Big job in a small space for Weiland

Weiland used a pair of specially modified Tadano AC 5.160-1 all terrain cranes for this tandem lift job in Ludwishafen, Germany. Photo: Tadano

Weiland Kran und Transport in Germany chose a pair of specially modified Tadano all terrain cranes for a tricky tandem lift.
The job was to install a 21 metre long LNG tank weighing 80 tonnes in a particulalrly confined space.
Specialist contractor Weiland was working for Essity at the concrete firm Frischbeton in Ludwigshafen.
The cranes were 160 tonne capacity Tadano AC 5.160-1 all terrains but with a difference. Both had special counterweight variants designed by Weiland in conjunction with Tadano.
Sebastian Degenhardt, Weiland managing director, takes up the story, “Each of these two cranes can go on-road with two tonnes more counterweight than standard. In other words, we can operate them within the 12-tonne axle load limit at a total weight of 60 tonnes – and still carry a whole 8.5 tonnes of counterweight, plus rear storage box and hook block. This allows us to use both our AC 5.160-1 machines as full-fledged taxi cranes. That was our goal with these 5-axle cranes, and we realised it in partnership with Tadano.”
Degenhardt said with this counterweight variant, “the crane offers a level of cost-effectiveness and versatility that is virtually unbeatable.” It means lots of the company’s work can be done without needing extra trucks to transport counterweight and it is also easier to get permits.

Lifting the 80 tonne LNG tank which was 21 metres long and 5 metres in diameter. Photo: Tadano

Back to the job

The 80 tonne, 5 metre diameter LNG tank had to be tandem-lifted onto a lowbed trailer. The load was divided equally between the two cranes. Each one lifted 40 tonnes and was set up with its full counterweight. The restricted space meant the cranes had could only be set with a small outrigger base. Thomas Eisenberg, operator of the second AC 5.160-1, continued, “That’s a major plus in tight spaces like the one we encountered on this work site. What’s more, despite its space-saving outriggers, it still has good lifting capacity at large radii. That makes it a very, very strong contender compared with other cranes in its class.”
Alonso Domenico, operator of the other crane, said, “Thanks to the AC 5.160-1 unit’s extremely responsive controls, we were able to lift the 21 metre-long, 5 metre-diameter tank at a radius of about 10 metres and lower it onto the waiting flatbed truck with centimetre precision and without any uncontrolled swinging.”

True taxi crane capability for this five axle pair of Tadano 160 tonners. Photo: Tadano