The UK’s largest wheeled mobile crane rental company is spending £30 million (US$ 42.5 million) on 37 new Liebherr cranes in 2021.
The first unit, a 650 tonne capacity LTM 1650-8.1 telescopic wheeled mobile crane, has already been delivered. The remaining models in the order will be a mix of LTM 1040-2.1, LTM 1060-3.1, LTM 1090-4.2, LTM 1110-5.1 and LTM 1230-5.1 (40 to 230 tonnes lifting capacity) wheeled mobiles.
The investment programme is a combination of replacement and growth but mainly growth, Ainscough said. There are more than 400 cranes in the fleet, based at 30 depots around the country and staffed by 900 people. Equipment fleet utilisation is currently running at 70%-plus, the company said.
New additions also help keep the fleet young, with the latest Stage V engines, better lifting performance and more sophisticated control systems. To this end, Richard Everist, Liebherr Great Britain managing director, said, “many of the company’s recent product innovations, particularly in relation to enhanced safety, have been developed in conjunction with Ainscough, and we are delighted that this collaboration has helped to deliver safe lifting solutions along with productivity and performance gains.”
For Ainscough Peter Gibbs, chief executive officer, said, “The arrival of the LTM 1650-8.1 at the start of May was a key moment for Ainscough Crane Hire, and our investment programme demonstrates our focus on updating our fleet in order to continually improve the service we offer our customers. These latest additions and the models that will arrive over the coming months will provide a variety of lifting solutions. The new cranes also come with enhanced telematic capabilities which we are linking to a new digital platform to provide real time data for our customers.”
