Ideal Crane Rental expands fleet with Liebherr

Ideal Crane Rental of Madison, Wisconsin, is expanding its fleet with three mobile cranes from Newport News, Virginia-based Liebherr: an LTM 1450-8.1, an LTM 1160-5.2 and an LTM 1100-5.2.

When the company takes delivery of the cranes this summer, each will fill a specific need for Ideal, according to Ideal Crane Rental President Bob Kalhagen.

“The LTM 1450-8.1 will be our largest crane,” Kalhagen says. “We really liked what we saw with the Liebherr variable counterweights, variable outrigger base and other options.”

Kalhagen founded the company in 1973 with a 15-ton crane. Today, Ideal provides a full range of lifting services and offers an extensive inventory of equipment for rental and sales, including cranes, forklifts, aerial lifts, carrydeck cranes and attachments, as well as parts, technician services and trucking. The company has about 100 cranes, including nearly 20 made by Liebherr.

The LTM 1450-8.1 is a 550 U.S. ton-class 8-axle crane with a 279-foot telescopic boom. The crane can travel on public roads and quickly be setup for use once it reaches a jobsite.

Ideal’s incoming LTM 1160-5.2 is a replacement for an older crane of the same type. “It has been a great, dependable crane, but we liked a lot of new features on the new 1160-5.2,” Kalhagen says. “Those features include the two-position counterweight, a rigging jib and not needing cheek weights. There were so many things we liked about the new crane we decided to upgrade.”

The LTM 1160-5.2 has a 203-foot telescopic boom. With the VarioBallast system, the crane can deliver high-load capacities with a large ballast radius, and the crane can be used on constricted sites with a small ballast radius.

The incoming LTM 1100-5.2 is a replacement for an existing crane made by a different manufacturer. The LTM 1100-5.2 is one of the most compact cranes in the class. It features active, speed-dependent rear axle steering and the ability to carry up to 25,300 pounds of counterweight, along with the swing-away jib.

Like Liebherr, Ideal a family-owned and operated company. Bob’s brother, Ron Kalhagen, as well as Bob’s children, Kurt Kalhagen and Kristin Chose, are involved in daily operations along with the owners, as are several other family members. The company employs about 100 people and has additional offices across Wisconsin, including Milwaukee, Oshkosh and LaCrosse.