Stoddart Crane Hire Marks 20 Years with New Liebherr LTM 1150-5.3 for Scottish Island Work

Meagan Wood
Sep 30, 2024
3 min read

Updated: Jan 14

30 Second Takeaway

Scottish crane service provider Stoddart Crane Hire has marked its 20th anniversary with the addition of a new Liebherr LTM 1150-5.3 mobile crane. The 150-tonne five-axle crane has already been deployed across Scotland’s Highlands and islands, where road restrictions, ferry transport, and limited infrastructure place unique demands on mobile crane operations.

New LTM 1150-5.3 mobile crane joins anniversary fleet

To coincide with its 20th anniversary, Stoddart Crane Hire has taken delivery of a Liebherr LTM 1150-5.3, expanding its mobile crane fleet ahead of planned summer celebrations.

The family-run business is based in Muir of Ord, west of Inverness, and operates extensively across the Scottish Highlands and island communities, where crane mobilisation often involves landing craft and ferry transport.

Island crane operations drive fleet requirements

According to Ewan Stoddart, who runs the business alongside his sister Kerri and father David, island work represents a significant share of the company’s operations.

“Besides the Highlands, the islands off the Scottish coast are a major part of our operating area,” Stoddart said. “We’ve completed work on most of the inhabited islands, and we usually have one or more cranes operating there.”

Due to limited alternatives, cranes and heavy transport equipment are often shipped to island sites by landing craft, making weight, axle load, and configuration flexibility critical considerations.

At present, Liebherr LTM 1040-2.1 and LTM 1090-4.2 units are operating in the Shetland Islands, including work on Unst, Scotland’s northernmost inhabited island, where a new launch ramp is being constructed for the local spaceport.

The new LTM 1150-5.3 has already been deployed within the same island group.

Road legality and ballast flexibility key to crane selection

A key factor behind the purchase of the Liebherr LTM 1150-5.3 was its ability to travel on public roads with a 10-tonne axle load, a frequent requirement in rural and island environments.

“The narrow roads here in the Highlands and on the islands often cause challenges,” Stoddart explained. “But we can usually manage thanks to the flexible ballast configurations on Liebherr cranes. This flexibility is also a major advantage on ferries.”

The crane can carry up to 29 tonnes of ballast while driving, significantly reducing the need for additional ballast transport.

“Not having to move extra ballast blocks by truck means cost savings for us and our customers,” Stoddart added.

Fleet investment supports long-term operations

Founded 20 years ago by David Stoddart, the business now employs 34 people and operates:

Seven smaller crawler cranes
Fourteen mobile cranes, with a transition toward Liebherr-only models

In the past three years, six Liebherr LTM cranes have been added to the fleet. The company’s largest crane is currently a Liebherr LTM 1230-5.1.

The new LTM 1150-5.3 was officially presented to customers and guests during the company’s anniversary celebrations this summer.

"Twenty-nine tonnes of ballast while driving is impressive"

About Stoddart Crane Hire

Stoddart Crane Hire is a Scotland-based crane service provider specialising in mobile crane operations across the Highlands and island communities. Headquartered in Muir of Ord, the family-run business supports construction, infrastructure, and specialist projects in locations with challenging access and transport requirements.

Website: https://www.stoddartcranehire.co.uk

About Liebherr

Liebherr manufactures a comprehensive range of mobile cranes, crawler cranes, and lifting solutions for construction, infrastructure, and industrial applications worldwide. The LTM mobile crane range is designed for high road mobility, flexible ballast configurations, and performance in restricted-access environments.

Website: https://www.liebherr.com