Critical Infrastructure Upgrade – Cooling Tower Replacement at Abington Hospital

When critical infrastructure is on the line, there’s no room for guesswork. At Thackray Crane, we understand that successful projects demand more than just lifting power — they require careful planning, coordinated logistics, and a team that knows how to operate seamlessly in high-stakes environments.

We recently supported Abington Hospital – Jefferson Health with a major cooling tower replacement at the Toll Pavilion. The project involved removing an aging unit and setting a new cooling tower system on the hospital rooftop. While the lift itself was substantial, the real story is how Thackray delivered a complete, end-to-end solution that kept the project on schedule and minimized disruption to daily hospital operations.

Choosing the Right Crane: Liebherr LTM 1400-7.1

Operating within an active hospital campus requires precision and absolute attention to safety. To reach the Toll Pavilion rooftop while maintaining proper clearances and stability, Thackray deployed our 500-ton Liebherr LTM 1400-7.1.

This all-terrain mobile crane is one of the most powerful and versatile assets in our fleet. With its exceptional lifting capacity and reach, the LTM 1400-7.1 was the ideal choice to safely hoist the cooling tower components over the parapet and set them accurately onto their structural supports.

More Than a Lift: Warehousing and Heavy Transport

Long before the crane arrived on site, Thackray was already supporting the project behind the scenes. To streamline the process for the mechanical contractor and hospital staff, we managed the equipment logistics from start to finish.

Services provided included:

• Warehousing & Storage: The new cooling tower components were received and stored at Thackray’s secure facility, ensuring they were protected and readily available when the site was fully prepared for installation.
• Heavy Transport & Hauling: When installation day arrived, Thackray’s trucking division handled the oversized loads, hauling the equipment directly from our warehouse to Abington Hospital with precision timing.

Coordinated Execution from Start to Finish

Lift day was executed as a two-phase operation. Our crew first rigged and removed the existing cooling tower components. Once the rooftop was cleared, the LTM 1400-7.1 went to work, hoisting the new units directly from the transport trucks and setting them into place.

By providing warehousing, trucking, and crane services under one roof, Thackray Crane ensured tighter scheduling, fewer handoffs, and a smoother overall operation — all while keeping hospital activity running safely and efficiently.

If you’re planning a complex HVAC upgrade or infrastructure project, Thackray Crane has the experience and in-house capabilities to get it done right. Contact our team to learn how our crane rental, transport, and warehousing solutions can support your next project.