What Wasel does

WASEL GmbH is a German heavy-lift and crane rental company headquartered in Bergheim near Cologne, founded in 1950 and operating as a subsidiary of the Hagedorn Gruppe. The company runs three integrated service lines — mobile cranes (30 to 1,000 tonne capacity including telescopic, lattice-boom and crawler cranes), Liebherr tower crane rental and sales, and XXL heavy-transport logistics — supported by an owned fleet of more than 150 mobile cranes, more than 300 tower cranes, 60 tractor units, and over 100 trailers. WASEL is an exclusive Liebherr factory dealer for over 70 years and operates 11 branch locations across North Rhine-Westphalia and Berlin, offering 24-hour on-call deployment, assembly/disassembly services, technical inspections, and a wholly-owned traffic-escort subsidiary (VIVA Verkehrsmanagement).

Customer end-markets span construction (high-rise residential, modular housing, infrastructure), the energy sector (wind turbine installation and dismantling, power-plant construction and decommissioning — including RWE and Shell contracts), industrial projects, and heritage restoration work (including Cologne Cathedral). Differentiation rests on capital intensity in mega-lift equipment (notably three Liebherr LR 11000 1,000-tonne crawler cranes, the LTM 1750-9.1 800-tonne mobile crane, and the 1188 EC-H 40 Fibre — Europe's most powerful EC-H-series tower crane), regional branch density, integrated transport logistics, and engineering of custom lifting solutions such as electrically adjustable counterweight spreader beams. Pricing is project-based and quote-only, with multi-year contract structures. As of January 2025, Christopher Neuhaus, Julian Schmidt, and Thomas Schmidt hold the sole managing-director roles following an internal succession from the founding family.

Name

Wasel

Legal name

WASEL GmbH

Website

https://wasel-krane.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

WASEL GmbH is a German heavy-lift crane rental and transport logistics company operating 11 branches across North Rhine-Westphalia and Berlin, serving construction, energy, infrastructure, and industrial customers with mobile and tower cranes from 30 to 1,000 tonnes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Heavy Equipment Rental and Crane Services

NAICS

Construction, Mining, and Forestry Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing (532412), Specialized Freight (except Used Goods) Trucking, Long-Distance (484230), Specialized Freight Trucking (4842)

SIC

Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530), Construction Machinery & Equip (3531), Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)

akta.pro primary industry

Cranes & Heavy Lifting Equipment Rental/Leasing (TLABAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialized Trailer & Heavy Transport Equipment Providers (SPMT, Lowboy, Multi-Axle) (TLADAGAM), Cranes, Hoists & Rigging Equipment MRO (Mobile/Tower Cranes, Winches) (TLAKAHAE), Aerospace & Aviation Heavy-Lift (Aircraft/Engines/GSE) (TLACAIAF)

Keywords

• Crane rental services
• Heavy transport logistics
• Tower crane sales
• Mobile crane services
• Heavy lift logistics

Headquarters

HQ city

Bergheim

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Mobile Crane Rental: Rental of mobile cranes ranging from 30 to 1000 tonnes capacity including telescopic cranes, lattice boom cranes, and crawler cranes for construction, infrastructure, and industrial projects.
2. Tower Crane Rental and Sales: Rental and sales of Liebherr tower cranes including fast-erecting cranes and large EC-H series. Also offers used crane sales with maintenance and safety checks.
3. Heavy Load Transport: XXL transport logistics including specialized trailers, SPMT (self-propelled modular transporters), and comprehensive route planning for oversized loads.
4. Professional Services: Assembly, disassembly, maintenance, technical inspections, and on-site service for crane equipment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

WASEL GmbH is a crane rental and heavy transport logistics company headquartered in Bergheim, Germany. The company rents and sells mobile cranes (capacities from 30 to 1000 tonnes including telescopic, lattice boom, and crawler cranes), rents and sells Liebherr tower cranes (over 300 units), and provides XXL heavy load transport logistics using 60 tractors and over 100 specialized trailers. WASEL operates 11 locations across North Rhine-Westphalia and Berlin, holding an exclusive Liebherr factory dealer relationship for over 70 years and operating as a subsidiary of the Hagedorn Gruppe.

Product overview

WASEL is a crane rental and heavy transport logistics company offering three core service lines: mobile cranes (Mobilkrane) with capacities from 30 to 1000 tonnes including telescopic, lattice boom, and mobile construction cranes; tower cranes (Turmdrehkrane) for rental and sale with Liebherr as factory dealer; and heavy transport (Schwertransporte) for XXL logistics. The fleet includes over 150 mobile cranes, more than 300 tower cranes, and 60 tractor units with over 100 trailers. Key products include Liebherr LR 11000 crawler cranes (three units, 1000t capacity), the Liebherr 1188 EC-H 40 Fibre tower crane (Europe's most powerful EC-H series), Liebherr 81 K.1 fast-erecting cranes, and the 800-tonne LTM 1750-9.1 mobile crane. The company also operates VIVA Verkehrsmanagement subsidiary for traffic escort services and sells inspected used cranes from its rental fleet.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mobile Crane Rental (Mobilkrane) Rental of mobile cranes with load capacities ranging from 30 to 1000 tonnes, including telescopic cranes, lattice boom cranes, crawler cranes, and mobile construction cranes for construction, infrastructure, and industrial projects. Fleet includes Liebherr and Tadano models.
• Tower Crane Rental and Sales (Turmdrehkrane) Rental and sales of Liebherr tower cranes including fast-erecting cranes and large EC-H series, offered by WASEL as a Liebherr factory dealer with over 70 years of experience. Also includes used tower crane sales from the rental fleet with maintenance and safety checks.
• Heavy Load Transport (Schwertransporte) XXL transport logistics for heavy load projects, providing complete solutions for safe and successful transport of oversized cargo including specialized trailers, SPMT (self-propelled modular transporters), and comprehensive route planning. Fleet includes 60 tractors with over 100 trailers from Faymonville, Nooteboom, and VARIOMAX low-loaders.
• Used Crane Sales (Gebrauchtkrane) Sale of used tower cranes from WASEL's rental fleet, professionally maintained and safety-checked before delivery to ensure highest operational safety.
• Professional Crane Services Assembly, disassembly, maintenance, technical inspections, and on-site service for crane equipment. Includes DGUV crane inspection services and crane expertise.
• VIVA Verkehrsmanagement (Traffic Escort Services) Subsidiary service providing comprehensive escort services for heavy load transports, including BF2, BF3, and BF4 escort vehicles, traffic management, route planning coordination with authorities, and secure convoy operations for oversized transports including cross-border operations (Germany-Netherlands).

Quantifiable outcome

• Completed 1000-tonne crawler crane tandem lifts for pipe bridge installation in Bottrop within 10-day motorway closure
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• LiebherrcoreTechnology or IntegrationExclusive authorized dealer relationship spanning over 70 years. WASEL offers the complete range of Liebherr mobile cranes, tower cranes, and crawler cranes for rental and sale. Special partnership includes access to latest models including Europe's most powerful Liebherr tower crane (1188 EC-H 40 Fibre) and exclusive product demonstrations at customer events.
• Hagedorn GruppecoreOthersParent company of WASEL GmbH. Hagedorn Gruppe is a diversified industrial group with operations in demolition, remediation, construction, and crane services. WASEL operates as part of the group's crane and logistics division.
• VIVA VerkehrsmanagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWASEL subsidiary specializing in comprehensive escort services for heavy load transports. Provides BF2, BF3, and BF4 escort vehicles, traffic management, route planning coordination with authorities, and secure convoy operations for oversized transports including cross-border operations (Germany-Netherlands).
• FaymonvillemajorTechnology or IntegrationEquipment supplier for specialized trailers including VARIOMAX low-loaders, semi-low loaders, and flatbed trailers. Recent acquisitions include 6-axle VARIOMAX trailer (64-tonne payload), 2+4 low loaders, and flatbed trailers for construction machinery transport.
• MAN Truck & BusmajorTechnology or IntegrationMajor truck fleet supplier providing TGX series tractors including new 580 PS models with 6x4 drive concept, safety systems (OptiView mirrors, steering assist), and engine-independent air conditioning. Fleet includes 4-axle and 8-axle configurations for various transport requirements.
• NooteboommajorTechnology or IntegrationSupplier of semi-low loaders including new 8-axle models with up to 88-tonne payload and 11.20-meter telescopic loading platform for wind energy and heavy component transport.
• TadanomajorTechnology or IntegrationSupplier of AC 45 City mobile cranes with Allison fully automatic transmissions for precision lifting operations such as luxury yacht positioning at trade shows.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• MSG eG: German crane rental cooperative with broad regional coverage and diverse mobile/tower crane fleet. Competes with WASEL on construction-sector crane rental, particularly for residential and commercial projects across German markets.
• Prangl Gesellschaft: Austrian heavy crane and transport company with operations across DACH region. Comparable on mobile crane rental, heavy transport, and project cargo work; overlaps with WASEL's product portfolio and customer segments.
• Felbermayr Transport und Hebetechnik: Austrian-based heavy lifting and transport group operating mobile cranes, crawler cranes, and heavy-haul transport across DACH region. Comparable to WASEL on integrated crane + heavy transport service model and energy/infrastructure customer base.
• Mammoet: Global heavy lifting and transport specialist operating a large fleet of crawler cranes (including 1000+ tonne units), SPMTs, and modular trailers. Directly competes with WASEL on large-scale industrial, energy, and infrastructure lifting projects across Europe, though at significantly larger international scale.
• BKL Baukran Logistik: German crane rental company specializing in tower cranes with nationwide branch coverage. Directly competes with WASEL on tower crane rental/sales and offers a comparable Liebherr/competitive product portfolio, though with broader geographic reach than WASEL.
• Sarens: Belgian-headquartered global heavy lifting company with extensive crawler crane and modular trailer fleet. Comparable to WASEL on heavy-lift crane rental, project cargo transport, and wind energy installation—particularly competing on large German/European projects.
• Colle Rental & Sales: German crane and construction equipment rental company with regional presence. Comparable to WASEL on mobile and tower crane rental for construction projects, though typically smaller scale per project.

Others

• Liebherr-Werk Ehingen: OEM manufacturer of mobile and crawler cranes that supplies the majority of WASEL's premium fleet. Not a direct competitor (they are a supplier), but a strategically critical partner whose product roadmap and dealer economics directly shape WASEL's competitive position.
• Nooteboom Trailers: Dutch manufacturer of specialized heavy transport trailers (low-loaders, semi-low loaders, modular transporters). Major supplier to WASEL's heavy transport fleet—comparable in product category but as an equipment vendor rather than service competitor.
• Hagedorn Gruppe: Parent company of WASEL and a diversified German industrial group covering demolition, remediation, construction services, and crane/logistics. Highly relevant as the parent—strategic decisions, capital allocation, and cross-business synergies directly affect WASEL's trajectory.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@waselgmbh

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wasel