For the first time on U.S. soil, Sims Crane & Equipment Co., a Tampa-based crane rental and rigging service company, showcased the world’s first battery-powered crawler crane on September 11 at its corporate headquarters, located at 1219 U.S. Hwy. 301 N. in Tampa.
The crawler crane’s designer, multinational equipment manufacturer Liebherr, held a joint presentation with Sims explaining the history of both companies and discussing features of the newly manufactured LR 1250.1 unplugged electric crane.
The crawler crane’s battery-powered engine cuts carbon emissions completely and is capable of operating for eight hours unplugged, or for an unlimited amount of time when connected to a power source. The crawler crane is also quieter than its diesel counterpart, making it ideal for construction jobs in residential areas, at hospitals and in other areas where noise pollution may be a concern. The eight battery packs used to power the LR 1250.1 take between four to five hours to recharge.
“We are honored to partner with Liebherr and be on the forefront to serve a vastly growing need for alternative energy,” said Jackson Sims, vice president of Sims Crane & Equipment.
“These cranes are popular and used across Europe, particularly Scandinavia, and throughout Asia,” said Wolfgang Herzog, vice president of sales for the Southeast and Caribbean at Liebherr, a company with 40 factories across the globe, more than 52,000 employees and assets topping $16B. “This is the first in fleet in the U.S. and was built in Austria. The unplugged crane crawler was brought to market in July 2020 and there are about 30 around the world. The crane can hoist up to 485 ft. and has a load (lift) capacity of 275 U.S. tons. The battery version has exactly the same load chart and operates exactly the same as the diesel-powered version but is completely quiet.”
It takes about 20 trailer loads to transport the crane. Once on-site, the crane employs an innovative self-assembly and self-loading system which enables unloading and assembly without an auxiliary crane. For crawler cranes in this size category, more cost-effective transportation and quick commissioning play an instrumental role in efficient operation.
Sims’ rental fleet, the largest in the state of Florida, is excited to add the LR 1250.1 unplugged electric crane to its fleet. Founded in 1959, Sims Crane & Equipment Co. offers a broad selection of equipment for heavy lifting and hauling applications for construction and industrial projects. The company is currently expanding into Georgia and recently opened an office in Atlanta.
For more information on Sims, please visit https://simscrane.com/ or call 813-626-8102. For more information on Liebherr, please visit www.liebherr.com and/or search for ‘LR 1250.1 unplugged.’
