Laing O’Rourke’s plant division Select Plant Hire has taken delivery of a Liebherr electric crawler crane, the first of a fleet of electric cranes that the firm plans to build.
Select is the second company in the world to introduce the Liebherr LR 1250.1 crawler crane, a 250t-capacity lattice jib machine, into its fleet following its launch last year.
In so-called ‘socket operation’, the crane’s performance is identical to the diesel-powered version and in unplugged mode can operate for a full shift under normal operating conditions.
Alternatively, the batteries supply sufficient energy for the erection of the main boom with luffing jib and travel over a distance of approximately 650 metres. The crane can operate fully when connected to a conventional electric supply or be recharged in 4.5 hours.
Alex Warrington, business unit leader at Select, said: “With one of the largest fleets of crawler cranes in the UK, we have always sought to lead the industry by sourcing cranes with the latest technology engines. We identified crawler cranes as an area of potential for electric machines and are proud to partner with Liebherr whose exciting product development has made this a reality.
“The industry is placing a much greater value on sustainability, energy consumption and zero carbon targets.”
