Sims Crane & Equipment Co., the largest private crane rental and rigging service company in Florida, showcased the world’s first battery powered crawler crane Monday morning at its corporate headquarters in Tampa.
Sims Crane hosted the crawler crane’s U.S. debut event in conjunction with the crawler crane’s designer, multi-national equipment manufacturer Liebherr.
The event began with breakfast and was followed by the national anthem and a presentation of colors by a color guard from MacDill Air Force Base.
Sims Crane & Equipment and Liebherr then held a joint presentation, explaining the history of both companies and the features of the newly manufactured LR 1250.1 unplugged electric crane.
After the presentation, Sims completed a demonstration of the crawler crane’s capabilities.
“We are honored to partner with Liebherr and be on the forefront to serve a vastly growing need for alternative energy,” said Jackson Sims, vice president of Sims Crane & Equipment.
The crawler crane’s battery powered engine cuts local carbon emissions completely, and is capable of operating for eight hours unplugged, or for an unlimited amount of time when connected to a power source. Liebherr and Sims say there is no compromise in performance between the electric version of the crawler crane and its diesel-powered counterpart.
The crawler crane is also significantly quieter than its diesel counterpart, making it a fit for construction jobs in residential areas, at hospitals and in other locations where noise pollution may be a concern.
The battery powered crawler crane joins Sims’ rental fleet, which is the largest fleet in Florida, Sims said.
Sims Crane & Equipment Co. was founded in 1959 and offers a broad selection of equipment for heavy lifting and hauling applications for construction and industrial projects. Sims is headquartered in Tampa, Fla., and has 15 branches. The company is expanding into Georgia; its most recent branch is in Atlanta.
