Tadano CC 78.1250-1 erects world’s tallest series-produced turbine

The turbine stands at Winnberg, close to Max Bögl’s corporate headquarters in Sengenthal, and was installed in collaboration with turbine manufacturer Vestas. It sits on a hybrid tower developed by Max Bögl, bringing the installation to a total height of 285 metres. Once commissioned, it is expected to generate some 17 to 18 million kilowatt hours a year, enough, together with the group’s existing generation systems, to cover around two thirds of its energy needs at the Sengenthal site.

A configuration without rivals

For the record-breaking erection job, Steil configured the CC 78.1250-1 with a 203.5-metre main boom fitted with Tadano’s Boom Booster reinforcement structure, plus a 15-metre fixed jib. According to Tadano, this gives the crane the greatest hook height currently available on the market.

“We chose this crane because, at present, there is no other machine capable of erecting this type of turbine.”

— René Perlich, crane operator, Steil

Andreas Hofmann, Tadano’s managing director for research and development, says that position is no accident: “We listened very closely to our customers and observed market trends. We anticipated the types of turbines that would be coming, responded well in advance, and that is why we are now ahead of the curve.”

First of its kind

The Steil machine is the first CC 78.1250-1 in Europe, and the configuration used at Winnberg is the first of its kind anywhere in the world. Tadano supported the rig-up with an on-site service team.

“We have long maintained a close and trusting relationship with Tadano. That’s why we knew they were the right partner to have by our side for the assembly of this CC 78.1250-1 configuration, the first of its kind worldwide.”

— Martin Mittler, Head of Large Cranes division, Steil

The Boom Booster again proved straightforward to move and assemble. Michael Hopp of the Tadano service team notes that the reinforcement structure needs no special transport arrangements: the components fold for transit and are simply unfolded and bolted together on site.

Big crane, small footprint

Operator Perlich reports that the crane rigs quickly despite its large lattice sections, a point that mattered on the sloping ground at Winnberg, and that it handles much like the smaller CC 38.650-1. The crane’s compact design also kept ground demands modest: for all its reach, the CC 78.1250-1 stands on a footprint of just 12 by 13 metres.