Sarens is proud to be the reference for the heavy lifting industry–a distinction we earned by always reaching higher, lifting heavier, and doing what others might have thought impossible. And with every project completed, we prove again and again that there is nothing too heavy and nothing too high.

As recently as the fall of 2022, we deployed our LR11000 crawler crane to build a quenching tower at the ThyssenKrupp coking plant in Duisburg, Germany. Our client, Franz Bracht, entrusted us with the unique challenge of stacking six 180-tonne modules to build the tower at ever-increasing heights.

For this project, the Sarens crew deployed a Liebherr LR11000 with 120-metre boom and SL11DBV configuration. The LR11000 is fairly new to Sarens’ fleet, having joined it in 2021. It was transported to the work site via truck, with only four days required for complete rigging.

The crew then worked to install one tower module every two days, according to a set schedule. A 650-tonne crawler crane brought each module close to the LR11000, which then lifted them precisely into place. Each 17x17x10-metre module had to be stacked one on top of another in order to build the tower, meaning that the final module was installed at a height of 60 metres! 

The project presented unique challenges, including the inherent complexity of lifting and installing 180-tonne modules at such towering heights. Additionally, because the modules were made of wood and had a large surface area, any winds blowing through the site could slow the project’s progress. Luckily, wind speeds were low during the operation, which allowed the project to be completed ahead of schedule.

A team of two crane operators, one lifting supervisor, and four riggers provided by the client ensured the project’s success. Sarens would like to commend them all on a job well done!