Wooden windmill works for BKF

An historic windmill in the Netherlands recently benefited from intervention by modern equipment from crane rental house BKF.

In a crowning moment, on 12 May 2011, Dutch crane rental house BKF crane operator Durk Visser lifted the15 tonne restored windmill hood to a height of 22 metres and placed it back on the mill. He was using his 130 tonne capacity Liebherr mobile telescopic crane.

Windmill Zeldenrust in Dokkum is an octagonal mill of the "stage" type, with milling and husking functions. This valuable monument was built in 1862 on the stronghold of Dokkum. It is owned by the Foundation for Monument Preservation Dongeradeel.

In June 2008 the Dutch National Service for Archaeology, Cultural Landscape and Monuments donated money for the restoration of Zeldenrust. With additional contributions from the Prince Bernhard Culture Fund, Friesland Province, Municipality Dongeradeel, Bankgiroloterij and The Dutch Mill Foundation, the restoration was launched in August 2010. The stage construction and the hood were completely renewed. The brickwork in the octagonal base was repaired and repointed.

BKF was involved in much of the restoration process, including dismantling and transporting the parts that had to be restored. In the attractive but narrow streets of the city of Dokkum the necessary manoeuvring, with trucks and mobile cranes, required patience and skill.