Liebherr mobile crane sets up inflatable mountains on Paris’ Pont-Neuf bridge
The versatile 45-metre-long trolley jib on the MK 88-4.1 quickly reached all areas of the bridge
By
Stephanie Bontorin
October 08, 2026
Versus the background of Paris, a Liebherr MK 88-4.1 mobile building and construction crane from the Ponticelli group of business fixed a historical bridge and re-installed a harmed piece of art work. On the Pont-Neuf bridge, the crane had the ability to fix a broken art setup called’La Caverne du Pont-Neuf,’developed by French artist JR. Due to its compact style, fast implementation, and reach, the mobile building crane quickly finished the job in the restricted conditions of main Paris.
The short-term art work was developed as a homage to the famous wrapping of the Pont-Neuf by artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude, very first set up in 1985. The inflatable structure is around 120 metres long. In early June, violent gusts of wind and hail harmed parts of the external shell. Simply a couple of hours later on, French lifting and commercial services business Ponticelli established an innovative lifting option. “We were on site just a few hours after the damage occurred to work out the best technical solution together with the client,” states Louis-Arthur de Quatrebarbes, head of the handling and lifting company at Ponticelli. “As well as repairing the tarpaulin, we had to carry out a lifting operation safely in almost constant wind and under considerable time pressure.”
The group utilized a Liebherr MK 88-4.1 mobile building and construction task throughout 4 graveyard shift to finish the repair work.
Liebherr
A Liebherr mobile crane was generated to carry out the fragile lifting task
Being the earliest bridge in Paris, the Pont-Neuf has actually restricted area for work and invites a great deal of day-to-day visitors. Load-distribution plates minimized ground pressure, while security and traffic management procedures made sure the operation might be performed securely.
Initially, the group intended on utilizing a bigger Liebherr mobile crane. Since of the tight conditions, the Liebherr MK 88-4.1 was moved in for the repair work. Its 45-metre-long trolley jib reached all the harmed locations of the structure, while the four-axle style allowed simple moving from one side of the bridge to the other, where there was likewise storm damage. The brief set-up time and compact outrigger system more assisted in the operation.
The crane taxi included a fringe benefit of having the ability to move at working height. It supplied the crane operator with a clear view of the around 18-metre-high structure and the rope gain access to professionals. The boom-mounted spotlights made sure ideal lighting of the workspace throughout night-time operations.
The Liebherr mobile crane showed its effectiveness by finishing a fragile task in an incredibly restricted area in a historical city.
Liebherr
Integrating hardware with art
The repair was performed over 4 graveyard shift. Harmed material areas weighing in between 200 and 400 kgs were raised and reattached in partnership with rope gain access to service technicians. As the building and construction website lay in a wind passage along the River Seine, climate condition were continually kept track of. Interaction in between the crane operator and the rope gain access to specialists happened constantly through radio.
Before work started, the group carried out website assessments, load estimations, and crash analyses of the surrounding structures. A 360-degree test consequently validated the prepared crane positioning.
For Ponticelli, the job was even more than a traditional lifting operation. “We are proud to have been part of this work of art. To quote JR: ‘The installation of the artwork is part of the artwork’ — and so is the crane,” discusses Louis-Arthur de Quatrebarbes. “The visually striking deployment of the MK crane created a magical moment.”
With its effective implementation on the Pont-Neuf, the Liebherr MK 88-4.1 mobile building crane showed its strengths in requiring urban jobs. Where heritage preservation, restricted areas, and a high level of accuracy come together, the mobile building and construction crane uses the best mix of reach, density, and versatility.
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