Liebherr's new LRS 545 reach stacker

Liebherr recently launched its new LRS 545 reach stacker at TOC CSC Europe in Rotterdam.

The new design, designated Pulser, uses a "conventional" duplex boom, as opposed to the distinctive curved ("banana") boom of the LRS 645 introduced 10 years ago. The 6-high stacking LRS 645 continues to be available, including in the LH (log handling) version, but the curved boom is going.

In 10 years, Liebherr has sold around 150 LRS 645s, estimated to be just 1% of the global laden handling reach stacker market in that time, so it needed to come up with a less expensive design and, moreover, one with which drivers can easily familiarise themselves.

Pulser retains the Liebherr hydrostatic drive concept used in the LRS 645 and, while this may be a fuel saver and kinder on components, in a typically mixed fleet of container handling reach stackers, drivers are mainly familiar with torque converter drives.

For European customers, the LRS 545 runs on the latest Stage IV Liebherr D944 engine developing 230 kW at 1,700 rpm. For faster acceleration, it is available with Liebherr's Pactronic hybrid hydraulic drive.

The standard rating under the Elme spreader on the 6.5 m wheelbase machine is 45 T in the first row up to 4-high, with 40 T in the fifth tier. In the second row, the capacity under toplift is 31T up to 5-high if all five containers are 8.5ft (2.6 m) high, and up to 4-high if the containers are 9.5ft (2.9 m). Residual third row capacity is 14 T.

Standard options include an electrically driven forward slide for the cab to improve the driver's view when handling trailers or swap bodies under an Elme combi-attachment and front support jacks. With jacks deployed, second row capacity is increased to 35 T without increasing the tyres from 18.00-25 to 18.00-33 size.

Magna MB01 ContainerMaster tyres were fitted on the machine shown at TOC CSC.

That machine is being supplied to Ravenna Port Authority in Italy under a lease/purchase deal.