Pontáns Kranar has used a Liebherr MK 88-4.1E mobile construction crane to relocate large canopy sections between two six-storey residential buildings in Uppsala, Sweden.
The project involved moving almost 20 aluminium roof elements, measuring up to 20 metres long and weighing around one tonne each. Around half of the sections could be transferred directly from one roof to the other, avoiding intermediate storage and reducing handling time.
Restricted access played a major role in the crane selection. Trees and other obstacles made it difficult to position a conventional mobile crane close enough to the buildings, whereas the compact MK 88-4.1E could be set up immediately beside the scaffolding.
With the jib luffed to 15 degrees, the crane achieved the approximately 30-metre hook height required while retaining sufficient outreach to position the canopy sections onto the neighbouring building.
“The direct transfer from one roof to the next saved us a lot of time,” said crane operator Henri Haandrikman.
He added that the 15-degree jib position provided around ten metres of additional hook height at the jib tip with only a small reduction in reach.
The crane’s height-adjustable cab also gave the operator a direct view of the load and installation teams during positioning.
Pontáns Kranar additionally made use of the MK 88-4.1E’s variable ballast system and electric operating mode, allowing quieter operation in the residential environment.
The crane is regularly deployed by the company across Uppsala, Enköping and Stockholm for concrete, steel and prefabricated timber construction projects where limited space, long reach and rapid repositioning are key requirements.
