Riedelsheimer replaces LTM 1055-3.2 with new Liebherr LTM 1055-3.3 – LICCON3 and VarioBase Plus for precast concrete work

Marcus Riedelsheimer Autokran Dienste has taken delivery of a Liebherr LTM 1055-3.3, replacing an older LTM 1055-3.2 in the company fleet. The 55-tonne 3-axle mobile crane represents Liebherr's latest design generation and brings the LICCON3 crane control system, VarioBase Plus variable outrigger technology, and critically – axle-load configurations below 9 tonnes that enable nationwide permit flexibility. For Riedelsheimer, the upgrade is about future-proofing his precast concrete operations against tightening road-load regulations.

"We needed a crane precisely in this class," explains Marcus Riedelsheimer, company owner. "The LTM 1055-3.3 is a compact and manoeuvrable machine. It offers the modern LICCON3 crane control and the VarioBase Plus variable outrigger base with wider rear outriggers, which provides significantly higher lifting capacities in these working ranges. Numerous axle-load variants give us the opportunity to obtain nationwide permits more easily. So we are well positioned if regulations in our region become stricter as well."

Why axle-load flexibility matters for fleet operators

The LTM 1055-3.3 is marketed as the lightest 3-axle all-terrain crane on the market. Through lightweight construction, driving states with under 9 tonnes axle load and – depending on configuration – less than 26 tonnes total weight are achievable. These figures are not marketing fluff: for crane contractors operating across multiple jurisdictions, the ability to configure a machine below permit thresholds can mean the difference between a crane that works every day and one that sits idle waiting for special approvals.

At the same time, the crane delivers high lifting capacities with its long telescopic boom, particularly at medium and large radii. That combination – low transport weight, flexible axle-load states, and meaningful working capacity – is what makes the 3-axle segment attractive for mixed-duty contractors like Riedelsheimer, who handle everything from precast panel erection to taxi crane work.

LICCON3 control and VarioBase Plus in daily operation

Liebherr's LICCON3 crane control system is the latest iteration of the company's digital crane-management platform, offering load-moment calculation, diagnostics, and fleet-data interfaces. For Riedelsheimer, whose entire fleet consists of Liebherr machines, the uniform operating logic across different crane models is a key operational advantage: "Because the operation and control are very uniform, our drivers can be deployed flexibly on different machines," he notes.

VarioBase Plus extends Liebherr's variable-outrigger technology with asymmetric outrigger configurations that allow wider spreads at the rear. In precast concrete work – where panel weights are predictable but site conditions vary – the ability to trade outrigger geometry for lifting capacity without changing machine class is a measurable productivity gain.

From tool rental to turnkey construction: Riedelsheimer's fleet strategy

Marcus Riedelsheimer started modestly in 1995 with a small construction equipment rental business. Today he leads a corporate group with approximately 65 employees. The company's focus areas span a broad range of construction activities up to turnkey building, a precast concrete plant, and the crane service division.

The new LTM 1055-3.3 rounds out the mobile crane fleet at the lower end and is primarily intended for the assembly of lighter precast concrete elements. It will also be deployed for prefabricated house assembly and as a taxi crane for day-to-day business. The machine slots into a fleet architecture that has been deliberately standardized on Liebherr equipment – a strategy driven as much by service logistics as by technical preference.

Proximity to Liebherr's Ehingen plant as fleet-management asset

"Proximity to the Ehingen Liebherr plant naturally also plays a decisive role," Riedelsheimer explains. "Faults or failures can be remedied at short notice by the nearby customer service." For a contractor operating in southern Germany, that service radius translates into minimized downtime – a consideration that often outweighs marginal differences in crane specifications when fleet managers compare OEMs.

Liebherr's Ehingen facility is the company's primary mobile crane manufacturing hub, producing machines from compact 3-axle cranes like the LTM 1055-3.3 up to heavy-lift units exceeding 1,000 tonnes capacity. The site recently opened its gates to local kindergarten children as part of a technical education outreach initiative, underscoring the plant's role as a regional employer and innovation centre in Baden-Württemberg. (For background on Liebherr's Ehingen site strategy, see our report: Liebherr opens Ehingen plant to kindergarten children – early tech-talent cultivation.)

What the LTM 1055-3.3 signals about the 3-axle crane segment

The replacement of the LTM 1055-3.2 with the LTM 1055-3.3 reflects broader trends in the European mobile crane market: permit regulations are tightening, urban access restrictions are multiplying, and contractors are seeking machines that can legally operate in more jurisdictions without special permits. Liebherr's response – a lighter machine with better load charts and smarter outrigger logic – is evolutionary rather than revolutionary, but it addresses real pain points for fleet operators.

For competitors in the 3-axle segment – including SANY, Tadano, and Grove – the challenge is clear: fleet buyers increasingly value regulatory flexibility as much as raw lifting capacity. The crane that can work tomorrow without waiting for a permit application is worth more than the crane with 5% better load charts but a week's delay at the gate.

Outlook: what's next for Riedelsheimer's fleet?

With the LTM 1055-3.3 now rounding out the lower end of the mobile crane fleet, Riedelsheimer's next procurement decisions will likely focus on the upper capacity ranges – particularly as precast concrete panel sizes and weights continue to increase in German residential and commercial construction. Whether that means another Liebherr unit or a first non-Liebherr machine to benchmark service and performance remains to be seen. For now, standardization wins.

For crane contractors watching this space: the axle-load game is only going to get tighter. If your fleet still relies on legacy machines configured for pre-2020 permit regimes, the Riedelsheimer move – proactive replacement before regulations force your hand – is worth studying. The alternative is reactive scrambling when the next permit tightening hits your region.

Sources