First Liebherr MK 120-5.1E installs emergency roofs in Bern

–      New model of Liebherr mobile construction cranes impresses in narrow old town streets

–      Emergency roofs with a weight of 2.5 tonnes at a radius of 45 metres installed

–      Electric operation: low-noise and emission-free working in the pedestrian zone of Bern

The new Liebherr MK 120-5.1E mobile construction crane from Zaugg AG Rohrbach had its first job above the rooftops of Bern's old town.

Swiss company Zaugg AG Rohrbach put the first Liebherr MK 120-5.1E delivered by Liebherr into operation this summer. The brand new mobile construction crane made its debut in the narrow streets of Bern's old town. At a height of around 20 metres and with a reach of up to 45 metres, the crane positioned temporary roofs over two construction sites – entirely powered by electricity.

The mobile construction crane had to place large roof structures at distances of up to 45 metres.

Ehingen (Donau) (Germany), 24 October 2025 - The new Liebherr MK 120-5.1E mobile construction crane is ready to go! No sooner had it been delivered than Zaugg's new 5-axle crane was already in the centre of Bern – ready for a tailor-made job in the narrow streets of the old town. Large elements had to be installed over the roofs of the historic city centre to build emergency roofs. "We are using our MK 120-5.1E here for the first time today. The crane is ideal for this work and provides us with the required performance parameters," explained Stefan Stettler, head of the crane department at Zaugg AG Rohrbach. "We have to lift the parts, which weigh up to 2.5 tonnes, over the houses and place some of them at a maximum distance of 45 metres."

"Luxurious and superbly equipped." This was the comment from Adrian Sommer, who used his new machine for the first time in Bern. The infinitely height-adjustable cab really does offer the crane operator a great deal of comfort as standard: automatic air conditioning, a cool box, a USB charging socket and a modern touch display. And a small "balcony" at the rear of the cabin to catch a breath of fresh air to boot.

Quiet instead of engine noise

The Zaugg team travelled to Bern city centre early in the morning with the crane vehicle for the job. "The all-wheel steering allows us to manoeuvre easily in the narrow alleyways," says Stettler. In reverse gear, the crane worked its way along the historic Rathausgasse to its construction site, past the arcades typical of the old town. The crane, which is equipped with a 400 kW diesel engine, can also rely on site power or adequate mobile 63 Ampere power sources for its lifting work. A mobile Liduro Power Port LPO 100 was available on the construction site in Bern for this purpose. When the battery trailer manufactured by Liebherr is fully charged, the stored energy is sufficient for two days of crane work. Quiet instead of engine noise in Bern's old town. At least as far as the crane work was concerned. "The low-noise and emission-free crane work is naturally pleasant for residents, tourists and passers-by," explained Stettler. "Especially as we only extended the crane support on the side facing away from the construction site by 50 per cent, allowing pedestrians and cyclists to pass through at all times."

Only when the scaffolders were assembling the metal temporary roofs on the street and preparing them for the lift did it get loud for a moment. The roof structures, which were up to 20 metres long, were then lifted over the roofs and chimneys and placed above the construction sites. Some of the roofs even had to be lifted over the entire development to the next street. No problem for the MK 120-5.1E. It can still lift loads weighing 2.1 tonnes at the tip of its 52-metre boom. This application in Bern also posed no problem for the Liebherr Liduro battery storage system. After the work was completed in the late afternoon, well over half of the stored energy was still available in the mobile battery. The MK 120-5.1E can be operated with site power, but can also operate in power mode without an external power source. As an option, a permanently installed energy storage unit can be integrated into the vehicle for this purpose, which enables autonomous operation for up to two days in handling mode. This makes it the only crane of its kind that is fully electric and therefore environmentally friendly and cost-efficient.

Auxiliary crane for laying out the load distribution plates

By late afternoon, all four elements for the two emergency roofs had been precisely installed. The subsequent dismantling of the crane was just as quick as the erection in the morning. The optional small auxiliary crane, which is attached to the lower end of the telescopic tower and can be operated by the crane operator by remote control, was of great benefit during the set-up work. "The auxiliary crane for laying out the load distribution plates is of course absolutely brilliant. This means that the work is done in just a few minutes," says Christian Geissmann, who works at Zaugg as project manager for crane logistics and as a member of the management team. The four Liebherr mobile construction cranes from Zaugg - in addition to the new model, there is also an MK 140-5.1E and two MK 88-4.1Es in the fleet - have become indispensable for the company, which specialises in the construction of large, self-supporting halls, among other things. "We always have enough work for our mobile construction cranes," says Geissmann. "In addition to typical MK work such as here in Bern city centre, the machines are mainly used on our internal construction sites for wood or steel assembly."

Zaugg AG Rohrbach is based in Oberaargau. Founded in 1936, the company has grown steadily since then and now employs 150 people. It offers timber construction, steel construction, carpentry, tinsmithing, heavy haulage and crane logistics. Zaugg realises complex construction projects from planning to execution. With its subsidiary "Zaugg Timber Solutions", the company has also been active on the North American market since 2022.