Reactor all-rounder

Crane services company Hüffermann used its MK 140 Plus Liebherr mobile construction crane for around ten hours a day over the course of nine weeks at a wastewater treatment reactor, owned by American chemical company Dow in Stade, Germany.

The crane was used for a wide range of tasks. First it was used to lift materials and lighting into the reactor. The lighting was required as some of the work continued into the night. This lighting was supplemented by the LEDs on the crane’s jib.

The heaviest lift was of the reactor’s cover which weighed 2.8 tonnes. It was lifted with a reach of up to 33.5 metres using a radio remote control.

The crane was also used to lift several a sanitisation company employees into the reactor in a specially authorised passenger transport cage. Additional safety for this was provided by a back-up power supply and use of a trolley camera.

Over four days and three night shifts the MK 140 then lifted a total of 125 tonnes of scaffolding material. It also lifted various other materials into and out of the reactor. “It was a job with lots of different aspects and tasks sometimes involving radio remote control, sometimes the height-adjustable cab,” says crane operator Stephan Achenbach. “The teamwork of those involved was great. Overall, it was good fun.”