Balcony Renovation at the Axa High-Rise Building in Köln with Colonia’s Liebherr LTM 1750-9.1

An LTM 1750-9.1 played a key role in this project – with its 52m telescopic boom as well as a 15m mast extension and a 91m luffing jib

Once a showcase project and, at the planning stage, even Europe’s tallest residential building – the Axa high-rise on the banks of the Rhine in Köln was completed in 1973 and still provides accommodation for around 1,000 people on 43 of its 45 floors. As the building’s exposed aggregate concrete balconies have been dilapidated for some time, they are now being removed and replaced. An LTM 1750-9.1 and, as an auxiliary crane, an LTM 1150-5.3 were brought in to prepare the work site.

Today, the 147m high-rise is a listed building. This has made the renovation of its balconies quite a challenge, as noticeable changes to the building’s appearance are not permitted. To install the new, more weather-resistant balconies made of glass and aluminium, two tower cranes were mounted on the building’s roof at the end of June. An LTM 1750-9.1 played a key role in this project – with its 52m telescopic boom as well as a 15m mast extension and a 91m luffing jib, the mobile construction crane was tasked with lifting various parts of the two Coloniatower cranes high into the air. “We used the entire ballast of 204t as well as all available equipment for the mobile crane for this operation,” reports Christian Kühne, project manager at the crane company Colonia. The large crane was supported by an LTM 1150-5.3, which was used as an auxiliary and assembly crane on the ground.

The LTM 1750-9.1 mobile crane is ideal for these lifts onto the 147m high roof in the heart of Cologne. The 9-axle crane has a maximum pulley head height of 154m and can carry the complete telescopic boom on public roads. Thanks to the Y-guying system, considerable load increases can be achieved by combining the crane’s high lifting capacities with the variable jib system. As an all-terrain crane, the LTM 1750-9.1 was designed with particularly short set-up times and maximum mobility in mind. Extensive comfort and safety equipment, such as load charts for various wind speeds, round off the concept of the LTM 1750-9.1.

The cranes were used in tandem for one week on the banks of the Rhine in Cologne. The 750t crane was set up in under two days. “With a maximum hook height of 152m, a building height of 147m and a load capacity of 13.4t, the constellation for this operation was already impressive,” says Kühne. “Especially for special jobs like this, we can rely on Liebherr’s excellent quality and service.” The crane rental company Colonia has been a customer of Liebherr-Werk Ehingen GmbH for decades and currently has 26 Liebherr cranes in its fleet. Four new additions – an LTM 1650-8.1, an LTM 1150-5.3, an LTM 1130-5.1 and an LTM 1110-5.1 – will join Colonia’s fleet in the near future.

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