A Liebherr LTM 1650-8.1 completed a series of lifts across distances of up to 104 metres during replacement of the European Parliament’s air-conditioning system in Luxembourg, with a 1.7-metre runner providing the final reach needed to access the roof.
ATS Cranes organised the operation, while STEIL Kranarbeiten supplied and operated the 650-tonne mobile crane. Six existing air-conditioning units were removed and replaced, with individual loads weighing up to five tonnes.
The densely developed location created significant constraints. Two roads between the European Parliament and European Investment Bank had to be completely closed for crane assembly and logistics, while access requirements for a nearby hospital and potential air ambulance operations meant the work had to fit within a strict window from 06:00 on Friday until 22:00 on Sunday.
To achieve the required reach across the building, the LTM 1650-8.1 was configured with a 91-metre luffing lattice jib mounted on the telescopic boom, which was extended to 28.2 metres.
Even with the crane’s longest technical luffing-jib configuration, the target position remained beyond reach. A runner installed at the jib head provided an additional 1.7 metres, allowing the crane to reach the final set-down point.
“This operation demonstrates that when it comes to long reach, every detail counts. The careful preparation and precise coordination of all those involved were crucial to carrying out the lifts safely and within the tight time frame,” said Christopher Steil, Managing Director of STEIL Kranarbeiten.
Assembly of the crane took around seven hours, with the long lattice jib installed using an auxiliary crane operating head-on due to space restrictions.
The six units were exchanged on Saturday before dismantling began on Sunday morning. By 14:00, the crane and associated equipment had left the site – eight hours before the agreed closure window expired.
