From left: Weldex heavy crane manager Simon Massey, operations controller Jason Thompson, sales manager Andrew Paterson, director Iain McGilvray and managing director Dougie McGilvray pose for a photograph after placing an order for four Kobelco SL6000s.

Weldex has ordered four 500t capacity Kobelco SL6000 crawlers, the first of which goes to work in July erecting 5mW REpower wind turbines in Scotland. The second unit, expected in November, is specced the same as the first: superlift counterweight tray and 84m of boom and jib. One of the other two units has superlift, and the other has a luffing boom. They are expected to arrive in May and June 2008. Dougie McGilvray said that he does not generally buy the same attachments for every crane in a group order: “We find that it is not wise to buy all with attachments, because some end up sitting in the yard. We might buy 10 Liebherrs, but only six will be luffers.”

That afternoon, he was on the Liebherr stand, signing for a 1,200t-capacity LR 11350 with 140m boom and 84m boom, for delivery in April 2008, and two LR 1600s. The first is specced with 112m main boom and 12m jib in windmill erection configuration, and the second with 96m boom and 84m jib. It has also bought four LR 1300s and two LR 1280s, among others.

“We have sold off all of our stuff from our Grayston and Hewden acquisitions, and we now have about 120 cranes,” McGilvray said. In May, the company is also receiving a CC 2800-1 crawler, with another coming later this year. McGilvray estimates that Weldex has spent about £28m (Eur 41.5m) on cranes over the past year.


Dougie McGilvray shakes hands with Liebherr part-owner Isolde Liebherr, who stands next to Iain McGilvray. Behind him is Liebherr Ehingen managing director for sales Hans-Georg Frey. Flanking Frey are Patricia Wagishauser (at left) and Stephanie Wohlfarth, daughters of Isolde Liebherr.

The McGilvrays shared the platform with Isolde Liebherr and her two daughters Patricia Wagishauser (at left) and Stephanie Wohlfarth.

Since January, Wohlfarth (born Wagishauser, the surname of Isolde’s ex-husband) has been working in the sales and marketing department at Liebherr Hausgeraete refrigerator factory in Ochsenhausen, Germany. This employment follows a special two-year management apprenticeship at different locations around the group, including Ehingen.

A few months ago, sister Patricia began her apprenticeship, following a degree in economics.


Dougie McGilvray shakes hands with Liebherr part-owner Isolde Liebherr, who stands next to Iain McGilvray. Behind him is Liebherr Ehingen managing director for sales Hans-Georg Frey. Flanking Frey are Patricia Wagishauser (at left) and Stephanie WohlfartWeldex and Liebherrs at Bauma From left: Weldex heavy crane manager Simon Massey, operations controller Jason Thompson, sales manager Andrew Paterson, director Iain McGilvray and managing director Dougie McGilvray pose for a photograph after placing an order for four Kobelco SL6000s. Weldex buys Kobelco SL6000s