assembly with Tech-Mont so we knew we could rely on each other.”
The Liebherr 40 LC crane is working on site, constructing new apartments, with a hook height of 30 metres and a jib measuring just under 25 metres. It offers a maximum lifting capacity of 4,000 kilograms. To save as much space as possible, the crane has been mounted on foundation anchors and the narrow 63 LC tower system, which features external dimensions of just 1.2 x 1.2 metres. The top-slewing crane was built in 2006 and continues to provide reliable service, which Liebherr says is testament to the high quality and durability of its machines.
It is expected that the crane will continue working on the residential project in the centre of Bratislava until the end of 2023. Its dimensions allow the Liebherr machine to access all parts of the site with ease and to assist with various lifting operations, including the movement of bricks and concrete. Once the crane has finished its work, it will be dismantled by helicopter and flown back over the rooftops of Bratislava.
