Liebherr's new 13HM crane has many innovative details and is designed for maximum mobility. With hook heights up to 20.7m, a maximum working radius of 20m and a maximum load capacity of 1,200kg, the 13HM is a highly functional unit with very compact overall dimensions. This makes it ideal for the load lifting needs of users in the wood construction, carpentry, joinery and building trades and for roofing and wall erecting, and for construction in prefabricated wood and structural elements.

"To keep erecting and dismantling time short, the 13HM's air-sprung tandem trailer axles, which are equipped with an anti-lock braking system (ABS), are an integrated element of the crane," Liebherr said in a release.

"Either a drawbar or a fifth wheel can be used to tow the crane which can travel at speeds up to 80km/h and be towed by a truck of up to 7.5 t, in other words one driven by any holder of a passenger car (German Class 3) driver's licence. Other mobility bonuses are the crane's ability to travel with the full ballast on board and the jib folding device for very low headroom on the road."

The 13HM's pneumatic lift and lower system is also designed to simplify handling. It enables the crane to be raised or lowered by up to 190 millimetres, and thus placed on its support spindles without difficulty. The variable-height supports and spindle micro-adjustment also make handling extremely straightforward. Once supported, the 13HM is raised by the well-proven kinematics used on all Liebherr H cranes. Just one person can carry out the complete erecting procedure.

Other decisive advantages of the 13HM in practice are the 160-degree raised jib position for obstruction avoidance and the 20-degree jib-working angle.

For movements of the cast ballast slabs, the crane is equipped with an innovative ballast displacement system. Other design details aimed at enhancing operating economy still further are the frequency-controlled slewing gear, the standard current connector and the generous ground clearance. The tight-welded, folding tower helps to guarantee an exceptionally long operating life.