Weiland relocates a masterpiece

Weiland’s 300 tonne Tadano AC 6.300-1 making a long radius lift as a 250 tonner. Photo: Tadano

To make way for building works an historic sculpture in Germany had to be lifted and moved to a place of safety.

Weiland Kran & Transport won the long-reach job to relocate the Große Vegetative Skulptur, by leading post-war German sculptor Bernhard Heiliger. It was on display in an inner courtyard at the University of Heidelberg. Impending renovation of surrounding buildings necessitated a move for the valuable 1955 copy of a masterwork.

The 5 tonne work was to be moved to the sculpture park at the Heidelberg University Orthopedic Clinic. Lifting and transport specialist Weiland chose a Tadano AC 6.300-1 and and an AC 5.160-1 as the best tools for the job.

The six axle 300 tonner was new and on its first outing for Weiland on this project. “This job was our brand new AC 6.300-1’s debut,” said Alonso Domenico, Weiland crane operator. He had the job of lifting the sculpture out of the inner courtyard.

Flexibility and reach

It travelled to site with its 80 metre boom and hook block, within the 12 tonne axle load limit, thereby minimising permit requirements. Having flexibility on counterweight configurations allowed it to work as a 250 tonner on this job.

“The AC 6.300-1 is an extremely versatile machine that’s incredibly well-suited to this type of lift: with its 80 metre main boom and solid load chart, it’s simply the perfect crane for efficient work at height and work requiring a long reach,” Domenico said.

The sculpture’s location required the lift to be made at a radius of more than 40 metres, lifting it more than 8 metres to clear the buildings. It was also a blind lift where the operator relied on signallers.

“This assignment revealed that the AC 6.300-1 is an absolute jewel in terms of its controls and operation. It worked incredibly well – just like we’d expected,” Domenico commented effusively.

With the sculpture clear of the surrounding buildings Domenico lowered it to the ground, ready for a waiting truck to transport it. After tilting it from vertical to horizontal it was lifted onto the truck’s load bed.

Second lift

When the sculpture arrived at the clinic in Schlierbach the 160 tonne capacity AC 5.160-1 installation crane on its five axle carrier was waiting. It was customised for Weiland by Tadano with changes allowing it to run within 12 tonnes an axle as a taxi crane with 8.5 tonnes of counterweight on board.

Operator Thomas Eisenberg said, “The system was perfect for this job, since the AC 5.160-1 was more than powerful enough to take care of the load and the required radius with its partial counterweight configuration.”

Eisenberg lifted the sculpture off the truck and swung it into position at a radius of 28 metres.