New Leo 40 GTX follows building curves

The 400 kg basket payload capacity of Teupen's new 36.5 m working height Leo GTX 40 crawler machine meets a growing need to build complex structural steel structures, said the company. The model's 11 t weight and compact dimensions allow users to shift it to successive floors of rising structures to erect the next, and often differently configured layers of steel.

Incentive to design the model, which falls between the Leo 50 and Leo 34, came from customer requests for a 400 kg payload on the Leo 50 GT, which was released at Bauma in 2007. The Gronau, Germany-based company responded with a control system change that locks together certain telescoping elements of the boom while lifting 400 kg, to create the Leo 50 GTX model. Another change is the use of bigger, stronger telescoping chains.

The Leo 40 GTX eliminates all such restrictions and provides full telescoping capability throughout its work envelope, even when the boom extends below horizontal. Another change is the use of bigger, stronger telescoping chains. However, surface loading remains less than 500kg/m2.

Alfons Thihatmer, managing partner of the Gronau, Germany-based company, told AI that 15-20% of the Leo line is used to erect steel, a shift from the nearly exclusive cleaning and other building maintenance uses of the machine. "They are no longer special machines," he said.

The Leo 40 GTX's maximum working height with a 200 kg payload is 39.5 m and its maximum outreach is 13 m. It will be available in April/May of 2009, and list price is €280000.