The three WOLFF cranes were in operation on the 25.000 m2 large site at Kurfürstendamm 12-15 throughout one year. Structural work, consisting of two underground and six floors above ground as well as a technical level, was completed in April this year.

The site's location on Berlin's world-famous shopping boulevard was a challenge for the project team right from the start. "Since a complete closure of the Ku' damm is virtually unthinkable and an adjacent subway line made it impossible to position a mobile crane outside of the construction pit, WOLFFKRAN was asked to come up with a creative solution for the crane assembly," says Site Manager Mathias Lippski from Mark-A. Krüger Bauunternehmung GmbH.

Installation on space restricted city site

The WOLFF trio, consisting of two flat-top WOLFF cranes 5020.8 clear and 6015.8 clear and a WOLFF 180 B luffing jib crane, was assembled with a 300-tonne mobile crane standing in the construction pit itself. To erect the centrally positioned luffing jib crane, the pit had to be reinforced with foundations to absorb the 80-tonne corner loads of the mobile crane. All cranes were erected on foundation anchors to their final freestanding tower heights of 51 and 56 meters, respectively.

"The confined space of the city construction site required particular precision in positioning the three WOLFF cranes," says Mathias Lippski. Fixed elements in the construction pit and the layout for escalators and elevators, further limited the available space.

WOLFF luffing jib allrounder

"The WOLFF 180 B is the ideal choice for the special requirements of the construction site. It was configured to cover almost the entire construction site, while at the same time accommodating the massive restriction of the slewing radius due to the adjacent Upper West high-rise building," says Michael Sauer from the WOLFFKRAN subsidiary in Berlin.

Fitted with a 45-meter jib and offering a maximum load capacity of 12 tonnes, the WOLFF 180 B proved to be a real allrounder, mastering both heavy lifts and concreting work across most of the job site. It was supported by the two WOLFF-clear cranes fitted relatively short jibs of 25 and 35 meters, that were used to handle concrete and reinforcing steel for the two narrow side wings of the elongated building. In the meantime, the clear cranes have been disassembled by the luffer. Aside from being a very economical dismantling concept in general, this procedure was a necessity at the Gloria Berlin, as there was simply no longer any space on the site for a mobile crane. The 180 B will remain on site until July to lift heavy equipment into the building's technical service facility.

Proven partnership

In choosing WOLFFKRAN, the contractor opted for a long-term partner for its project on Berlin's principal shopping street. "WOLFFKRAN was at our side in an advising role as early as the tendering phase, and we felt very well taken care of from the very outset. Of course, the trusting cooperation and successful implementation of previous projects with comparably high demands regarding crane assembly and dismantling was also a decisive factor", Mathias Lippski explains the choice. WOLFFKRAN has realized numerous projects in Germany’s capital on behalf of the Berlin based contractor, including projects at the Salzufer and the Alexanderplatz.

The "Gloria Berlin" is scheduled to open its doors at the beginning of 2021, enriching the western part of the city with an architectural eye-catcher. It will combine natural stone facades, historically used in buildings along the Kurfürstendamm, with modern floor-to-ceiling window fronts. The building complex will also include a listed Wilhelminian style house from 1889, restored to its original state.

The location of the construction site, surrounded by water, existing buildings, and the tracks of the central railway station, required a sophisticated assembly concept since there was only one place where the 500 tonne mobile could be positioned. It was used to erect the first WOLFF 700 B luffing jib crane at a distance of 28 meters, which then installed the second WOLFF 700 B. This, in turn, assembled the three WOLFF 355 B luffing jib cranes on site. A WOLFF 7032.12 clear and a 5014 city were erected as support cranes at the beginning of this year. The particular foundation structure of the building also required customized foundation anchors for the WOLFF cranes. "The construction site's location requires a high degree of coordination in the daily workflow and the entire logistics. The crane concept plays a decisive role here," says Tobias Wallner, Senior Project Construction Manager at Züblin.

Efficient concept with space saving luffing jib cranes

Due to the prevalent strong winds on Oosterdokseiland, the WOLFF 700 B cranes were installed on 3.30 meter towers and the 355 B cranes on 2.90 meter towers, allowing them to work freestanding in stormy weather conditions. Thanks to their small minimum jib radius and working range limitation, the luffing jib cranes can operate safely on the cramped construction site without getting in each other's way, despite moderate tower heights between 47.2 meters and 54.2 meters. "Lower tower heights mean lower costs. Paired with the high lifting capacities of the WOLFF luffers, we were able to offer the customer a particularly cost-effective solution," explains Carsten Druske, Head of Rental Germany and Branch Manager WOLFFKRAN Dortmund.

The construction site's immediate vicinity to the railway tracks and the entrance to an underground car park are particularly demanding for crane drivers and service technicians as these areas may not be slewed over and must be generously omitted by the working range limitation. Consequently, any construction work close to these areas has to be performed after-hours, when the system can be safely switched off, requiring several night shifts from the WOLFFKRAN service team.

Teamwork for lifting heavy steel

"The structure of the building is technically highly complex," explains Tobias Wallner. "Heaviest steel components meet in-situ concrete and prefabricated construction combined with constantly changing geometries". When lifting steel columns weighing up to 28 tonnes and precast concrete parts weighing up to 15 tonnes, the WOLFF cranes can fully utilize their high load capacities of maximum 50.0 tonnes (700 B) and 28.0 tonnes (355 B). WOLFFKRAN's Technical Support Team also calculated several special lifts for the steel parts weighing up to 35 tonnes, which were performed as tandem lifts by the two 700 B luffers.

Already during the planning phase, Züblin benefited from the crane manufacturer's years of experience in planning and servicing cranes on major international projects. "The assignment in the Netherlands requires a separate risk assessment for each erection and dismantling as well as a schedule that has to be submitted before the start of construction. Besides, all cranes need to be equipped with additional safety features, such as warning signals and a mandatory hoist for the crane operator," explains Carsten Druske. Due to the special light conditions near the sea, all cranes were fitted with a camera system, enabling the crane operator to monitor the load and lifting process on a screen.

Successful partnership

"A refined assembly concept, complex tandem lifts or the flexible adjustment of the working range limits during the construction phase - the job required a partner with the necessary experience and technical know-how alongside offering an economically efficient overall concept. We found this partner in WOLFFKRAN," says Tobias Wallner. The building shell is of the ODE project is scheduled to be completed end of 2020 and stands for the successful continuation of the long-standing partnership between WOLFFKRAN and Züblin. Over the past year, the two companies have realized numerous construction projects together, including high-rise projects in Frankfurt and power plant projects in the Netherlands.

The immediate vicinity of the bunker next to the Heiligengeist festival ground, home to the Hamburger Dom – Northern Germany's largest public fun fair – three times a year, posed a particular challenge for the crane team right at the start of the project. “Assembling the cranes during the fair was not an option due to the lack of space. Given that the fair is held on twelve weeks of the year, coordinating the time slots for the assemblies with the city authorities and the contractor was quite a task,” says Carsten Druske, Head of Rental Operations Germany and Branch Manager of WOLFFKRAN Dortmund.

Freestanding efficiency

The first cranes, two flat-top WOLFF 6031.8 clear, were assembled in four days in the summer of 2019 using a 500-tonne mobile crane with a luffing jib. Both cranes were erected from the same mobile crane bay, as it was difficult to find a place for the large mobile crane in the space restricted St. Pauli district. The third crane, a WOLFF 6031.8 clear, was erected in fall last year and the fourth, a WOLFF 6020.8 clear, in January of this year. All four cranes were assembled with their final freestanding hook heights of 88.4 m, 78 m, 70.2 m and 59 m, respectively. The high freestanding heights are necessary since the construction site is located at a height of about 30 meters on the roof of the bunker and the cranes could not be tied to the historically protected building. As a result, the WOLFF cranes have been erected on cross frames with 200 tonnes of central ballast. “In this way we were able to achieve high freestanding tower heights and cover the entire construction site with four cranes,” explains Carsten Druske.

Thanks to their flat-top design, the WOLFF cranes can slew very closely above one another and the overall crane concept thus kept relatively low. “The jibs are each only about 10 meters apart, saving both assembly time and costs,” says Druske.

Reliable and personal services from a single source

“The limited space around the construction site is also a key challenge with regard to the huge amounts of formwork, prefabricated parts and construction material that has to handled,” says Site Manager Falko Stephan of Ingenieurbau George Bähr GmbH, discussing the complexity of the project. Additionally, the Flak Tower is fully occupied by tenants posing further logistical and safety challenges. “Yet the collaboration with WOLFFKRAN has been solution-oriented and seamless both during the current construction phase and in the preceding planning phase, which included dimensioning of the crane loads and crane assembly,” says Falko Stephan. “We have come to value Carsten Druske from WOLFFKRAN as a partner who personally accompanies every step of the project and always finds a creative solution for any challenge.” Coupled with a one-stop package comprising a convincing crane and service concept from a single source at an excellent value for money, made it easy for the Dresden-based contractor to opt for the crane manufacturer from Heilbronn, confirms Falko Stephan.

Upon completion of the five-level extension of the St. Pauli Bunker in 2021, around 4,700 trees, shrubs, hedges, bushes and climbing plants will be planted high above the roofs of the city, providing the residents of Hamburg with an impressive new landmark and a natural oasis within sight of the famous landmarks “Elphi” and “Michel”.

“The WOLFF 235 B was developed in close collaboration with WOLFFKRAN customers from the UK, who have decades of experience in handling luffing cranes on inner-city construction sites. The result is a WOLFF with a proven duty chart that is unrivalled when it comes to assembly and versatility,” says Wouter van Loon, Product Manager at WOLFFKRAN.

Its assembly characteristics are its true strength

Although WOLFF cranes are generally easy to assemble, the manufacturer has raised the bar to yet another level with its latest model. As a result, the hoisting gear of the new WOLFF 235 B is positioned on the jib rather than the counter jib as is typical. “This makes it possible to reeve the hoisting rope on the ground and thus completely pre-assemble the entire jib,” explains Wouter van Loon and adds: “As well as being very convenient and safe, it is also a novelty for luffing jib cranes of this size.”

The luffing gear can be mounted either on the counter jib or on the tower top during the assembly process, which offers more flexibility with regard to the size of the mobile crane. The second option has the advantage that the entire tower top including the hoisting gear with pre-reeved pulley block can be transported and lifted onto the crane as a single unit, which is an enormous time saver. “In addition, the cabin platform with the WOLFF Cab and switch cabinet can be placed on the empty counter jib during transportation,” says van Loon.

Further, overall low component weights ensure that a WOLFF 235 B can assemble another of its kind at a jib radius of 40 meters – a very popular process on multi-crane city sites where space is often an issue and also saving on time and money for a mobile crane.

Maintenance, set, go!

Another key aspect in the development of the WOLFF 235 B was the economical maintenance of the crane, which led to the decision to use an identical winch for both the hoisting and the luffing gear. WOLFFKRAN opted for the tried and tested 60 kW winch Hw 1160 FU that is used in numerous other WOLFF crane models, which is also the case for the slewing gear and the frequency converters that are used in the 235 B. Aside from integrating proven technology, this stands for economical warehousing as fewer different spare parts have to be stocked and also simplifies training of service technicians.

The same principle applies to the 8-tonne counterweight blocks that are used in all next larger WOLFF luffing jibs cranes. “It is also worth mentioning that the new WOLFF manages with only four counterweight blocks which means that only four lifts are required for the complete ballasting of the crane,” explains van Loon.

Further features facilitating maintenance include the use of maintenance-free multi-disk brakes and the positioning of the luffing gear at the bottom of the tower top. The latter allows particularly convenient and safe access to the luffing gear from the counter jib. The slewing gear can be serviced from an auxiliary platform.

At home in the city

The WOLFF 235 B offers a maximum load capacity of 8 tonnes in single-fall and 16 tonnes in 2-fall operation and jib lengths from 30 to 60 meters. Designed to deliver its best performance with a 50 meter jib, it outperforms its competition with a tip load capacity of 4.1 tonnes. Its efficient 60 kW hoisting winch allows for working speeds of up to 130 m/min and a rope storage capacity of 620 meters. That all makes it the ideal crane for high-rise construction with reinforced concrete. It comes with a connection to the 2-meter tower UV/TV 20 and can reach a maximum freestanding height of 82 meters using standard components from the modular WOLFF tower system.

Thanks to its active absorber, the WOLFF 235 B achieves a smaller minimum jib working radius of 10 percent of the jib length. The steeper jib position means that the load can be picked up closer to the tower, which is a particular advantage at cramped city construction sites, as trucks can be unloaded closer to the crane and loads do not have to be lifted over adjacent roads.

Top class crane control as standard

For the WOLFF 235 B, the proven WOLFF crane control has been enhanced with a brake testing function allowing the main and secondary brakes to be tested independently of each other. Further included as standard is the WOLFF Link remote diagnostic and maintenance tool with real-time display of the crane operator’s monitor, fine drive modes and automatic power optimization for the hoisting and luffing gear, an anti-collision interface, as well as the WOLFF Boost function increasing load capacity by 10 percent.

Due to its impressive performance and an extremely compact design, the WOLFF 166 B has quickly developed into a bestselling crane for reinforced concrete structure projects on space restricted inner-city job sites since its launch in 2012. Unlike conventional luffing jib cranes with a winch driven luffing gear, the WOLFF 166 B US is fitted with a compact hydraulic luffing mechanism which eliminates the classical tower top and reeving of the luffing rope, making both transportation and assembly more efficient. The hydraulic luffing design also allows for a smaller out-of-service jib position, which is particularly important on constricted city construction sites.

Convincing performance

The WOLFF 166 B US offers a maximum load capacity of 26,460 lbs (12,000 kg) in 2-fall operation and 13,230 lbs (6,000 kg) in 1-fall operation. The jib line-up ranges from 82 ft (25 m) to 180 ft (55 m) and can be extended in 16.4 ft (5 m) increments. With a 164 ft (50 m) jib it achieves a best-in-class tip load capacity of 7,270 lbs (3,350 kg).

Equipped with a powerful 60 kW hoist winch the WOLFF 166 B US offers a hook path of 1,640 ft (500 m) and line speeds of up to 377 ft/min (174 m/min) in 1-fall operation and can be built up to a free-standing tower height of 306 ft (93,2 m) thanks to the modular WOLFF tower system.

The hydraulic luffing cylinder with load sensing control automatically regulates the luffing speed according the load which results in a remarkable luffing movement from maximum to minimum jib radius in only 90 seconds with an economical 22 kW motor. The on-site connected power requirements sit at a low 91 kVA with 480 V.

Optimized assembly and maintenance

Both the hydraulic cylinder and the hydraulic unit are installed in the connecting block as a compact unit. Thanks to this design, the hydraulic lines do not need to be disconnected for transport and assembly, saving time and cost for erection and installation. The connecting block can either be lifted onto the tower alone or as a pre-assembled unit together with the slewing frame and lower section of the tower top.

The hoist winch of the WOLFF 166 B US is conveniently positioned on the jib allowing safe pre-reeving of the hoist rope on the ground prior to installation and offering easy access in case of scheduled maintenance.

Standard features for increased efficiency and safety

The WOLFF 166 B US is fitted with the latest WOLFF CAB crane cabin providing optimal visibility and overview, a fully adjustable seat and ergonomically designed control panels providing a comfortable place of work for the operator. The cabin platform with the cabin and switch cabinet comes pre-assembled as a single unit ex-works and can be attached to the crane in just one step.

Further standard features facilitating safer and more efficient operation include the remote data transmission system WOLFF Link, an anti-collision interface for all major anti-collision systems, a working range limitation, electrical central lubrication of the slewing ring, a temperature-controlled switch cabinet with heating and ventilation and a slip ring system in the lower part of the tower top for an optimal signal transmission.

Live at Conexpo

The WOLFF 166 B US will be showcased on a WOLFF City Portal (CP 690) that adapts a standard WOLFF Cross Frame (KR 12-60) by means of adding support legs into a convenient solution allowing traffic to flow underneath the crane.

WOLFFKRAN will be exhibiting in Booth F5832 on the Festival Grounds at Conexpo 2020 in Las Vegas.

The name change completes the integration of the UK crane rental business HTC Plant Ltd. that was acquired by WOLFFKRAN in 2015 into the WOLFFKRAN Group. “While the HTC brand was deliberately kept in the company name initially in order to maintain the established track record of the rental provider in the UK construction sector, we are confident that the WOLFFKRAN brand has now become synonymous not only with state of the art tower crane technology, but also expert lifting solution services as a whole in the market,” says Richard Coughtrey, Managing Director of WOLFFKRAN Ltd. The name change will have no effect on the management and organizational structure of WOLFFKRAN Ltd. or the products and services provided. 

Preparations for the move to the new site in Auckley begin 

Coincidentally, the outset of 2020 also marks the beginning of the preparations for moving the business of WOLFFKRAN Ltd. from its current location in Sheffield to new premises in Auckley, Doncaster. The move is planned for 2022 and the result of the sale of the current location by the landlord last year. 

“After an extensive search encompassing a wide area of South Yorkshire and beyond, we identified an ideal site in Auckley, approximately 22 miles to the east of our current location, that we have now purchased,” says Coughtrey. A detailed planning application has been submitted to the Doncaster Council for consideration. Once approved, planning is anticipated to take around six months and the subsequent construction a further eighteen months. The completion date of the new premises is set for the beginning of 2022 and will deliver industry-leading offices, welfare facilities, workshops and paint shops for the business, as well as an extensive storage facility, allowing for efficient crane servicing, preparation and delivery. 

“Whilst we feel a bit wistful about leaving our home of seventeen years, not least because of all the publicity we have gotten due to the prominent location of our WOLFF cranes on our yard right next to the M1 motorway, we are also very excited at the possibilities that our new site offers in terms of an enhanced WOLFFKRAN experience for our employees, customers and stakeholders,” Coughtrey concludes.

TROWIS high-performance fiber ropes are a highly innovative product on the fiber rope market. They are characterized by the integration of a doubly redundant, self-monitoring composite fiber construction, a unique technology guaranteeing maximum operational safety on construction sites.

Intelligent, safe, economical

Sensor elements integrated in the rope monitor possible fiber fracture in the load-bearing rope component and signal these to the crane operator. At this point, the load is taken over by the redundant load-bearing reserve in the rope, ensuring that the load can be lowered safely. Thanks to the integrated intelligent recognition of the discard criteria, TROWIS fiber ropes are much safer than other high-performance fiber ropes, in which the discard criteria can only be determined by an optical inspection of the rope. In addition, there is the economic advantage that a rope is not discarded too early on spec but can actually be used until the end of its service life. TROWIS ropes also have a particularly high stiffness and low initial elongation due to a specially developed heat-setting process, which is essential for safe positioning of the load and eliminates the need to “break-in” the rope.

Steel vs. fiber

When compared to conventional steel wire ropes, TROWIS fiber ropes offer further advantages for crane operation. Tremendous savings on weight of up to 80 percent not only allow for higher load capacities, but also a significantly faster and safer assembly and replacement. Due to its considerably lower rope sag, lighter hook blocks can be used which further increases the load capacity of the crane. In addition, the service life of TROWIS ropes is up to seven times longer than that of steel ropes due to the optimum utilization of the load-bearing rope component and the use of a high-performance lubricant in rope production. This results in significantly lower maintenance costs and increased operating time, while at the same time saving on natural resources.

Currently in testing

TROWIS ropes are produced at the company's premises in Chemnitz, Saxony, on a specially developed rope finishing line. With the conclusion of extensive tests in a laboratory environment, the new fiber rope is now going to be extensively tested on a test stand at the WOLFFKRAN plant in Brandenburg and on WOLFF cranes at select construction sites under live operating conditions. After completion of the field test phase, TROWIS and WOLFFKRAN will launch this promising new product amongst fiber ropes on the market as quickly as possible.

Since acquiring WOLFFKRAN in 2005 Schiefer has held both positions as CEO and Delegate of the Board of Directors simultaneously. "We have grown immensely since then and have reached a point where it is no longer feasible nor in the interest of the company for one person to head the executive management, while at the same time fulfilling the duties of the Delegate of the Board. In order to position ourselves best for the future and successfully continue growing our business, we need to enhance our organizational set-up now,” Schiefer explains his decision. He will remain Delegate of the Board and invest the time gained driving and executing future-oriented projects such as the entry into new markets, the implementation of new technologies and the acquisition of WOLFFKRAN complementary products and services. "I am convinced that a split of the functions is a necessary step on WOLFFKRAN’s road to success and I am confident that we have found the perfect candidate in Duncan Salt to fill the position as CEO," Schiefer concludes.

A perfect match
The appointment of Duncan Salt sees a lifting professional assuming executive responsibility at WOLFFKRAN, who not only has a proven track record in the industry, but also a profound understanding of WOLFFKRAN and its products, both from an internal as well as an external perspective.

Salt holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering and started his career in the construction industry with Laing O’Rourke. In 2005, Salt moved on to the tower crane business, first as General Manager of the Lifting Solutions division of Select Plant Hire Company Ltd, and then as Director and General Manager of HTC Plant Ltd, UK’s largest supplier of tower cranes operating a fleet of some 250 WOLFF tower cranes.

Following the acquisition of HTC, Salt joined WOLFFKRAN in August 2015. Initially heading the international sales team, he was promoted in January 2017 to take overall responsibility for Sales & Service alongside a position on the Executive Management Board. “Duncan brings an extensive network and a wealth of experience to his new position and shares the WOLFFKRAN DNA with us,” Schiefer explains.

"My goal is to drive the symbiosis between lifting services and crane technology. We are uniquely placed at WOLFFKRAN and through a greater emphasis on our common goals we will position WOLFFKRAN at the forefront of our industry setting benchmarks in service, quality and innovation," Salt sets his own demands and adds “I am thankful for the trust and confidence placed in me by Peter and my colleagues and I look forward to taking on the opportunities and challenges that come with the position.”

Milestones of growth
Since the acquisition of WOLFFKRAN from MAN by Dr. Peter Schiefer in 2005, the crane manufacturer has been steadily expanding and has become an internationally established player in the tower cranes business. Important milestones on WOLFFKRAN’s path have been: the revival of existing markets in Central Europe as well as the acquisition of HTC in the UK and the market entry into France, the build-up of a strong presence in the GCC countries with a major rental, sales and service hub in Dubai, the entry into the US market with subsidiaries on the east and west coast serving customers across the country.

While steadily increasing its portfolio to include more than 20 different top-slewing tower crane models, the crane manufacturer has also become one of the key players in the rental crane business with one of the world’s largest rental fleets comprising some 700 tower cranes.

In order to meet the increasing demand for WOLFF cranes, a second manufacturing site was commissioned in Brandenburg, Germany in 2008, which started manufacturing in 2009 alongside the original site in Heilbronn. Preparations for the opening of a third manufacturing site in Domodedovo, Russia are currently in full swing.

Freestanding with a height under hook of almost 100 meters
The flat-top WOLFF duo comprises a WOLFF 7534.16 and a WOLFF 6015.8 with respective jib lengths of 50 meters and 37.5 meters. “Since the cranes cannot be tied to the building due to the situation on site, they have to work freestanding despite substantial heights under hook of 93.3 meters and 82.5 meters respectively,” said Carsten Druske, Head of Rental Germany and Branch Manager of WOLFFKRAN Dortmund, highlighting one of the primary project challenges. In order to nonetheless provide the required stability for lifting formwork and concrete components as well as the extravagant facade elements, both cranes were mounted on a foundation anchor embedded in concrete. The higher assembled WOLFF 7534.16 additionally features a stable BT 29 WOLFF tower section with external dimensions measuring 3 x 3 meters at the base of the tower.

Custom-made climbing concept
To save time and money as well as negotiate the tight space on the site between Pariser Strasse and the left bank of the Rhine and close proximity to a nearby hospital, the WOLFF team opted for an assembly concept based on the teamwork principle. A first step saw a 250-ton mobile crane assemble the WOLFF 7534.16 to a height under hook of 48.30 meters. Next, the already operational tower crane assembled the smaller WOLFF 6015.8 to a basic height under hook of 37.5 meters. Both assembly maneuvers were completed within a day. When structural work on the high-rise reached a height of around 40 meters, the WOLFF 7534.16 was climbed to a final height under hook of 93.3 meters and in turn used to bring the WOLFF 6015.8 up to its final height. This was done by disassembling the entire slewing unit, adding more tower sections to the existing tower and finally reinstalling the slewing unit.

Thanks to the custom-made assembly concept of one crane erecting the other, the use of mobile cranes was kept to a minimum and roadblocks around the adjacent Schön Clinic avoided.

Getting to work in the lofty heights safely and quickly
To shorten the times for ascent and descent and spare the crane operator energy-sapping climbs, the higher standing WOLFF 7534.16 is equipped with an elevator, which would also be used to safely rescue the operator in an emergency situation.
Once the building was structurally complete, the WOLFF 6015.8 was dismantled while the WOLFF 7534.16 remains on the project to help finish the building work.

The by now well-established cooperation between GWI Bauunternehmung GmbH and WOLFFKRAN continues in the form of the Upper Nord Tower project – this time located on the right bank of the Rhine. Three flat-top WOLFF cranes (WOLFF 7534, WOLFF 6020, WOLFF 5020) will be in operation to construct a 120-meter-high apartment block, the highest in the North Rhine-Westphalian capital.

Picture source: Florian Sander

Starting a new era
According to the leitmotif WOLFFKRAN MORE – MORE THAN CRANES the company celebrated the start of a new era at the bauma evident in the exhibition’s innovations and manifest in the appoint-ment of the new CTO. Schiefer consciously continues his focus on the moments of success – innovation and internationalization – by which he guaranteed the company's steep upward course since his takeover in 2005. By recruiting the new CTO, who is responsible for technology, research and development at WOLFFKRAN since his start in February 2019, the CEO underlines the company's future ori-entation. At the bauma, the CEO presented the company’s new face – CTO Dr. Peter Barton who himself stands for innovation and internationalization: “I am delighted to have Dr. Barton at my side, a highly innovative and dynamic CTO who knows the industry and who is ex-tremely experienced in future-oriented technology, digitization, indus-try 4.0 and internationalization. Together with the WOLFF team we want to continue our successful development”.

The new CTO – strong support for the pack
Born in 1973 in South-Westphalia, the passionate mechanical engineer passed his studies and subsequent doctorate in the field of gear technology at the Ruhr-University Bochum excellently. He graduated with honors, in the shortest time as possible and as the best graduate in the faculty’s history. Furthermore, Barton received the SEW - Foundation Graduate Award, the so-called "Nobel Prize" for young engineers, and he invented and registered numerous national and international patents. Both facts exemplify Dr. Peter Barton’s outstanding academic qualifications as well as his professional success. As Head of Development at SEW-Eurodrive, a globally operating market leader in the field of drive technology, Barton had the leading role in the start-up-management and development of the new “Industrial Gear Units” division. At SEW-Eurodrive as well as at Liebherr-Components, here in his function as General Manager Engineering Drive Technology, Barton was responsible for several groundbreaking innovations: in the development of future-oriented technologies, products and strategies. In addition, opening new international markets was a key task in which the CTO made a decisive contribution to the company's growth and gained extensive experience on a global level.

New challenges at WOLFFKRAN
Dr. Peter Barton is now devoting himself to new tasks and exciting challenges at WOLFFKRAN. “I was warmly welcomed by the WOLFFs and I am delighted about my new task. Team spirit is at the top of WOLFFKRAN’s values. Only together, we can successfully tackle the challenges and competition of the global market and further expand our leading position. A trusting and appreciative cooperation with all managers and employees is very close to my heart,” the new CTO said at his introduction. The new CTO outlines his most important tasks and visions as follows:

The WOLFF is always one crane length ahead!
“... that is both our goal and our claim, in many respects, but especially in terms of safety and technology. In this field we want to continue setting high standards as highly innovative leaders. More than ever, the complex and constantly growing demands of large digital construction sites are very challenging. We want to set milestones, not only by diversifying our product portfolio. Technological leadership in all areas, whether in the development and patenting of USPs, in industry 4.0, BIM, life cycle management and digitization, or in the further innovative development of assistance systems and the smart linking of components and assemblies to form modular kits. Innovation is our pacemaker, motor and guarantee for success. For this, we do not only rely on the inventive spirit of the WOLFFs, but also on a fruitful cooperation with leading universities and research institutes worldwide.”

MORE WOLFFKRAN – Worldwide!
“... this is also our motto and at the same time our vision”, Dr. Barton adds. “The WOLFF is expanding its territory – constantly and with growing success, whether in the sale of new cranes or in the expansion of the rental fleet. Our technical leadership is both the es-sential prerequisite and the chance to further strengthen and expand our existing markets in Europe, North America, Asia and Africa, and also to open up completely new markets worldwide.”

“Technological leadership, the highest demands in terms of safety, economy and ecology, an outstanding service, reliability and a special proximity to our customers whose individual needs are on our focus – this interaction is indispensable and at the same time our satisfaction guarantee,” the new member of the WOLFF pack summarizes.

With the appointment of the new CTO, WOLFFKRAN pursues its successful course in the terms of innovation and internationalization. The company further relies on a global high-performing and highly motivated team in order to make WOLFFKRAN known worldwide as what it actually is on a global level – in many aspects: THE LEADER OF THE PACK.

The flat-top slewing cranes of types WOLFF 6023, 6031 and 7032 belong to the WOLFF clear-series and feature a compact design, facilitating quick assembling and dismantling times. «The greatest challenge was actually the planning phase», explains Dieter Reuberger, Managing Director of WOLFFKRAN Austria GmbH, «because on the one hand, we had to focus on positioning the cranes in such a way that they can optimally service all areas of the job site, while on the other hand we kept hook heights as low as possible in order to keep costs down.» The red WOLFFs on the Vienna Danube Canal were set up with hook heights from 46.5 to 68.8 meters and jib lengths between 40 and 55 meters. With so many cranes slewing over one another, particular precision and expertise on the part of the crane drivers were required to ensure safe lifting operations on this job site.

Precision is the measure of all things

Irrespective of whether the cranes were used for handling construction material or for concreting work, the all-rounders from WOLFFKRAN with maximum load capacities of up to 12 tons reliably completed every construction phase in this rapidly changing residential district. All nine cranes were placed on the two-part WOLFF foundation anchors, enabling ÖSTU-STETTIN to use its own WOLFF re-usable anchor spigots. While assembling the cranes was a routine job on a still empty job site, dismantling had to take place amidst the newly built district and without interrupting the ongoing construction process - from the truck access to loading the crane components. Dismantling took place in different stages using several mobile cranes with up to 350 tons capacity, which were positioned either between the new buildings or in the access area to the job site.

Alfred Bacher, Head of the Technical Equipment Sector at ÖSTUSTETTIN, was optimistic: «Since our parent company HABAU already owns several WOLFF cranes, we were familiar with the smooth cooperation with WOLFFKRAN, which is an important commercial factor for us and guarantees an efficient and costeffective project management.»

WOLFF Cranes build residential area in the Kulturquadrat

Four WOLFF cranes are helping to build the new urban center of Neuperlach in the southeast of Munich. They are in operation on the residential complex Loge No. 1 which is part of the mixed used Kulturquadrat project. The contractor Bau in Form GmbH is using the top-slewing WOLFF Cranes to build a modern condominium in a district with lots of stores, cafés, numerous green spaces and a culture center. Thanks to their compact design and maximum lifting capacities of 8.5 and 12 tons, as well as their jib radius of 50 meters, the free-standing clear cranes, WOLFF 6031.8 and WOLFF 6031.12, are perfect for lifting formwork and prefab concrete elements in an urban setting. Hoist speeds of 115 m/min to 170 m/min ensure a rapid building process and timely project completion. In order to guarantee sufficient stability of the freestanding cranes, they were set up on cross frames with ballast weights of up to 70 tons. Two different size cross frames were used: the WOLFF KR 10-46 with an external dimension of 5.1 meters, as well as the WOLFF KR 10-46/60, with an external dimension of 6.5 meters that is achieved by adding extensions to the WOLFF KR 10-46.

WOLFF cranes at work at the old ice factory in the Au district

Three further WOLFF cranes are currently operating right next to the Paulaner Brewery’s listed location where Carl von Linde’s ice machine used to produce ice for cooling the storage cellars from 1881 to the 1960s. Painted in the corporate yellow of the contractor Hans Holzner Baugesellschaft mbH they sit on the edge of a very cramped construction site right next to a residential area. The WOLFF 7532 is fitted with a 12-ton winch and has a tip load capacity of 4 tons at a 70 meter jib radius. The two clear WOLFF 6015.8 and WOLFF 6031, have jib lengths of 47.5 meters and 62.5 meters respectively. Thanks to their set up in a triangle the can reach every corner of the construction site.

WOLFF territory Werksviertel Mitte

The Werksviertel Mitte, also known as the creative quarter in the city’s east, is one of Munich’s most exciting construction sites, where modern architecture meets industrial buildings of the past. This being so, a WOLFF 6023 clear and a WOLFF 7532 cross are building WERK4 on behalf of HOCHTIEF, integrating the former potato silo of the Pfanni factory into a new 86 meters high hotel and hostel complex. The old silo will continue to be used as an indoor climbing hall inside the hotel tower.

WOLFFKRAN – The manufacturer

At bauma, WOLFFKRAN will impress its visitors with a strong trio: the new WOLFF luffing crane 133 B, the BIG WOLFF 1250 B and the latest WOLFF 6020 clear crane. WOLFFKRAN will present its new hydraulic luffing jib crane, the WOLFF 133 B, which is ideally suited for downtown city construction sites and completes the WOLFF luff-ing jib crane range in the lower load moment range. The youngest WOLFF will be presented at bauma on a City Portal and with an ex-ternal climbing system. He will be joined by the largest member of the WOLFF luffer family, the BIG WOLFF 1250 B with a jib radius of 80 meters and a lifting capacity of 60 tons. Although, it has been seen on numerous construction sites around the world since its market en-try in 2009, this will be the first time the WOLFF 1250 B presents itself to the general public at a trade show. The WOLFF 6020 clear, the latest member of the clear-family in the 140-meter range, completes the WOLFF trio and will be accessible to visitors.

WOLFFKRAN MORE – More than a crane manufacturer

WOLFFKRAN MORE stands for a comprehensive service offer that goes far beyond the construction of cranes. Not only does it cover the entire bundle of services related to the rental business, but also various complementary products related to tower cranes. In this sense, WOLFFKRAN will exhibit a service van that fair visitors can enter to view all equipment and tools. Furthermore, visitors can ex-pect an informative film about the WOLFFKRAN rental business, showing all steps from the customer enquiry to the crane assembly on the construction site. In addition, WOLFFKRAN will be presenting

further elements of its service portfolio, such as the WOLFF Link re-mote data transmission tool and the WOLFF Onsite accessories di-vision. Finally, WOLFFKRAN will also introduce the WOLFF Crane Configurator which allows customers to put together their crane online according to their needs.

The Lifting Lounge – Powered by WOLFFKRAN

Just in time for bauma and as a further “bonus” WOLFFKRAN is launching the “Lifting Lounge”, a club dedicated to crane operators and professionals. Thus, an online portal gives club members the possibility to exchange ideas, pictures and experiences. In addition, club members have access to an expert as well as to a health and safety forum and can benefit from special advantages such as mem-ber events and discounts on the merchandise range.

You can look forward to an exciting WOLFFKRAN stand with WOLFF cranes and MORE.

Pressrelease WOLFF 133 B
Pressrelease WOLFF 1250 B
Pressrelease WOLFF 6020 clear
Pressrelease WOLFF Company Profile

Eight WOLFFs are conducting the construction site

All eight WOLFF 6015, 6023 and 6031 tower cranes are flat top cranes from the WOLFF clear series. “We chose these cranes because they have fewer components and are quicker to assemble than other crane types,” explains Dave De Keyser, Managing Director of STRABAG BMTI BVBA, the service company of STRABAG Belgium NV. In addition, the maximum load capacities of the cranes from 8.5 to 12 tons optimally meet the requirements on the construction site, such as the handling of reinforcing steel mesh and concrete skips. With tower heights from 46.1 to 73.5 meters and jib lengths between 50 and 60 meters, the WOLFF cranes slew effortlessly below each other and do not get in each other’s way when lifting formwork elements and precast concrete components.

Heavy mobile cranes assemble the WOLFF ensembleThe assembly of the top-slewing cranes had to be minutely planned and offered quite a spectacular sight: Two mobile cranes with load capacities of 250 and 400 tons and a working radius of 35 to 40 meters gradually let the eight cranes grow to their final heights within three months. Due to limited space on the construction site, the mobile cranes managed the assembly from the road. As a result, traffic was temporarily blocked, which required a special permit from the city administration and the police. In some cases, the police even secured the erection of the cranes on site.

“Since all of the cranes are freestanding, they were anchored in massive concrete foundations. We therefore turned to the two-part WOLFF foundation anchor. The spigots for the crane connection can be unscrewed and reused, with only the less expensive anchors remaining in the foundation. We also used a larger tower section of 2.30 x 2.30 meters for the WOLFF 6023.8 clear with a tower height of 73.5 meters,” says Frédéric Van Hoorebeke, Managing Director of WOLFFKRAN Belgium BVBA. For economic reasons, the cranes were set up in the middle of the construction site, which allowed for the use of cranes with shorter working radii and lower lifting capacities than would have been required if they were placed on the edge of the site. For the dismantling, the mobile cranes will again be set up at the edge of the construction site.

Clear decision in favor of WOLFFKRAN

Due to the successful cooperation in the construction of the Books residential and commercial complex in Hasselt and the Thor technology park in Watterschei, STRABAG Belgium NV decided to also use WOLFF cranes on this project. “We were also convinced by the comprehensive WOLFFKRAN service from a single source,” says Dave De Keyser of STRABAG Belgium. In line with its expansion plans for its own crane fleet, four of the cranes used in the Quartier Bleu have already been transferred to the ownership of STRABAG. The other four cranes will be sold to the WOLFFKRAN customer after completion of the 18-month operation at the port of Hasselt.

Après son implantation réussie aux Etats-Unis, WOLFFKRAN étend maintenant son
réseau de vente en Europe. En plus de ses propres succursales en Allemagne, Autriche,
Suisse, Belgique et Grande-Bretagne, WOLFFKRAN SAS, sous la direction
du Directeur Général Ludovic Delcourt, desservira à l'avenir le marché français.

En tant que membre du groupe WOLFFKRAN, la filiale peut s'appuyer sur des ressources complètes et les meilleures pratiques en matière de développement, de production, de service et de planification de site et ainsi fournir tous les services WOLFF à partir d'une source unique.

WOLFFKRAN en France

"Notre objectif est de couvrir tous les types de projets de construction en France avec le portefeuille de produits WOLFFKRAN et nos services complets et de faire avancer le
développement de la flotte de location WOLFF", Ludovic Delcourt décrit la stratégie de l'entreprise. "Nous enregistrons actuellement un fort intérêt, en particulier de la part des grandes entreprises de construction, pour nos modèles topless WOLFF 7032.12 clear et
WOLFF 7534.16 clear. Grâce à leur portée maximale de 70 ou 75 mètres et à leur capacité de charge de 12 ou 16 tonnes, ces grues sont extrêmement polyvalentes. La flotte de 700 grues WOLFFKRAN dans le monde entier permet également de desservir
le marché français avec des grues à flèche relevable dont la disponibilité est par ailleurs assez faible sur le marché. Pour l'instant, nos activités se concentrent sur la région parisienne, mais à moyen terme, nous recherchons des partenariats stratégiques afin d'étendre notre engagement à l'ensemble de la France", explique Delcourt.

WOLFFKRAN au salon Intermat 2018

A l'occasion de son entrée sur le marché, WOLFFKRAN est représenté en tant qu'exposant à Intermat à Paris avec son modèle topless actuel WOLFF 7534.16 clear. Les visiteurs peuvent également voir la dernière génération de cabines WOLFFKRAN, livrées départ usine, prémontées sur la plateforme de la cabine avec armoire de commande, pour tous les modèles topless. Le stand WOLFFKRAN à Intermat est situé à l'extérieur de la zone d'exposition, stand numéro 5b Ext 018, entre les halls 5a et 5b.

Due to continuously increasing demands on tower cranes and ever more complex challenges faced on construction sites, WOLFFKRAN decided to completely overhaul the successful WOLFF 6015 clear. Major improvements of its successor, the new WOLFF 6020 clear, include an increased tip load capacity and the integration of numerous design details of the latest WOLFF clear models.

Two versions offering remarkable performance

The new flat-top saddle jib will be available for customers as of September 2017. It is offered as the 6-ton version WOLFF 6020.6 clear and the 8-ton version WOLFF 6020.8 clear, with tree different tower connections per version. "Compared to its predecessor, the 6-ton version can lift 2.0 tons instead of 1.5 tons at the tip at a 60-meter jib radius, while the tip load capacity of the 8-ton version was increased from 1.5 tons to 1.8 tons," explains Gerd Tiedtke, Product Manager at WOLFFKRAN, regarding the performance of the new model. Like the WOLFF 6015 clear, both versions are designed for a pure 2-fall operation.

A feature that is particularly worth mentioning is the new 28 kw hoist winch Hw 628.1 FU installed in the WOLFF 6020.6 clear allowing for even faster working times with partial load speeds of up to 108 m/min. In the 8-ton version, WOLFFKRAN relies on the tried and tested 45 kW hoist winch Hw 845 FU.

Efficiency and customer demands as top priority

In line with the company’s design principles of keeping things as simple as possible, the WOLFF engineers redesigned the trolley by replacing the rollers with wheel flanges used to date by rollers without wheel flanges and a new guide roller on the jib, thus optimizing the run of the trolley. The connection of the lower belt of jib has also been redesigned to optimize the transfer of forces on the jib. This allows for the use of smaller, more practical bolts, which makes the assembly easier.

The new WOLFF 6020 clear also convinces by offering customers more flexibility. Since the counterweights are no longer included as standard in the basic crane package or the jib extensions, the customer can use counterweight blocks from his existing WOLFF fleet, or buy these separately as required, which is a decisive advantage economically seen. In terms of variability, the 6020 clear does not break with the tradition of its predecessor, as it will be available with three different tower connections. It can therefore be connected to the narrow UV 15 tower system (external dimension of 1.5 m × 1.5 m) as well as to the wider towers TFS 20 and UV 20 (both 2.0 m × 2.0 m).

"Inspired by customer feedback, we have fitted the counter jib with transport aids in the form a special support structure to securely hold up to three jib sections on the counter jib during transport", explains Product Manager Gerd Tiedtke, regarding another advantage of the new 6020 clear. Further, the counter jib has been fitted with new railings that are suitable for attaching safety harnesses thus improving the safety for technicians working on the counter jib. The WOLFF 6020 clear now also features the support beams for the easy positioning of the bracing rods that were introduced to the clear models several years ago and considerably facilitate assembly of the counter jib. A maintenance crane with a lifting capacity of up to one ton is optionally available to support maintenance work on the hoisting drive unit.

Only a top-class package makes a crane a WOLFF

In comparison to the WOLFF 6015 clear, the new WOLFF 6020 clear features even more galvanized parts, such as railings, platforms and covers, as well as specially coated bolts to prevent corrosion. The modern slip ring system – a long standing standard in WOLFF cranes – at the transition point between the tower and the jib permits the trouble-free transmission of electrical signals. “The electronic overload protection with WOLFF Boost, the latest generation of frequency inverters in the hoist drive, the anti-collision interface, the hoisting gear with automatic power reduction as well as the telecommunication system WOLFF Link are technical features that can only be sourced together from WOLFFKRAN,” explains Tiedtke succinctly.

The customer’s requirements for a new shipyard crane presented the Austrian WOLFFKRAN team with numerous challenges. First of all, the WOLFF 7532.16 cross needed to be installed on an existing 6-meter-high rail structure, on which it can move back and forth during operation. Further, the width between the tracks of the rails was only 4 meters. Finally, the crane had to pass over an existing 5.5 meter high control stand installed on the rail structure. “Planning this was extremely demanding. The narrower the track width of the undercarriage, the more ballast is necessary to stabilize the crane. In this case, 60 tons of central ballast was used for the 7532.16 cross. At the same time, it was crucial to keep the individual wheel loads exerted on the rails to a minimum and not to exceed 18 tons per wheel.” explained Wouter van Loon, Product Manager at WOLFFKRAN. The team used a standard WOLFF undercarriage with a 5.5-meter track width as a basis, and modified it so that it would fit on the existing rail structure with a 4-meter track width. In order to not exceed the maximum permissible forces exerted on the tracks, the 145-ton operating weight of the crane had to be evenly distributed over 16 wheels (four wheels at each corner of the undercarriage).

Custom solutions at every turn

A special solution was also needed for the drive unit of the undercarriage. “Given the extremely tight space conditions we installed the cable drum on the exterior of the undercarriage. Also, instead of using a conductor line system to provide power for the drive unit as with previous crane on site, we employed an external system along the rails,” explained Wouter van Loon. In addition, the control cabinet was installed on top of the undercarriage, thus allowing for easy access despite space constraints.

Power and a long lifecycle make the perfect shipyard crane

“The collaboration with ÖSWAG Werft was extremely cooperative from the outset. The entire team supported us during the extensive planning phase and also during the installation, which took around a week,” reported WOLFFKRAN Austria CEO Dieter Reuberger. “Our old luffing crane from 1936 was beginning to show its age, both in terms of lifting and regulatory requirements,” said Horst Krammer, who is responsible for the plant and operational engineering at ÖSWAG Werft Linz. “In addition to WOLFFKRAN’s farsighted project planning, we were also convinced by the performance of the WOLFF 7532.16 cross with its 17-ton carrying capacity at a jib radius of 14.3 meters and a total jib length of 40 meters. It is primarily used to move ship dollies weighing up to 17 tons which are used to move ships out of the water.”

Even though this project was the first of its kind for WOLFFKRAN Austria, WOLFF cranes are a common sight on shipyards in other countries. In recent years, a WOLFF 6531 cross went up at the Scheepswerf Kooiman Hoebee in Dordrecht, the Netherlands, and a WOLFF 1250 B luffer at the Engine Repair Dry Dock in Antwerp, Belgium. The WOLFF 7532 cross in Austria will - like its predecessor - be in operation on the banks of the Danube river for many decades to come.

In order to not disrupt traffic, the WOLFF 355 B luffing crane with its 55-meter jib and the WOLFF 6031.8 clear trolley jib crane with its 32.5-meter jib were both set up on a weekend. The planning of the complex assembly alone required several meetings between WOLFFKRAN, the construction company Lupp, the mobile crane rental company and the local site supervision. "The construction site is surrounded by busy streets and narrow plots with high-rise buildings, making the crane installation itself a major technical and logistical project," says Thomas Odenbreit from Sales Germany at WOLFFKRAN. 

Trouble-free assembly in 48 hours 

The WOLFF 355 B is installed on a 6.2 x 6.2 meter WOLFF Cityportal, under which the traffic can flow whilst the construction work is in progress. Six service technicians and three mobile cranes were on site for its assembly. Saturday was dedicated solely to preparation work: A 160-ton mobile crane was used to assemble the portal, the first three tower sections and to position the central ballast. The ballasting was supported by a 30-ton mobile crane. At the same time, the tower top and the counterjib were unloaded and prepared for assembly. By the evening everything was ready for the set-up of 350-ton mobile crane with luffing tip during the night and the subsequent assembly of the WOLFF 355 B to a tower height of 64 meters on Sunday. 

The WOLFF 6031.8 clear trolley jib crane with a hook height of 61 meters was assembled shortly after the luffing crane. "In the summer, the 6031.8 will be used to assemble a second WOLFF 355 B luffing crane in so far, that a mobile crane will only be needed for the tower sections and slewing part. The newly set up luffer will then in turn dismantle the WOLFF 6031.8 clear. In both cases, mobile cranes for the assembly, and consequently also costs, were reduced for the customer," explains Odenbreit. 

Powerful WOLFFs for a narrow city gap 

The two WOLFF 355 B luffing cranes will gradually grow with the building up to a final tower height of 184 meters. With their jibs that can be raised to a near vertical position and their short counterjibs of only 6.6 meters, they are the ideal work horses for this tight construction site and can easily swing past the neighboring buildings and the flat-top WOLFF 6031.8 clear. Their high lifting capacities of 8.5 (WOLFF 6031.8) and 14 (WOLFF 355 B) tons are necessary for lifting construction material and prefab elements. "The heavy steel beams – concrete girders for ceilings and walls – some of which weigh over twelve tons, will partially even need to be lifted by both luffers together by means of a so-called tandem lift," explains Thomas Odenbreit. "As a result, there is no need for stronger cranes on the site. This is the most efficient solution for the customer."  

Due to the particular shape of the building with its outward shifting floors at mid-height, the cranes are installed around ten to twelve meters away from the building instead of the usual five to six meters. Thanks to the extremely strong WOLFFKRAN tower system HT 23 however, only four tie-ins to the building are necessary, despite a final tower height of over 180 meters. "With an external dimension of 2.30 meters, the HT 23 is as strong and stable as a tower system measuring 2.50 meters, but it is slimmer and therefore ideal for the confined construction site," says Odenbreit. 

Frankfurt remains WOLFF territory 

With the planned completion of the 45-storey "high-rise with a hip swing" in 2019, Frankfurt am Main is entitled to a new claim: It will have the only crossroads in Europe where there is a high-rise building at each of the four corners. One of them, the TaunusTurm, was also built with (four) WOLFF cranes, between 2011 and 2014. WOLFFKRAN's experience in working on busy inner-city construction sites coupled with its technological leadership in the field of luffing cranes were crucial factors in the contracting company Lupp's decision to use WOLFFKRAN for this skyscraper project. Within the last year, Lupp has extended its fleet by three WOLFF 6031 clear and one 7534 clear, which was only launched at bauma last year. Two of Lupp's own WOLFF cranes will shortly go up on the construction site of the so-called "T-Rex Towers" at the Senkenberganlage in Frankfurt.

The trolley jib cranes WOLFF 7532, WOLFF 6023 and WOLFF 6031 are mainly used for material handling for the construction of two of the four towers: the "Blue Tower" (72.30 meters) and the "White Tower" (53.60 meters). Thanks to their lifting capacities of 4.6 to 5.2 tons, they are ideally suited for lifting heavy concrete and formwork elements as well as concrete steel mats, which are used to reinforce the ceilings and walls of the high-rise buildings. Furthermore, the WOLFF cranes are also used for the construction of an underground car park, which will stretch over three basement levels up to 15 meters in depth. "Thanks to jib radii between 40 to 65 meters and varying hook heights, the four cranes do not get in each other’s way and can work without interruption on the cramped construction site around the high-rise buildings," explains Frank Conrad, Technical Manager of Equipment Management at Porr. 

Well planned: Secure stand without tie-ins

It was already taken into account in the planning phase that the top-slewing cranes had to be free-standing, since a tie-in on the glass façade of the building would not have been possible for technical reasons. "In order to ensure sufficient stability despite tower heights of 69 to 95 meters, we used tower sections with a larger cross-section of around 3 x 3 meters at the base of the cranes. This means that high free-standing tower heights paired with quick assembly times are possible," explains Ulrich Langenbein, Sales Manager at WOLFFKRAN Germany. The WOLFF cranes are climbed to the final hook heights with the proven time and space-saving WOLFF external climbing method. An additional mobile crane is not required. They will be dismantled in the same way when the construction work has been completed. It is planned that the four WOLFFs will be successively climbed up to their final hook heights in a single climbing process as the buildings extend upwards. 

WOLFFKRAN – A strong project partner 

"The good results of the construction of the High Mosel Bridge in 2014, along with other factors, have led us to rely on WOLFFKRAN in this project too," explains Frank Conrad. While one WOLFF 6023 and the WOLFF 6031 come from Porr’s own fleet, the WOLFF 7532 and the second WOLFF 6023 were hired from the construction equipment rental company Trinac GmbH. The red giants will rise alongside the skyscrapers in east Munich until the end of 2017. The first tenants are expected to move into the building complex, planned by the Spanish architect duo Fuensanta Nieto and Enrique Sobejano, already this year.

As the inventor of the tower crane, the name WOLFFKRAN stands for competence in
construction, manufacturing, and the deployment of tower cranes. With their current
product range of more than 30 different crane models as well as a 750-crane rental
fleet, WOLFFKRAN is among the industry’s top companies. The WOLFFKRAN group
employs 800 professionals around the world who ensure that the chain of innovation
continues and that WOLFF cranes are in operation on all continents.

Challenging projects have ever since been an incentive for WOLFFKRAN to gear up
to top performance. From the installation of a crane by helicopter in 2400 meters altitude
in Switzerland or the construction of the world’s highest skyscraper in Saudi
Arabia – WOLFFKRAN once and again overcomes limits to meet customer demands
and prevail in the industry. “The dedication and performance of our team and consistent
investment in the further development of our products are the decisive factors,”
said WOLFFKRAN CEO Schiefer.

This is also where company draws parallels to its cooperation with the BTV: With the
support of the TennisBase Oberhaching and the title sponsorship of the ATP Challenger
tournament in Ismaning, WOLFFKRAN contributes to both encouraging and
challenging promising talents on their way to world class tennis.

About the Bavarian Tennis Association (BTV)

The Bavarian Tennis Association (BTV), which counts approx. 300,000 members
organized in 2,000 clubs, is the largest association of the German Tennis Federation
(DTB), and following soccer and gymnastics, the third largest sports association in
Bavaria. In 2017 close to 13,000 teams will participate in in the Bavarian competition.
On top that, a further 1,800 tournaments organized at district level and the German
Tennis Federation will also be taking place in Bavaria. Besides WOLFFKRAN, the
Bavarian Tennis Association (BTV) is partnering with other renowned companies including
Adidas, Daikin, Dunlop, Energie Südbayern (ESB), Eurolub, Head, Hotel
Tannenhof, Patricio-Travel, Sportas, Tennis-Point, and Wilson.

About WOLFFKRAN

With a tradition of over 150 years WOLFFKRAN is one of the leading manufacturers
and rental companies of high-quality tower cranes in Central and Eastern Europe, the
Middle East, North America, Australia and Southeast Asia. The worldwide rental fleet
comprises more than 750 WOLFF cranes. It is headquartered in Zug (Switzerland)
and has manufacturing sites in Heilbronn and Luckau (Germany), as well as international subsidiaries and partnerships around the world. It employs a global workforce
of approx. 800 people.

The WOLFF 7534.16 clear was first presented at bauma in Germany last spring and complements the WOLFFKRAN clear series in the 315 tm class. "Although the WOLFF 7534.16 clear is our biggest flat-top crane, it doesn’t sacrifice on any of the advantages of this design. It is perfect for inner-city construction sites that require space-saving solutions, up to date assembly concepts and quick turnaround times," says Ulrich Dörzbach, Managing Director and Head of Research and Development of WOLFFKRAN.

WOLFFKRAN introduces further US versions of its tower cranes
„After the successful introduction of US versions of our tried and tested luffing cranes WOLFF 355 B and 700 B, we are now following the market demand for US versions of our equally popular saddle jib models WOLFF 6031.12 clear, 7534.16 clear and 8033.20 cross.“ says Dörzbach. „US versions of two more luffing cranes, namely the WOLFF 275 B und 1250 B, will follow suit.”

Both of the clear models are among WOLFFKRAN’s best-selling sad-dle jib cranes in the medium lifting range due to their high cost effi-ciency in terms of assembly and transportation paired with solid lifting capacities of 26,460 lbs (6031.12 clear US) and 36,380 lbs (7534.16 clear US). With the WOLFF 8033.20 cross US WOLFFKRAN is also introducing a classical saddle jib crane (with a tower top) with a 263 foot jib and a maximum lifting capacity of 44,090 lbs into the US mar-ket to account for higher lifting demands of construction jobs using heavy prefab concrete elements. “The 8033.20 cross is a great crane characterized by fast line speeds in 2-fall operation and high lifting capacities in 4-fall operation. And yet it is as easy and fast to install as cranes in the lower lifting ranges, making it one of our most cost-effective all-rounder crane models,” states Duncan Salt, President of WOLFFKRAN Inc.

„We are also working hard to get our hydraulic luffer WOLFF 166 B approved for the US. We see a strong market here because of its particular characteristics like the reduced out-of-service-radius, the new flat-top design without rope luffing gear, its fast luffing time of 90 seconds as well as its maximum tip load of 6,790 lbs in single-reeved operation with 164 foot jib length,” Duncan Salt describes another hot contender for the US market.

Offering an overall package is the key to growth
On the occasion of the last Conexpo in 2014 WOLFFKRAN CEO Peter Schiefer announced the return to the US market. Three years later the globally active tower crane manufacturer from Germany is on a solid growth path in the United States. It not only registers a performance above expectations in New York City, where market-share is
at around 20%, but also interest from outside of Manhattan from major crane operating companies from the North-East for both large luffing jib cranes and saddle jib cranes, as Salt confirms.

“Selling cranes is something that everybody can do. That’s why we focus on delivering comprehensive service and technical support, right from the beginning,” says Schiefer. “Recently we closed a deal for three saddle jib cranes with a company in Illinois, which was convinced by exactly that – our service and technical support”, states Duncan Salt. “Furthermore, the West Coast is a very vital market where we now have a mix of sale and rental contracts to be supported from our new service center south of Los Angeles, which we will open soon.”

„We see the positive response from our customers and solid growth in the US market as a confirmation that we are on the right track. Our debut at Conexpo is another important step for us on this track,” Schiefer concludes.

Pressrelease WOLFF 355 B & 700 B US
Pressrelease WOLFF 7534.16 clear US

The mega power plant will consist of six 800 megawatt units and produce 4,800 megawatts of electricity a year making it the fourth-largest coal-fired power plant in the world. It goes without saying that the dimensions on the site are correspondingly big: Almost 60-ton heavy steel and concrete elements have to be moved, and a total of approximately 115,000 tons of steel will be installed in the construction. A job for the strongest WOLFFs in the pack. Therefore, no less than four BIG WOLFF 1250 B luffing cranes are in use in South Africa since this year. At the power plant site they really earn their place with their impressive lifting capacity of up to 60 tons. But by the same token, they also convince with the standard WOLFF Fine Positioning controls allowing for a centimeter accurate positioning of loads, which is of major importance in the cramped conditions on the construction site.

Despite having a tower height of 120 meters, the WOLFF 1250 B cranes with their 60-meter-long jibs are only tied to the stair towers of the boiler plants once. "Working together with MHPSA, our technical support department developed special collar frames for the stair towers to enable simple and yet stable anchoring of the crane to the structure", explains Andreas Kahl, Managing Director at WOLFFKRAN. "The crane concept envisages that one of the 1250 B cranes will be relocated to Unit 6 as construction progresses," says Kahl.

Economical – luffing crane on top of boiler plant
The four red giants are supported by three WOLFF 355 B luffing cranes with 50-meter jibs, which were erected directly on top of the 122-meter high boiler plants. In this way, an overall hook height of 186 meters was achieved with the use of just one tower segment. "This saves on space on the ground as well as costs for the customer, because fewer tower elements are required and the assembly, using a mobile crane, is much faster," says Andreas Kahl. Mounted on the mobile WOLFF undercarriage UW 260.3, the luffers can move back and forth along rails on the roof of the boiler plants and thus have a movement radius of approximately 40 meters. They were already used from 2011 to 2013 on first three of the six boiler plants and are now being used on Units 2, 3 and 4.

Four WOLFFKRAN service technicians were sent to South Africa for the assembly and technical monitoring of the work. "The requirements for the personnel on the construction site are very high and the safety regulations are understandably strict," says Andreas Kahl. "The space on the site is not only very restricted, but it also appears quite chaotic to the untrained eye. In addition to the seven WOLFFs, numerous crawler and lattice-boom cranes are also in use to move very heavy and large components. That is why safety has top priority at the site," says Kahl.

Proven concept convinces customer
To date, Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems has only used crawler and lattice-boom cranes in South Africa for power plant construction. The successful combination of WOLFF 355 B and WOLFF 1250 B cranes in the construction of the coal-fired plants in Wilhelmshaven (Germany) and Maasvlakte (Netherlands) convinced MHPSA of the more economical tower crane concept. After the European construction projects were successfully completed with rental cranes, MHPSA successively bought the seven WOLFFs for the mega-project in South Africa. "With this investment, we are not only investing in Kusile, but also in future power plant projects," says Stanley Langkilde, Construction Services Manager at MHPSA. "The concept suits our needs perfectly. Together with WOLFFKRAN’s technical services and the long-lasting, modular cranes, we are very well set-up in the power plant supply and construction market," says Langkilde.

Three further 355 B WOLFF cranes owned MHPSA are also currently in use at the Medupi Power Station in the neighboring province of Limpopo. Working on behalf of the South African electricity generator Eskom, the two modern coal-fired power plants in Kusile and Medupi will bring a reliable supply of energy into the resource-rich region for decades to come.

Launch of the biggest WOLFF clear crane and new WOLFF luffer
With the WOLFF 7534 clear, WOLFFKRAN is introducing the biggest and most powerful flat-top crane of the pack to-date and thus rounding off its product line the 315 mt range. "Easy to assemble, space-saving, powerful and economical. Although it is our largest crane without a tower top section, the WOLFF 7534 clear offers all the advantages of a flat-top construction and is perfect for inner-city construction sites that require space-saving solutions, up to date assembly concepts and quick turnaround times," says Ulrich Dörzbach, Managing Director and Head of Research and Development of WOLFFKRAN GmbH.

The city is also the home turf of WOLFFKRAN’s second newcomer. Its specialty: high-rise construction sites. "Our new WOLFF 275 B includes the technology and know-how we gained over three decades developing luffing cranes," says Gerd Tiedtke, Product Manager at WOLFFKRAN. Thanks to a maximum load capacity of 24 tons, a hook path of 700 meters and a hoisting speed of up to 222 m/min, the 275 B lifts prefab parts, steel and concrete effortlessly and lets skyscrapers rise skyward in no time. It operates in the accustomed efficient and economical WOLFF manner and plays in the top league with its WOLFF typical high-quality standard equipment when it comes to technology, safety and comfort.

The two new additions are accompanied by the experienced WOLFF 8033 cross of the 450 mt class. Its impressive lifting capacity paired with extremely easy assembly, comparable with the assembly of a model in the 300 mt range, make this WOLFF one of the most popular saddle jib cranes in XXL class.

New WOLFF territory: North America
After an absence of almost 40 years, WOLFFKRAN returned to the US market in 2015 and opened a new branch office just outside of New York City. At the same time and underlining its ambition to expand its territory, WOLFFKRAN has released US versions of the popular WOLFF 355 B and 700 B luffing cranes. WOLFFKRAN will showcase the smaller model WOLFF 355 B US at bauma. With their high load capacities of 28 tons (355 B) and 50 tons (700 B), powerful 110 kW (355 B) and 132 kW (700 B) hoisting winches, jibs with optional auxiliary hoist and fly-jib and their adapted electrics and construction to meet US regulations, these cranes are ideally suited to meet the demands of modern US high-rise construction sites.

World Wide WOLFF
Whether it is in America, Europe, Asia, Africa or the Middle East, the WOLFFs have claimed their territory around the world. "Along these lines, our exhibition stand will feature the motto World Wide WOLFF at this bauma," explains Ulrich Dörzbach. "At various stations, visitors to our stand can go on a virtual journey around the world and discover where our red giants are rising into the sky." What exactly would this journey look like? Come and see for yourself, you're in for a surprise!

Pressrelease WOLFF 275 B
Pressrelease WOLFF 7534 clear
Pressrelease WOLFF 355 B / 700 B US
Pressrelease WOLFF Link
Pressrelease WOLFF Company Profile

Construction work on the 3 WTC already started back in 2010 with the building of the foundation and a part of the reinforced concrete inner core accommodating elevators, staircases and supply lines. The WOLFF 700 B US, equipped with a 55-meter jib and an additional five-meter fly-jib, is expected to be in use until mid next year, lifting steel columns and girders for the outer shell of the skyscraper.

Although a standard construction method in modern high-rise construction, the WOLFFKRAN team was faced with the challenge of having to position the crane extremely close to inner core. With the construction of the core always several floors higher up than the outer shell, a crane with a very small tail swing was required in order for it to rotate freely. The WOLFF 700 B US, already equipped with a very short counter jib, was therefore specially adapted for this project with an even shorter counter jib of 7.4 meters. The WOLFF will rise with the building to a height of approx. 300 meters by means of an internal climbing mechanism.

Safe, efficient and powerful
In addition to its compact construction, the customer opted for the WOLFF 700 B US because of its electric drives paired with high lifting capacities and working speeds. With safety and efficiency regulations for cranes having become considerably stricter in New York City in the recent past, contractors and rental equipment companies are more often opting for modern electric tower cranes rather than the conventional diesel-powered cranes. The WOLFF 700 B US impressively proves that this does not affect the performance of the crane. With a lifting capacity of 53 tons and a line speed of up to 190 m/min, it is ideally suited for the job on the 3 WTC site, where it has to lift tons of steel and prefabricated components up to 350 meters. It is further equipped with a fly-jib lifting eight tons and a working speed of up to 140 m/min.

The USA becomes WOLFF-territory
With the WOLFF 700 B US in San Francisco and the WOLFF 700 B US at 3 WTC, the premium manufacturer has sent a new generation of efficient electric luffing jib cranes onto US building sites. Customer service, technical support and spare parts are provided by the recently established subsidiary WOLFFKRAN Inc. operating just outside Manhattan. And in virtually no time after the first two WOLFFs have begun to prove themselves on US turf, several WOLFF 355 B luffing cranes are next in line to be used for upcoming projects in the New York metropolitan area.

The pack of WOLFFs on the Jeddah Tower project currently consists of twelve saddle jib cranes type WOLFF 7532, which are used primarily for moving loads on the ground and for construction of the podium at the base of the tower. Also in operation is a luffing crane type WOLFF 355 B with a 40-meter jib and a maximum lifting capacity of 28 tons. It is positioned in the triangular shaped core of the Tower, forming the focal point of the Y-shaped building floorplan. A second WOLFF 355 B is to be set up in the very near future.

Top performances in several stages
Both luffing cranes are on 48-meter high towers and are raised step by step with the building, by means of an internal climbing procedure, up to a height of approximately 580 meters. They “jump” between 12 to 15.5 meters higher with every climbing step. According to the project plan in the next phase of the construction, one of the luffing cranes should be moved to a platform especially established for the crane at a height of 538 meters, where it will work on the outside of the building with an anticipated hook height of 734 meters. It is then planned to disassemble it again and reassembled it at 630 meters above sea level, to achieve its expected ultimate hook height of almost 800 meters.

Safe and efficient at dizzying heights
Erecting and operating the two luffing cranes at a height of several hundred meters presents a special challenge with the high wind speeds that can prevail at these heights. This is where the tower combination consisting of the internal climbing tower segment KSH 23 and the HT 23 tower elements come into play. Their sturdy construction made of high-strength steel reliably protects the tower against distortion, while at the same time being very space saving, measuring only 2.3 x 2.3 meters. Another important criterion when working at these heights is obviously the time it takes to lift loads from the ground all the way up. "Our WOLFF 355 B cranes are impressive on these sites due to their very high working speeds of up to 185 m/min and a hook path of 920 meters," says Habib Mikati, Managing Director of WOLFFKRAN ISS in Dubai. "They also have significant lifting capacities when compared with the competition for the compact working radius relevant for this project," says Mikati.

Partnerships in prestigious projects on the Arabian Peninsula
Besides the technical product features of the WOLFF cranes, the proven collaboration between Roots Group Arabia and WOLFFKRAN was also decisive for the cooperation on the Jeddah Tower, in particular with regard to the technical project support provided by the WOLFFKRAN engineers. Many more WOLFFs are currently at work elsewhere on the Arabian Peninsula: at the largest hotel in the world, the Abraj Kudai, the Saptco bus station, a new hospital in Mecca and at the extension of the Prophet's Mosque in Medina.

The construction of the new landmark, Jeddah Tower, is a project of international significance. The skyscraper will be the center of an entirely new district, which is currently being built along the Red Sea in Obhur – Northern Jeddah. The Jeddah Tower is built on 270 pilings that range between 45 and 110 meters in depth and have a diameter of 1.5 to 1.8 meters. At a height of 538 meters it has one of the highest observation platforms to be installed worldwide. The building, designed by British star architect Adrian Smith, will house luxury apartments, offices, shops, and a Four Seasons hotel over 530,000 square meters.

The project required a crane with very high lifting capacities covering a wide working radius and fast line speeds, while at the same time being as space-saving as possible. In search of the right crane, Maxim Crane Works struck gold with the traditional German crane manufacturer WOLFFKRAN. The WOLFF 700 B luffing jib tower crane, first manufactured in 2010 and since tried and tested on construction sites around the world, fulfilled all technical demands made by the contractor, Level 10 Construction. Following an intense collaboration between all three involved parties during the planning phase, the WOLFF 700 B finally set off on its journey from the production facility in Heilbronn, Germany to San Francisco late last year, where it has been in operation since mid-January.

Unrivalled strength on a very slender tower
The WOLFF 700 B impresses with a maximum lifting capacity of up to 110,230 pounds (50 t) in 3-fall operation and a maximum tip load capacity of 36,380 pounds (16.5 t) at a jib radius of 164 feet (50 m).The heaviest lift on the site is a mega support column weighing just over 100,000 pounds set at a 46 foot radius. But the crane also has to handle heavy loads further out due to the exoskeletal design of the high-rise using heavy steel support columns on all six corners of the building.

Despite its remarkable power the WOLFF 700 B stands on a surprisingly slender tower, with section dimensions of only 7 feet 7 inches, allowing for transport on regular trailers without any special road permits required.

State-of-the-art technology for more efficiency and safety
Despite its lifting capacity and remarkable hoisting speed of up 623 ft/min (190 m/min), the WOLFF 700 B requires less power than you would think. The fully electrically operated crane is equipped with a stepless frequency controlled drive, making it a true leader in terms of energy efficiency, both compared to electric cranes without FC drives and even more so compared to diesel-powered cranes. Needless to say, the comparatively low noise emissions and complete absence of pollution are of undisputed value in densely populated urban areas.

Equipped with the latest crane controls as standard the WOLFF 700 B boasts an extensive range of efficiency and safety features, such as automatic adjustment of all drives, recognition of output reserves, horizontal level luffing, slack rope monitoring, and comprehensive self-tests to support the driver to name just a few. It also includes the WOLFFKRAN patented, semi-automatic re-reeving mechanism which significantly facilitates switching between the 1-, 2- and 3-fall operation.

WOLFF 700 B – at home downtown
For a crane of this size category, the WOLFF 700 B also stands out in terms of its compact design and maneuverability, which is another big plus point on the 21,528-square-foot (2000 m²) plot in the densely built SoMa district. Of particular mention is its short counter jib with only 25 feet 3 inches. Originally developed for the installation of wind turbines, WOLFFKRAN now fits the 700 B with the short counter jib as standard, allowing for an even closer positioning of the crane to the building.

But the WOLFF 700 B is also space saving during the crane assembly. Thanks to WOLFFKRAN’s patented design of the counter jib, individual component weights can be kept low and smaller mobile cranes used for the assembly. Further, the pre-assembly of crane components before their arrival on the site significantly reduces assembly time, which in turn keeps road closures to a minimum. The 700 B on the 181 Fremont construction site was completely assembled in just three days.

The WOLFF 700 B will be climbed externally alongside the building to a final tower height of 764 feet (233 m). Despite this remarkable tower height, the crane will only be tied to the building ten times, thanks to the extremely sturdy, but comparatively slender 7 foot 7 inches (2.3 m) WOLFF HT 23 tower sections.

American way of WOLFF
It is not just the compact design and high load capacity though, that make this luffing crane the ideal workhorse for US high-rise construction sites. It offers practically all features required by the US market, such as secondary brakes for the hoisting and luffing gears or the option of adding an auxiliary winch and hoist. The crane is compliant with the American ANSI standard for tower cranes and only minor modifications need to be made to the electrical system to adapt it to the American UL standards.

WOLFFKRAN builds presence in the U.S. market
With Maxim Crane Works, one of the nation’s leading crane rental companies operating throughout the country, WOLFFKRAN has a strong partner at its side for the introduction of the WOLFF 700 B into the US market along with general contractor Level 10 Construction. In the end, the combination of state-of-the-art engineering »Made in Germany« paired with expert crane service by an experienced and established local rental company fulfilled the unique requirements at 181 Fremont.

The WOLFF 700 B in San Francisco only marks the beginning of WOLFFKRAN’s expansion in the US market though. In spring this year, WOLFFKRAN Inc., founded in the summer of 2014, has officially opened its doors just outside Manhattan, to provide a comprehensive range of crane services, support and supply of spare parts for customers in the New York area, where a brand new WOLFF 355 B (smaller version of the 700 B) has just been erected at the WTC 3 site. A new chapter in the success story of the red WOLFFs in the land of opportunity has only just begun.

From an organizational point of view the renovation of a hospital is very demanding, since the treatment of patients may not be interrupted at any time and medical emergencies do not take construction schedules into consideration. WOLFFKRAN provided two saddle jib cranes of the XXL class for the Ingolstadt site: the WOLFF 9025.20 cross and the WOLFF 8540.20 cross. "Already the assembly of the two WOLFF cranes using a 500-ton mobile crane proved to be very challenging and had to be optimally coordinated with the hospital’s daily business," says Ulrich Langenbein, Sales Manager for Germany at WOLFFKRAN. "The delivery of the mobile crane and WOLFF crane components as well as their pre-assembly on the ground and the set-up of the eight by eight meter cross frame all had to be meticulously coordinated to not interfere with the hospital’s daily routine," says Langenbein.

Long, longer, WOLFFKRAN –a job for the XXL class cranes
Because the emergency area at the front of the hospital building and the service access at the back had to be kept clear at all times, the WOLFF cranes could only be set up on the narrow sides of the building. This meant that very long jib lengths were necessary to fully cover the 160-metrer complex. The WOLFF 9025.20 had a 90-meter jib and tip load capacity of 2.5 tons. The WOLFF 8540.20 was equipped with a special 100-meter jib, which corresponds to the length of a soccer field. "Despite its impressive dimensions, the WOLFF 8540.20 is statically so designed that it can lift a constant load 3.7 tons along the entire jib," says Ulrich Langenbein. "WOLFFKRAN is the only tower crane manufacturer that offers these jib lengths combined with high load capacities," Langenbein continues. The two saddle jib cranes were used to lift the steel substructures and composite panels onto the hospital roof that were necessary for erecting the new seventh floor. Overall, they moved 450 tons of steel, 6,000 m² of reinforced concrete composite flooring as well as 2,900 m2 trapezoidal sheets and 3,000 m² of concrete ceilings for the new roof. In order for cranes to safely slew above each other, they were respectively placed on 37 and 46-meter high towers.

Successful start to a mammoth project
The crane schedule was very tight, since the roof of the clinical center had to be opened up in order to erect the additional floor, which meant that the building was actually exposed to wind and weather during this phase. Working in their usual efficient manner, the WOLFFKRAN team successfully mastered this complex construction phase and completed the job in only four months. However, for the Klinikum Ingolstadt, this was just the beginning. The total renovation of the hospital is scheduled to take a about 20 years.

A hook height of 130 meters is usually child’s play for a tower crane, but a freestanding 130 meter hook height is a challenge. At the TÜV Rheinland construction site, however, this was the only possibility. “We couldn’t place the crane close enough to the building to tie it to the building,” explained Carsten Druske, Branch Manager of WOLFFKRAN Dortmund. “Further, none of the surrounding buildings had a flat roof that could support the 152 ton heavy crane. Actually, these couldn’t even support the scaffolding.” This was a job for the Heilbronn crane manufacturer’s technical experts. “Our technical support department achieved a remarkable of structural calculation, unparalleled in the industry,” Druske said.

Construction site of superlatives
With its tip load capacity of 3.1 tons with a 60-meter jib and a maximum lifting capacity of 8.5 tons at a 25-meter jib radius, and a lifting speed of 115 meters per minute, the flat top WOLFF 6031.8 clear meets all the requirements of this construction site. In Cologne, it is used for lifting heavy steel and glass components. To anchor the WOLFF, Bilfinger constructed a 1,300 ton heavy, 12 by 12 meter concrete base with an 18 meter deep pile foundation. “WOLFFKRAN convinced us with the performance and size of this crane, and with their perfected planning concept,” said Michael Gessner, Technical Manager at TÜV Rheinland Real Estate.

Assembling the red giant was an enormous effort. “Normally, cranes with this hook height are climbed to their final height piece by piece,” explained Oliver Manthei, Chief Service Technician at WOLFFKRAN and in charge of the assembly. “For the WOLFF in Cologne, we brought in a 750 ton mobile crane – one of the heaviest in the German market – from the company Colonia. This allowed us to erect the WOLFF to its final height within the scheduled time of two and a half days,” Manthei continues.

Working between heaven and earth
One further number impresses among all the superlatives associated with the Cologne construction site: The crane operator needs about 40 minutes per day to climb up to his work place 130 meters above the ground – and just as long to climb back down. “It’s a job with a fitness factor,” Druske said. “So we decided to fit the crane with an exterior lift,” Gessner added. “On the one hand, to make the operators job a bit easier, but the main reason being with regards to safety. Should anything happen to the operator, it would take a rescue team 40 minutes to reach him.”

Cologne’s new landmark
With 40 years of service under its belt, the TÜV Rheinland building is being completely refurbished for about 40 million Euros. In addition to the new glass facade, the high rise will be fitted with state-of-the-art HVAC, elevators and fire protection. During the course of the renovation approximately 1,000 employees will have to be relocated. The renovation is scheduled to be completed in 2017. Until then, the highest freestanding crane in Germany will continue to be an impressive sight in this city by the River Rhine, and will certainly attract another nickname or two.

The acquisition coincides with HTC’s 40th anniversary as WOLFFKRAN dealer and stands for the continuation of a successful business model in the UK. The sight of impressive red WOLFF tower cranes will thus continue to be a familiar one across the skyline of London.

HTC WOLFFKRAN Limited – a winning combination
With a fleet of more than 200 WOLFF cranes and a staff of 370 crane experts HTC offers complete tower crane solutions tailored to its customers’ needs. Dr. Peter Schiefer, CEO and owner of WOLFFKRAN: “The acquisition is a big step for WOLFFKRAN, but a very logical one. It’s totally in line with our global strategy of manufacturing, selling, renting and providing related crane services. With HTC we are taking an experienced and highly motivated management team and an extremely skilled work force on board. And the solid UK construction market was just another driver for our decision.“

The name of the new company will be HTC WOLFFKRAN Limited and reflects the combination of high standing expertise in delivering safe and effective tower crane services from HTC paired with state of the art tower crane technology from WOLFFKRAN.

Dave Holder, Managing Director of HTC, explains: “WOLFFKRAN has been the tower crane manufacturer of our choice for decades. Its reliable and state of the art cranes are the ideal fit for our 'be the best' culture. Becoming a fully integrated part of the WOLFF family fills us with pride and confidence.“

WOLFF luffers – made for "the city"
HTC’s crane portfolio predominantly consists of WOLFF luffing jib cranes that – based on their particular construction – are ideal for construction jobs in tight urban spaces, all the more so in countries with stringent overslewing laws such as the UK. Both older generation and new WOLFF luffing jib cranes are currently in operation on various high-profile constructions sites in London, such as London Bridge Station, Nine Elms Redevelopment or Nova Victoria Development, to name just a few.

With the integration of HTC’s crane fleet, WOLFFKRAN’s global rental fleet will count more than 750 tower cranes, underlining its position as one the largest tower crane rental companies in the world.

Acquisition emphasizes the global expansion of WOLFFKRAN
With this acquisition WOLFFKRAN continues its international growth path, which is currently also being fuelled by an increasing demand for high lifting capacity luffing jib cranes, not only in the UK. Demand from Saudi Arabia has been more than solid, with 150+ high lift capacity WOLFF cranes sold into the market over the last few years for large scale construction jobs in Mecca and Jeddah, as for example the Kingdom Tower, which will rise to 1000 meters, making it the tallest building in the world. However, demand from other markets is on the rise as well. With construction activity in the US picking up, several WOLFF luffers were sold for high-rise projects in San Francisco and New York, where WOLFFKRAN has recently opened its own branch office. New WOLFF luffers are also in operation in Macao on various hotel construction sites. But demand is not only coming from the high-rise sector, with four brand new WOLFF 1250 B, one of the strongest tower cranes in the world, currently being delivered to South Africa for a power plant construction job.

In addition to its impressive height, it was also the unique design of the Roche Building 1 with a tapering silhouette at the top, which required a sophisticated crane concept. To tackle these challenges, the WOLFFKRAN team closely cooperated with both the logistics specialists of the contractor and the architects of the building. A WOLFF 7532.16 saddle jib crane with a 70 meter jib and maximum tip load capacity of 4 tons was set up at the rear of the building. With the building rising by one level every two weeks, the crane was gradually climbed alongside the high-rise to its final tower height of 191.5 meters (hook height of 204 meters including portal base). In purely static terms, the crane would have done with just three ties to building. The special construction of the façade however called for more bracings.

The right WOLFF for every step of the project
Two WOLFF cranes were used on the side of the building that tapered upwards. At first, a WOLFF 6023.8 was employed. However, after a certain height, the distance to tie the saddle jib crane to building just became too big and it had to be replaced by a WOLFF 180 B with a 45 meter jib. Unlike a trolley jib crane, the compact luffing crane does not have to stand above the building, since it can easily slew past the sides of the building structure thanks to its movable jib which can be raised up- and downwards.

Disassembly with high security standards
Besides the design of the building, the location of the building next to a very busy street, which could not even be closed during the take-down of the WOLFF 7532.16, also challenged the construction team. A comprehensive safety concept had to be implemented, which went so far as having the service technicians secure tools and other working material to their person and additional safety nets being set up. Now that the WOLFF cranes have gone, the last construction workers will soon be leaving the Roche Building 1 as well. The new offices of the pharmaceutical company F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG are scheduled to open this year and will provide space for around 2,000 employees.

Dieter Reuberger, seit Anfang des Jahres neuer Geschäftsführer der WOLFFKRAN Austria AG, nahm den Preis gemeinsam mit Martin Rothaler, Kundenbetreuer bei WOLFFKRAN Austria, im Rahmen einer Galaveranstaltung mit rund 100 geladenen Gästen im Hotel Parkschlössl in Wien entgegen. Für den frischgebackenen Geschäftsführer ein freudiger Einstieg in sein neues Amt. „Für mich wird mit dem Preis nicht nur eines unserer spektakulärsten Projekte ausgezeichnet, sondern allen voran auch unser hervorragendes Team, das jeden Tag sein Bestes für unsere Kunden gibt und mir persönlich den Start bei WOLFFKRAN so angenehm gestaltet hat“, so Reuberger.

In der Kategorie „spektakulärster Baumaschineneinsatz“ konnte sich WOLFFKRAN Austria gegen zehn Mitbewerber durchsetzen. Die Jury aus österreichischen Baumaschinen- und Baumarktexperten überzeugten vor allem die herausragenden Dimensionen des Projekts. Da der Einsatzort der WÖLFFE nicht per LKW erreichbar war, mussten insgesamt rund 200 Tonnen Kranteile, von denen die schwersten 4,3 Tonnen wogen, per Helikopter aus dem Tal auf rund 2.812 Meter Höhe geflogen werden. Dennoch konnten die drei Krane in nur vier Tagen komplett montiert werden und damit fast genauso schnell wie bei einer routinemäßigen Kranmontage. Die „Helimontage“, die Königsdisziplin für jeden Kranmonteur, war für WOLFFKRAN Austria die erste Montage dieser Art. Eine Bewährungsprobe, die das Team mit Bravour bestand.

Neben dem „spektakulärsten Baumaschineneinsatz“ wurden bei der Preisverleihung fünf Bauprojekte österreichischer Unternehmen in den Bereichen international, national, kleine- und mittelständische Unternehmen, Greenbuilding und Innovation geehrt. Die SOLID-Redaktion verleiht den Bauchtech-Preis bereits seit acht Jahren.

Der Laufkatzkran mit Turmspitze ist auf der Baustelle vor allem für das Heben von Schalungs- und Betonfertigteilen zuständig. „Bei der Wahl unseres neuen Krans haben wir uns am hohen Gewicht dieser Stahlbetonfertigbauteile orientiert“, sagt Gerhard Riegg, Projektleiter bei der Glass GmbH. Eine zukunftsfähige Entscheidung, ist doch die Fertigteilbauweise ein sich seit Jahren im Hochbau etablierender Trend, der Baukranen immer größere Tragfähigkeiten abverlangt. Auf der Mindelheimer Baustelle wiegen die schwersten Teile rund acht Tonnen.

Der WOLFF 7532.16 – Experte für Fertigbauteile
Der leistungsstarke 7532.16 ist mit einer Auslegerlänge von 70 Metern und einer maximalen Tragfähigkeit von 16,5 Tonnen im 4-Strangbetrieb bestens für diese Aufgabe gewappnet. „Durch die Cross-Konstruktion mit Turmspitze läuft der Kran trotz einer Hakenhöhe von 75,5 Metern aufgrund der Abspannung besonders ruhig, was die Montage der Fertigbauteile erleichtert“, sagt Wolfgang Kavelius, verantwortlich für den Vertrieb bei WOLFFKRAN. Unterstützt wird das Kraftpaket 7532.16 durch den kleineren WOLFF 6015.8 aus der clear-Reihe. Durch seine kompakte Bauweise ohne Turmspitze kann der Kleine mit einer Hakenhöhe von 65,7 Metern und einer Ausladung von 50 Metern bequem unter dem größeren Model durchschwenken. Dies sorgt für einen reibungslosen Ablauf auf der Baustelle.

WOLFFKRAN – auch in Grün der Leitwolf bei Service und Qualität
Nach dem Kauf von zwei 6531.12, drei 6015.8 und einem 6023.8 in den vergangenen zweieinhalb Jahren hat die Firma Glass mit dem neuen Flaggschiff 7532.16 ihr WOLFF-Rudel komplettiert. „WOLFFKRAN überzeugt uns als Komplettanbieter“, so Riegg. „Die WOLFFKRAN Ingenieure beraten uns bei der Einrichtung unserer Baustellen und unterstützen uns bei der Planung und Durchführung von Kranumsetzungen genauso, wie bei der statischen Berechnung von Sonderlösungen. Technisch gesehen erfüllen vor allem die Bolzenverbindung und das Baukastenprinzip des Turmsystems unsere Ansprüche an einen Kran. Fehlende Krankomponenten können nach Bedarf unkompliziert angemietet werden. Dadurch können wir flexibel auf die verschiedensten Baustellenanforderungen reagieren und sind für die nächsten Jahrzehnte sehr gut aufgestellt“, sagt Riegg. Die sieben WÖLFFE, die speziell für die Firma Glass statt im klassischen WOLFFKRAN-Rot im typischen „Glass-Grün“ lackiert wurden, haben eine durchschnittliche Auslastung von fast 100 Prozent und auch der Neuzugang ist für die zweite Jahreshälfte schon wieder für ein Bauprojekt eingeplant.

Ein WOLFF mit Strahlkraft
Auf der Mindelheimer Baustelle fallen die WÖLFFE dem Krankenner übrigens nicht nur durch ihre ungewöhnliche grüne Farbgebung ins Auge. Mit 480 Metern LED-Lichtschlauch bestückt strahlt der WOLFF 7532.16 zudem jede Nacht hell über der Stadt und ist sogar noch aus großer Entfernung zu sehen. Obgleich nur als Weihnachtsbeleuchtung gedacht, soll die Illumination nun bis zum Ende der Bauarbeiten im Sommer dieses Jahres erhalten bleiben.

Already the first assembly of the cranes, on foundation anchors and with 40 m jibs each, back in 2012 demanded a great deal from the WOLFF service technicians. "The steep, narrow, often poorly paved roads that stretch through the vineyard, required a sophisticated logistical concept", explains Andreas Kahl, Managing Director of WOLFFKRAN GmbH. Despite these challenging circumstances, the two flattop trolley jib cranes WOLFF 6031.12 clear were both assembled to their initial tower height within 10 hours.

Excellent performance and efficiency
Since the two cranes are being used to erect eight pylons, each of them will have to be replaced three times. The cranes are currently in operation on the second pair of pylons. While one of the cranes has already reached its final height of 113.6 meters, the other one will be climbed shortly to a final height of 131.6 meters. Depending on the height of the pylons, the WOLFF cranes will rise to a hook height of 163 meters and tied to the pylons three times - and all this in demanding windy conditions. "Every assembly and climbing step requires the highest level of concentration and thorough preparation," says Andreas Kahl. "We are constantly faced with logistical and technical challenges during the entire construction period." Considering this, it is a big advantage that the WOLFF cranes make do with only three tower ties. This is a record best in comparison to its competitors – plus it saves on time and money.

Both WOLFF cranes have a maximum lifting capacity of 12 tons, making them ideal for lifting heavy iron and concrete formwork components. Overall, the red giants will move 35,000 tons of concrete and 3,000 tons of iron.

Assembly, service, technology – with WOLFFKRAN you get it all
Besides the tried and tested products, the contractor was convinced by WOLFFKRAN’s one-stop-shop service concept. "WOLFFKRAN takes care of the assembly, service, repairs, consulting, technical support and rents out project-specific components for our cranes. Everything runs smoothly and easily – a must on such a large and complex construction site as this one", says Olaf Krumbein, Project Manager at Porr Deutschland GmbH.

As an example of this efficiency, crane operating data is transmitted live directly to the WOLFFKRAN Service Center via the remote maintenance and diagnosis tool WOLFF Link. This means that the WOLFFKRAN service staff can efficiently take care of any imminent maintenance work on the cranes, and keep delays on the construction site to an absolute minimum.

It is anticipated that the cranes will be in use at the High Mosel Bridge until the end of 2016. In 2018, the bridge will be opened to traffic.

Die Arbeit der WOLFFKRAN Ingenieure begann bereits, bevor der Grundstein für das Hochhaus in der belgischen Hauptstadt gelegt wurde. Quentin Guyaux, Bauleiter bei BPC Brabant: „WOLFFKRAN arbeitete von Anfang an eng mit unserem Ingenieurbüro zusammen und überzeugte uns durch exakte Planung und ein ausgereiftes Krankonzept. Es gibt nur wenige Anbieter auf dem belgischen Markt, die Planungen für diese Höhe vornehmen können und zugleich produkttechnisch das bieten, was wir brauchen. Bei WOLFFKRAN bekommen wir alles aus einer Hand.“

Zeitsparendes Klettern dank bewährtem WOLFF Außenkletterwerk
Der erste WOLFF 6531.12 mit einer Ausladung von 30 Metern wurde bereits im Oktober 2011 mithilfe eines 300 Tonnen Mobilkrans auf eine freistehende Höhe von 91,2 Metern montiert. Von Beginn an auf der Baustelle, wurde er platzsparend im Gebäudefundament verankert. Anschließend kletterte der Kran auf dem bewährten 2 Meter WOLFF Turmsystem TV 20.4 Stück für Stück mit dem wachsenden Hochhaus bis auf 146,4 Meter in die Höhe. Dank der effizienten WOLFF Bolzenverbindung und des ausgereiften WOLFF Außenkletterwerks, mit welchem das Kranoberteil in nur einem Schub um die Länge eines Turmelementes (4.5 m) nach oben geschoben wird, konnte der Zeitaufwand für das Klettern minimal gehalten werden. Der zweite WOLFF des gleichen Typs und mit 45 Meter Ausleger wurde drei Monate später auf einem Kreuzrahmen mit einer freistehenden Höhe von 65,4 Metern montiert und wuchs danach mit dem Gebäude bis auf 147,5 Meter mit.

Beide Laufkatzkrane waren mit einer leistungsfähigen 75 kW Hubwinde ausgestattet, sodass Träger, Schalungen und Materialien mit Hubgeschwindigkeiten von bis zu 230 m/min transportiert werden konnten. Mit Tragfähigkeiten von maximal 10,4 Tonnen bei 30 Metern Ausladung und 7,4 Tonnen bei 40 Metern Ausladung konnten die Krane auch schwere Fertigbauteile problemlos heben.

Vorteil WOLFFKRAN: Weniger Abspannungen, weniger Kosten
Zusätzlich zu ihrer Performance auf der Baustelle und den guten Montageeigenschaften mussten die beiden WÖLFFE nur zwei- bzw. dreimal am Gebäude abgespannt werden. „Das ist eine Bestleistung im Wettbewerbsvergleich“, sagt Frédéric van Hoorebeke, Geschäftsführer von WOLFFKRAN Belgien und zuständig für die Vermietung, den Verkauf und den Service von WOLFF Kranen. Quentin Guyaux ergänzt: „Andere Konzepte sahen mindestens eine zusätzliche Abspannung pro Kran vor. Ein klarer Pluspunkt der WÖLFFE.“

Ende April war die Arbeit der beiden Turmdrehkrane am UP-site beendet. Auch die Demontage gestaltete das WOLFFKRAN Team so wirtschaftlich wie möglich. Der kleinere WOLFF 6531.12 wurde mit dem größeren abgebaut, sodass hierfür kein Autokran nötig war. Der größere WOLFF Kran wurde zunächst um rund 40 Meter heruntergeklettert und anschließend mit einem 150 Tonnen Autokran vollständig demontiert. Frédéric van Hoorebeke: „Die Nachfrage nach unseren Kranen in Belgien ist groß. Kaum abgebaut, haben wir die beiden WÖLFFE bereits wieder auf andere Baustellen in Brüssel und Antwerpen vermietet.“

Dass ein WOLFF nie alt wird, sondern nur weise und erfahren, zeigt sich aktuell auf der Baustelle zwischen Mittlerem Ring und A9. Das verantwortliche Münchener Bauunternehmen PORR verfügt über ein eigenes, zwölfköpfiges WOLFF-Rudel. Zwei der ältesten Mitglieder, die Laufkatzkrane WK 122 SL, die WOLFFKRAN bereits in den 80er Jahren entwickelte, sind auf der Citybaustelle im Einsatz. Ihnen zur Seite steht ein bewährtes Modell aus der aktuellen Produktion, der spitzenlose WOLFF 6015.8 clear.

„Unsere beiden WÖLFFE WK 122 SL leisten bereits seit über 20 Jahren beste Dienste auf Baustellen in ganz Deutschland“, so Georg Gruber, Technischer Leiter bei PORR Equipment Services Deutschland GmbH. „Auch neuere Modelle, wie den WOLFF 6015.8, haben wir in unserem Baumaschinenpark. Beide arbeiten gleichermaßen reibungslos, den ‚Oldies‘ merkt man ihr Alter nicht an“, so Gruber. Ulrich Langenbein, stellvertretender Vertriebsleiter WOLFFKRAN Deutschland ergänzt: „WOLFFKRANs modulares System bietet dem Kunden langfristig Investitionssicherheit. Türme und Komponenten aller Krangenerationen sind miteinander kombinierbar. Somit ist garantiert, dass auch die früheren Modelle technisch nicht veralten und immer wieder auf den neusten Stand gebracht werden können.“

Für den Rohbau der twin yards, die mit einem hohen Anteil schwerer Fertigteilstützen und Hohlwandelementen erbaut werden, sind die drei WÖLFFE mit ihren jeweils acht Tonnen Tragfähigkeit und Ausladungen von 40 (WK 122) bzw. 45 Metern (6015.8) die optimalen Arbeitstiere. Insgesamt werden ca. 13.500 m³ Beton und 1.900 Tonnen Baustahl verarbeitet. Bis Ende des Jahres sollen Rohbau und Fassade fertiggestellt sein und die drei WÖLFFE auf die nächste Baustelle weiterziehen.

Der Wipper überzeugt auf der Citybaustelle vor allem durch seine Kompaktheit. „Die Baustelle ist von allen Seiten sehr beengt“, erläutert Ulrich Langenbein, stellvertretender Vertriebsleiter WOLFFKRAN Deutschland, die größte Herausforderung des Projekts. „Auf dem Nachbargrundstück wird ebenfalls gebaut, auch hier stehen Krane, denen wir nicht in die Quere kommen dürfen“, so Langenbein. Neben seiner Bauweise ohne Spitze und Seileinziehwerk liegt der große Vorteil des 166 B in seinem fast senkrecht aufstellbaren Ausleger. „Dadurch schwenkt der WOLFF platzsparend über das Baugrundstück und ragt nicht darüber hinaus, wodurch wir ohne Kollisionsgefahr arbeiten können. Auch in den Ruhezeiten besteht durch die sehr geringe Außer-Betrieb-Stellung des Auslegers keine Gefahr“, sagt Norbert Zährl, Bauleiter der Firma Riedel Bau. Das Schweinfurter Bauunternehmen hat selbst fünf WOLFF Krane in seinem Fuhrpark und ist seit Jahren überzeugter Kunde des Heilbronner Premiumherstellers.

Wenig Platzbedarf, volle Leistung
Trotz seiner Kompaktheit liefert der WOLFF auf der Münchner Baustelle mit einer maximalen Tragkraft von 12 Tonnen im 2-Strang-Betrieb und einer Spitzentragkraft von 3,4 Tonnen bei 45 Metern Ausladung sowie einer maximalen Hubgeschwindigkeit von 87 m/min eine beachtliche Leistung beim Transport von Beton und Bauteilen ab. Die Loadsensing-Steuerung im Wippwerk passt die Geschwindigkeit des Wippers der Lastmenge an. Dadurch kommt der 166 B mit einem vergleichsweise kleinen Motor von nur 22 kW aus, wobei er eine Wippzeit von 90 Sekunden erreicht.

Punkten kann der 166 B auf der Citybaustelle zudem hinsichtlich seiner Montage. Die Hubseilführung ist so angelegt, dass der komplette Ausleger sehr einfach am Boden vormontiert werden konnte. Im Vergleich zu Laufkatzkranen konnte der Wipper überdies mit einer niedrigeren Turmhöhe aufgebaut werden, was zusätzlich Zeit sparte. Anfang des Jahres montierte das Baustellenteam den WOLFF in nur einem Tag – ein Pluspunkt angesichts des straffen Zeitplans des Bauprojekts, das bereits Anfang 2015 fertiggestellt werden soll.

Die Bevölkerung in den Städten nimmt stetig zu und damit auch der Bedarf nach neuem Wohnraum. Auf den innerstädtischen Baustellen sind kompakte Krane gefragt, welche zugleich leistungsstark und effizient zu montieren sind. Die Heilbronner Ingenieure richteten ihre neuste Entwicklung nach diesem Trend aus und erweitern mit dem spitzenlosen WOLFF 5014 city ihre Produktpalette kleiner Laufkatzkrane.

Stark und schnell, das ist die Devise
Der Neuzugang zeichnet sich nicht nur durch seine beeindruckende Spitzentragfähigkeit von 1,4 t bei 50 m Ausladung aus, sondern insbesondere durch die maximale Traglast von 6 t. Der reine 2-Strang Kran vollbringt damit eine Bestleistung im Vergleich zum Wettbewerb.

Neben seiner Tragkraft überzeugt der WOLFF 5014 city vor allem durch seine weiterentwickelte, frequenzgeregelte 28 kW Hubwinde. „Damit erreicht der 5014 city eine beachtliche Umschlagleistung mit Teillastgeschwindigkeiten bis 108 m/min bei Lasten bis 1,1 t“, so Gerd Tiedkte, Produktmanager bei WOLFFKRAN. Die Ausführung als reiner 2-Strang Kran sorgt für zusätzliche Arbeitsgeschwindigkeit, da keine Umscherung vom 2-Strang in den 4-Strang Betrieb nötig ist. Durch ein innovatives Hubwindendesign mit größerer Speicherkapazität und überarbeiteter Geometrie der Trommel ist ein Hakenweg von bis zu 190 m möglich.

Stark und schnell, das ist die Devise
Wie bei allen Kranen hat WOLFFKRAN auch beim 5014 city besonderen Wert auf die Montagefreundlichkeit gelegt. Durch die Positionierung der Hubwinde auf dem Auslegerfussstück, kann der komplette Ausleger, inklusive der Einscherung aller Seile, einfach und sicher am Boden vormontiert werden. Die Vormontage kann sogar mit angebolztem Gegenausleger erfolgen, sofern es die Platzverhältnisse erlauben. Bei beengten Baustellen ist der Ausleger problemlos in der Luft zu montieren. Verfügbar sind Auslegerlängen zwischen 25 m und 50 m, die in 2,5 m Schritten erweitert werden können.

Ein Aspekt, den WOLFFKRAN Kunden weltweit schätzen, ist das modulare Turmsystem. Auch bei der neusten Entwicklung haben die WOLFFKRAN Ingenieure darauf großen Wert gelegt. Der WOLFF 5014 city kann bis zu einer Hakenhöhe von 43,5 m mit den bei den Kunden weit verbreiteten Turmelementen TFS 15 montiert werden, sodass kein neuer Turm erworben werden muss. Mittels Adapter- und Übergangselementen zu stärkeren Turmelementen können größere Turmhöhen erreicht werden.

Bei Ausstattung, Sicherheit und Komfort bleiben keine Wünsche offen
Der Gegenausleger ist mit einer durchgängigen Lauffläche ausgestattet, was den Zugang zu den Gegengewichten komfortabel und sicher macht. Montagehilfen für die Abspannstäbe sowie ein seitliches Podest im Bereich der Gegengewichte ermöglichen eine einfache und sichere Montage. In typischer WOLFF Manier haben die Gegengewichte alle eine einheitliche Größe von 1,8 t pro Stein, wodurch kein Spielraum für Verwechslung und fehlerhaften Aufbau besteht.

Ein neu gestaltetes Verbindungsturmstück gewährt einen noch besseren Zugang zur Schaltschrankplattform und nimmt bei Bedarf auch die Kabine mit auf. Durch die Nähe der elektrischen Einheit zur Kabine ist eine unkomplizierte Kommunikation zwischen Kranführer und Servicemonteur möglich.

Je nach Bedarf kann der WOLFF 5014 city mit oder ohne Kabine eingesetzt werden. Eine vollumfängliche Funkfernsteuerung mit digitaler Anzeige liefert nicht nur zuverlässig die Lastdaten des Krans, sondern sendet auch jederzeit Windgeschwindigkeiten, Hakenhöhe, Drehwinkel und Fehlermeldungen, wodurch die Bedienung sowohl vom Boden als auch von der Kabine aus gleichermaßen effizient ist. Sofern eine Kabine gewünscht ist, wird der 5014 city mit dem neuesten, 2012 eingeführten Modell geliefert.

Wie alle WOLFF Krane verfügt auch der „kleine“ Neuzugang über die modernste Kransteuerung mit höchsten Sicherheitsstandards. Die Steuerung passt die Leistung der Antriebe an die Erfordernisse einer jeden Baustelle an und unterstützt den Kranfahrer mit umfangreichen Selbsttests. Die neu integrierte Funktion WOLFF Boost ermöglicht zudem 10 Prozent mehr Traglast. „Die Ausstattung des kompakten City-Krans steht den WOLFF clear Kranen aus den oberen Kranklassen in nichts nach“, betont Produktmanager Gerd Tiedtke.

Die Arbeiten begannen bereits 2008 mit dem Ausbau der Zugangsstollen und der Erschließung der Baustellenplätze. Der WOLFF 1250 B kam erstmals im Frühjahr 2012 für die Abbrucharbeiten an der Mauerkrone zum Einsatz. Mit dem Beginn der Betonierarbeiten zur Erhöhung der Mauer im vergangenen Jahr kam der WOLFF 500 B dazu. Bis Herbst 2014 wird diese um 21,5 Meter auf insgesamt 65 Meter erhöht und das Speichervolumen des Stausees Vieux Emosson auf 25 Millionen Kubikmeter verdoppelt.

Hohe Traglasten für Abbruch erforderlich
Der Auftraggeber entschied sich zum einen wegen der hohen Traglasten für die WOLFF Wipper. Der 1250 B, einer der stärksten Turmdrehkrane der Welt, ist beim Vieux Emosson mit einem 80 m Ausleger und einer maximalen Traglast von 40 Tonnen im Einsatz. Die hohe Tragfähigkeit war erforderlich, um die schweren Abtragmaschinen und Hydraulikbagger auf die Mauer zu heben. Auch das Abbaumaterial konnte so in 40 Tonnen-Mulden von der Mauer gehoben werden, was enorm viel Zeit und Kosten einsparte. Der WOLFF 500 B mit 60 m Ausleger und einer maximalen Traglast von 30 Tonnen unterstützt den Big WOLFF bei den Betonierarbeiten für die Mauererhöhung. Insgesamt werden mit den roten Riesen 25.000 m³ Beton abgetragen und 70.000 m³ Beton für die Erhöhung der Mauer verbaut.

Überzeugendes Montagekonzept
Doch nicht nur die Tragkraft der beiden WÖLFFE ist für die schwer zugängliche Baustelle im Gebirge ideal. „WOLFFKRAN hebt sich durch sein ausgereiftes Montagekonzept von den Wettbewerbern ab“, sagt Christian Maillet, Bauleiter bei GMI. „Aufgrund der langen Ausleger konnten die Turmhöhen der Wippkrane mit 30 und 45 Metern deutlich niedriger gewählt werden, als das bei einem Laufkatzkran möglich gewesen wäre. Dadurch konnten die beide WÖLFFE komplett mit dem Autokran auf Endhöhe montiert werden und mussten nicht noch nachträglich geklettert werden.“ so Maillet. „Die Montage der Krane in dieser Höhe stellt eine große Herausforderung dar“, sagt Philippe Gremaud, Außendienstmitarbeiter bei WOLFFKRAN. „Starker Schneefall und Kälte erschwerten den Aufbau zusätzlich. Doch wir können auf unsere Erfahrungen mit komplexen Montagebedingungen zurückgreifen und schafften es, den 1250 B in sieben und den 500 B in nur drei Tagen aufzubauen.“

Ideal wenn es eng wird
Auch für die beengten Verhältnisse auf der Baustelle sind die Wipper die richtige Wahl, da sie darauf ausgelegt sind, möglichst platzsparend zu arbeiten. Die Staumauer ist an beiden Enden von hohen Felswänden eingerahmt. Mit den WOLFF Wippern müssen die Felswände nicht überschwenkt werden, sondern es kann ganz dicht an ihnen vorbeigeschwenkt werden. Zudem können sie sich mit ihren aufgestellten Auslegern auf der engen Hochgebirgsbaustelle jederzeit frei drehen.

Seit November 2013 sind die WÖLFFE sozusagen im Winterschlaf, da in diesen Höhenlagen aufgrund großer Schneemengen und Windgeschwindigkeiten nicht gearbeitet werden kann. Um jeder Gefahr vorzubeugen, wurden die Ausleger der beiden Krane demontiert und sicher gelagert. Erst im Frühjahr können die roten Riesen ihre Arbeit fortsetzen. Um die Staumauer fertigzustellen, werden sie auf höheren Türmen von 50 beziehungsweise 60 Metern stehen.

Neue Energie für die Schweiz
Das Pumpspeicherkraftwerk wird voraussichtlich ab 2018 den Betrieb aufnehmen und jährlich bis zu 2,5 Milliarden kWh Strom erzeugen. Mit einer Gesamtleistung von 900 Megawatt soll es den gestiegenen Energiebedarf des Schweizer Elektrizitätsnetzes sowie der Schweizerischen Bundesbahn SBB decken.

Die Silvrettaseilbahn AG achtete bei der Vergabe des Auftrags nicht nur auf die Hebekapazität der Krane, es wurden auch Störanfälligkeit und Montagefreundlichkeit bewertet. Als klarer Sieger entpuppte sich dabei der WK 5015. Mit den drei WÖLFFEN mit Hakenhöhen von 24, 78 und 100,5 Metern wurden zwei Liftstützen á 64 und 90 Meter für die neue Pendelbahn errichtet. Neben der Beauftragung der Krane wurde auch die Montage und das Logistikkonzept an WOLFFKRAN Austria vergeben.

Bewährtes WOLFF System überzeugt bei Helikoptermontage
Wie alle WÖLFFE ist der 5015 mit der patentierten Bolzenverbindung ausgestattet, die sich mittlerweile seit 50 Jahren auf jeder Baustelle bewährt. Die einzelnen Turmstücke lassen sich dadurch ohne spezielles Werkzeug montieren und demontieren, was den Auf- und Abbau deutlich erleichtert.

Obwohl alle WOLFF-Krane neben ihren guten Montageeigenschaften auch durch ihre ökonomische Transportfähigkeit überzeugen, erforderte dieses Projekt in luftiger Höhe besondere logistische Anstrengungen. Die Voraussetzung für eine professionelle Montage bildete der Transport der Kranteile per Sattel-LKW ins Fimbatal auf 1.950 m Seehöhe. Für den weiteren Transport kam ein Schwerlasthelikopter der Firma Heliswiss International AG zum Einsatz, der bis zu fünf Tonnen heben kann. Um diese Gewichtsgrenze nicht zu überschreiten, musste im Vorfeld sorgfältig geplant und Krankomponenten in ihre Einzelteile zerlegt werden.

Für einen sicheren Stand auch bei extremen Wetterbedingungen wurden die Krane mit Fundamentankern auf vor Ort gegossene 6,5 m x 6,5 m Betonfundamentplattformen gebolzt.

Erfolgreiche Premiere für das WOLFFKRAN Austria Montageteam
Insgesamt bewegte der Helikopter rund 200 Tonnen Kranteile durch die Luft. Trotz des enormen Aufwands baute das Team aus sechs WOLFFKRAN-Monteuren und der Crew von Heliswiss die Krane in einer Rekordzeit von insgesamt vier Tagen auf und war damit fast genauso schnell, wie bei einer routinemäßigen Kranmontage.

Eine sogenannte „Helimontage“ ist die Königsdisziplin für jeden Kranmonteur. Bei der Arbeit in schwindelerregender Höhe ist Zuverlässigkeit und echter Teamgeist gefragt. Für WOLFFKRAN Austria war der Einsatz in Ischgl die erste Montage dieser Art. „Trotz der Premiere, des knappen Zeitplans und der komplexen Bedingungen meisterte WOLFFKRAN Austria den Aufbau professionell und problemlos“, resümiert Ing. Markus Walser, Vorstand der Silvrettaseilbahn AG. Unterstützung erhielten die Österreicher durch die Kollegen aus der Schweizer Niederlassung, die bereits mehrere Helikoptermontagen absolviert haben, unter anderem beim Bau des Pumpspeicherkraftwerks Linth Limmern, der Skisprungschanze in Einsiedeln und einer Seilbahn in Locarno.

Die Feuertaufe in eisiger Höhe hat WOLFFKRAN Austria bravourös gemeistert. Die neue Pendelbahn „Piz Val Gronda E5“ soll bereits in der kommenden Skisaison Wintersportler befördern.

Zwei Neuzugänge haben Premiere
Neu im WOLFF-Rudel: der spitzenlose 7032clear, der in zwei leistungsstarken Ausführungen die Clear Line im 250 mt Bereich verstärkt und das einzigartige modulare Bauprinzip von WOLFFKRAN mit der gewohnten Premiumqualität vereint. „Mit dem 7032clear setzen wir im Bereich Montagefreundlichkeit und Sicherheit neue Maßstäbe und reagieren mit der spitzenlosen Bauweise auf die Anforderungen moderner, innerstädtischer Baustellen“, sagt Dr. Peter Schiefer, geschäftsführender Gesellschafter von WOLFFKRAN.

Premiere feiert auch die neu gestaltete Kabine WOLFF CAB, die seit Mitte 2012 serienmäßig geliefert wird. Mehr Komfort und innovative Technikfeatures garantieren bei jedem Einsatz ein verbessertes Arbeitserlebnis und ein Höchstmaß an Sicherheit.

Zwei WÖLFFE mit Bestleistungen treten an
Noch ganz frisch in der WOLFF-Produktpalette und das erste Mal auf der bauma mit dabei ist der 166B, der erste WOLFF mit hydraulischem Wippsystem. Als Bindeglied zwischen den erfolgreichen Wippern 100B und 224B hat sich WOLFFKRAN mit dem spitzenlosen Kran hinsichtlich Effizienz und Flexibilität einen neuen Leitwolf ins Rudel geholt. In puncto Tragfähigkeit bietet der 166B zudem eine Bestleistung im Branchenvergleich.

Bestleistungen liefert seit drei Jahren auch der 8033cross. Auf der bauma 2010 das erste Mal vorgestellt, erfreut sich der WOLFF mittlerweile auf dem arabischen und europäischen Markt stetig wachsender Nachfrage. Im 450 mt Segment angesiedelt, überzeugt er einerseits durch seine Tragfähigkeit, andererseits durch seine agile Arbeitsweise und seine Montagefreundlichkeit, welche vergleichbar ist mit einem Modell aus dem 300 mt Bereich.

Im Rampenlicht: die Vorfahren des Leitwolfs
2013 stehen jedoch nicht nur moderne Krane im Rampenlicht. Die Basis für das komplementierte WOLFF-Sortiment und die Qualitätsprodukte des Unternehmens schufen vor genau 100 Jahren Julius Wolff und sein Chefingenieur Gottlob Göbel in Heilbronn. Mit dem ersten schnell montierbaren Turmdrehkran der Welt sorgten die beiden für internationales Aufsehen auf dem Baumaschinenmarkt und legten den Grundstein für die einzigartige Erfolgsgeschichte der Firma.

„Auf der diesjährigen bauma feiern wir die Gegenwart, die Zukunft aber auch die Vergangenheit von WOLFFKRAN“, sagt Dr. Peter Schiefer. „Sowohl der visionären Leistung unserer Gründerväter als auch unserer heutigen Geschäftsphilosophie ist es zu verdanken, dass wir unsere Marktposition stetig ausbauen konnten und heute weltweit erstklassig aufgestellt sind.“