Southern Cranes renews truck-mounted towers

Southern Cranes took delivery of its first Liebherr MK 140-5.1 at the end of 2024 and expects a second crane to arrive in the coming weeks.

The new truck-mounted tower cranes will replace the MK 140 (the predecessor version) in Southern’s fleet.

The Liebherr MK 140-5.1 offers lifting capacities of up to 8,000 kg and is equipped with a Trolley-Plus mode, which increases the payload by almost 50% when the jib is at 15° or 45°.  In this mode, range and hook height are higher than with to the previous MK 140 model.

Southern’s first unit is equipped with a 58.5-metre jib that offers mounting curves at 15°, 30° and 45° luffed jib positions. When the crane is in Trolley-Plus mode and the jib is at 15°, maximum lifting capacity is 2,500 kg, while lifting capacity at full 57-metre tip is 1,700 kg.  When the jib is at 45°, the lifting capacity at the tip is 1,700 kg with a radius of 41.5 metres and a maximum lifting capacity of 2,650 kg.

However, the second machine, that is on its way, has been specified with VarioJib concept for flexible use of trolley and luffing mode, allowing the jib at 70° to achieve a maximum hook height of 94.4 metres and a maximum radius of 65 metres with a 1,000 kg capacity. As a result, the crane is ideal for projects in built-up urban areas. When the crane is in Trolley-Plus mode and the jib is at 15°, the lifting capacity at the tip is 1,700 kg with a radius of 56.5 metres and a maximum lifting capacity of 2,500 kg. When the jib is at 45°, the lifting capacity at the tip is 1,700 kg with a radius of 41.5 metres and a maximum lifting capacity of 2,650 kg.

Southern Cranes director Kelvin Prince said: “We have always been a strong supporter of Liebherr’s MK range, having the UK’s very first MK 100, MK 88 and MK 140. It wasn’t a hard decision to make when replacing our two older machines, they look fantastic in our new livery and will fit beautifully into our fleet profile.”

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