History
Hans Liebherr was drafted for military service in World War II. During the war, Liebherr served with the Ulm Pioneer Battalion 101, which was subordinate to the 101st Light Infantry Division and fought under Army Group South in the German-Soviet War. After the war, he started by building affordable tower cranes; Liebherr expanded into making aircraft parts, it is a significant supplier to European Airbus airplane manufacturer—and commercial chiller displays and freezers, as well as domestic refrigerators. The group also produces some of the world's biggest mining and digging machinery, including loaders, excavators, and extreme-sized dump trucks. The T 282 B is the world's second-largest truck (after BelAZ 75710). The group's nine-axle mobile crane, the LTM 11200–9.1—with a 100 m telescopic boom—in 2007 received the heavy-lifting industry's Development of the Year award for being the world's most powerful example of such a machine. Another example is the LHM 600, which has been the largest mobile harbour crane in the United States since its delivery to Port Canaveral in 2019.[7]
Over the years, the family business has grown into a group of varied companies, and has locations in many countries, including Germany, Australia, Britain, Ireland, Turkey, and the United States. Since 1958, its Irish factory in Killarney, County Kerry, has built container cranes, exporting them worldwide through the port of Fenit. In Australia, the group in 2013 commenced an AU$65 million expansion of their local headquarters in Adelaide. The development includes adding a new three-storey office, workshops, warehouse, component plant, and distribution centre to the Para Hills facility.[8] In the U.S., the group in 2012 started spending US$45.4 million (about €34.1 million) on a three-year renovation and expansion of its Newport News, Virginia, factory, offices, and warehouse. The company sought to increase its production there beyond 100 mining trucks a year. On 19 February 2013, representatives from the Commonwealth of Virginia and the cities of Newport News and Hampton announced that they would make grants and incentives available for transport improvement, training, and property investment.[9] In addition, the Liebherr Group owns six hotels in Ireland, Austria and Germany.[10]
In April 2014, Liebherr announced that it would invest €160 million at its production site in Bulle.[11]
By 2017, Liebherr had expanded its workforce to 43,869 employees.[12] That same year, the company announced it had achieved the highest turnover in the Group's history, with sales of €9,845 million.[13] In 2018, Liebherr generated a turnover of €10,551 million, exceeding €10 billion for the first time in the company's history.[14]
In March 2020, Liebherr launched their first APAC HQ in Singapore,[15] alongside their bespoke $35,000 SGD Bespoke Luxe Refrigerator.[16]
