Built for Singapore’s Tight Sites: Hiap Heng Enters the Mobile Construction Crane Market

The group’s first Liebherr MK 88-4.1E can be driven, erected and operated by one person and runs on electric power for quieter, cleaner urban work

Singapore builds upward and inward, on sites where every square metre counts. For crane providers, that means conventional machines increasingly hit their limits. The Hiap Heng Group has responded by adding a new type of crane to its fleet.

On 2 August, the Singapore-based company took delivery of its first Liebherr mobile construction crane, an MK 88-4.1E. Founded in 1983, Hiap Heng works in construction, infrastructure, marine, industrial and energy, with a fleet of more than 100 large machines including mobile cranes, crawler cranes and aerial work platforms.

“Limited space in urban areas is presenting project managers with increasingly complex challenges,” said Joyce Foo, CEO of Hiap Heng Group. “The MK 88-4.1E is a targeted addition to our service portfolio.”

Vertical tower, small footprint

The MK 88-4.1E combines a vertical tower with a luffing jib, so it can work close to the structure and over obstacles while covering a wide working radius. Its asymmetric outrigger configuration and small footprint suit dense city centres.

Foo expects to use it on the construction and maintenance of office buildings, schools, hospitals and shopping centres, as well as on infrastructure projects and installation work, jobs that previously needed more complex lifting solutions.

One operator, several sites a day

Transport, erection and operation can all be handled by one person. The taxi crane needs no additional transport units and is ready to work almost immediately, so in some cases one crane can serve several sites in a day.

Electric operation was another deciding factor. The crane can run on an integrated generator or on site power, optionally at just 32 amps. “The electric crane operation is particularly valuable to us, as it drastically reduces noise and emissions. More sustainable construction methods are becoming increasingly important in Singapore,” Foo said.

Hiap Heng sees the purchase as the start of a long-term partnership with Liebherr, with after-sales service, technical expertise and operator training among the reasons for its choice.