READY TO TAKE ON BIGGER THINGS HÄRZSCHEL BETS ON TADANO AC 5.220-1 ALL TERRAIN CRANE
- Meagan Wood
- Jan 9, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 28, 2025
30-Second Takeaway
German crane rental company Härzschel has added a Tadano AC 5.220-1 all-terrain crane to its fleet, enabling the company to handle heavier lifts without the need for tandem crane operations. Featuring a 68-meter main boom and a cost-efficient two-engine design, the 220-tonne, five-axle crane strengthens Härzschel’s capabilities in energy, infrastructure, and large crane assembly projects. The AC 5.220-1 completed its first jobs shortly after delivery, confirming its role as a key fleet upgrade.
Manfred Härzschel, the founder of the Cloppenburg-based crane rental company of the same name, recently saw one of his childhood dreams come true:
“I’ve wanted a powerful 220-tonne machine with five axles for over 30 years now and now I’ve finally got one in the form of a Tadano AC 5.220-1,” he reports.
Tadano Sales Manager Thorsten Dietzel was the proverbial genie in this scenario, as he handed over the crane to Manfred Härzschel, Härzschel Managing Director Sylvia Fredeweß, and crane operators Andreas Füßmann and Maximilian Fredeweß in Lauf.
Needless to say, the company did not just order the crane with the optional load view camera to make a childhood dream come true, but instead looked at a series of concrete factors that made it a cost-effective choice: To date, Härzschel has been primarily using its ATF 130G-5 for larger-scale projects a top-of-the-line machine, Manfred Härzschel is quick to point out. However, the 130-tonne unit has sometimes been unable to lift heavy loads unless used in a tandem lift.
“These are the jobs that the powerful AC 5.220-1 can take care of all by itself without issue, and that means that we’ll now be able to offer our customers a particularly cost-effective solution with this crane. To put it simply, we’re ready to take on bigger things with the AC 5.220-1,” Manfred Härzschel explains before going on to highlight how excited he is about the model’s cost-effective two-engine design.
The AC 5.220-1 features a long reach thanks to a 68-meter-long main boom, which makes it ideal for erecting large cranes on rough terrain, with an example consisting of wind farm projects:
“There are some very big opportunities for our company there. In fact, the AC 5.220-1 means that we’re now perfectly prepared to take care of the needs of our regular customers in the energy industry in this segment,” Sylvia Fredeweß explains.
It is also worth mentioning that Härzschel is not about to remove its ATF130G-5 from service: Despite its being 15 years old at this point, the tried-and-true machine is slated to undergo a full overhaul so that it can continue to dependably do its job for many more years to come.
A successful debut
Just a few days after the handover, the AC 5.220-1 took care of its first job in Cloppenburg by unloading and positioning a 50-tonne substation. Immediately after that, it had to load a 58-tonne tube bender and set a concrete manhole in place.
“The AC 5.220-1 made quick work of all these projects, just like we’d expected based on the numerous positive reports from the market,” Manfred Härzschel says, more than happy with his dream crane.
About Härzschel
Härzschel is a Germany-based, family-owned crane rental and lifting services company headquartered in Cloppenburg, Lower Saxony. Founded in 1997, the company operates primarily across northern Germany, supporting construction, industrial, infrastructure, and energy-sector projects with mobile crane solutions.
The company runs a modern fleet of all-terrain cranes, with a focus on machines that offer strong single-crane lift capability, efficient transport configurations, and flexibility across a wide range of job types. Härzschel has maintained a long-standing working relationship with Tadano, reflected in multiple AC-series cranes currently in service, including the recent addition of the AC 5.220-1.
Beyond crane rental, Härzschel operates a high-bay warehouse facility with approximately 2,000 pallet spaces, providing integrated storage and logistics services alongside its lifting operations. The company continues to invest in fleet upgrades, operator training, and long-term equipment lifecycle management as part of its growth strategy.
Learn more about Härzschel’s crane fleet and lifting services:🔗 https://www.haerzschel.de
About Tadano
Tadano Ltd. is a Japan-based crane manufacturer focused exclusively on lifting equipment. The company designs and manufactures all-terrain, rough-terrain, truck-mounted, and crawler cranes, supplying markets worldwide through established regional sales and service networks.
In the all-terrain crane segment, Tadano’s AC-series is positioned for operators and fleet owners who require a balance of lifting performance, transport efficiency, and operational reliability. Five-axle models such as the AC 5.220-1 are designed to close the gap between mid-class and heavy-class cranes, allowing contractors to perform heavier lifts with a single crane while avoiding the logistical complexity of larger axle classes.
Tadano’s development focus includes efficient drivetrain concepts, advanced crane control systems, and designs that support long-term fleet utilization across infrastructure, energy, and industrial lifting applications.
Learn more about Tadano all-terrain cranes:🔗 https://www.tadano.com/products/all-terrain-cranes
