Germany / Switzerland · founded 1949
Liebherr: the family-owned engineering powerhouse
Founded with a mobile tower crane in 1949, Liebherr builds the world’s largest mobile cranes, mining trucks and some of the most efficient wheel loaders, while staying family owned.
- Headquarters
- Bulle, Switzerland
- Founded
- 1949
- Ownership
- Private, Liebherr family
- Known for
- Mobile & crawler cranes, mining, wheel loaders
- Other businesses
- Aerospace, refrigerators, components
- Official site
- www.liebherr.com
Model guides
Liebherr machines we cover
Bulldozers
Wheel Loaders
Mining Trucks
Mining truck
Liebherr T 284
- Power
- 4023 hp
- Rated payload
- 363 t
- Drive
- Litronic Plus diesel-electric AC
Mobile Cranes
Editor’s pick
Mobile crane
Liebherr LTM 1100-5.2
- Max. lifting capacity
- 100 t
- Telescopic boom
- 60 m
- Max. hook height
- 91 m
Wheeled Excavators
Wheeled excavator
Liebherr A 918 Compact
- Weight
- 19 t
- Tail swing
- Compact radius
- Travel speed
- up to ≈20–35 km/h
Crawler Cranes
Editor’s pick
Crawler crane
Liebherr LR 1300 SX
- Max. lifting capacity
- 300 t
- Main boom
- up to ≈84 m
- Type
- Lattice-boom crawler crane
Tower Cranes
Editor’s pick
Material Handlers
Editor’s pick
Liebherr models compared
9 models · click a column to sort
| Liebherr PR 736 | Bulldozer | 23,000 kg | 150 kW / 201 hp |
| Liebherr L 566 XPower | Wheel loader | 25,000 kg | 200 kW / 268 hp |
| Liebherr T 284 | Mining truck | — | 3000 kW / 4023 hp |
| Liebherr LTM 1060-3.1 | Mobile crane | — | — |
| Liebherr LTM 1100-5.2 | Mobile crane | — | — |
| Liebherr A 918 Compact | Wheeled excavator | 19,000 kg | — |
| Liebherr LR 1300 SX | Crawler crane | — | — |
| Liebherr 172 EC-B 8 Litronic | Tower crane | — | — |
| Liebherr LH 60 M | Material handler | 58,500 kg | — |
Liebherr is one of the world's largest construction equipment manufacturers and, unusually for a company of its size, it is still owned by its founding family. The group also makes aircraft systems, maritime cranes, gear components and domestic refrigerators.
History
Hans Liebherr founded the company in Kirchdorf an der Iller, Germany, in 1949 with a simple idea: a tower crane that was easy to transport and erect. The TK 10 was an instant success in post-war rebuilding. Liebherr soon added hydraulic excavators (it was a pioneer of the hydraulic excavator in Europe in the 1950s), mobile cranes, earthmoving and mining machines. The holding company is based in Bulle, Switzerland.
What Liebherr is known for
- Mobile cranes. Liebherr is the world market leader in all-terrain cranes, from the compact LTM 1060-3.1 to the record-setting LTM 11200-9.1. Its LTM 1100-5.2 is one of the best-selling cranes of its class.
- XPower wheel loaders, whose power-split drive combines hydrostatic and mechanical paths for exceptional fuel economy, as on the L 566 XPower.
- Mining trucks and shovels, including the diesel-electric T 284.
- Vertical integration. Liebherr makes many of its own engines, hydraulic components, slewing bearings and electronics.
Buying advice
Liebherr equipment is premium-priced and best supported in Europe; check service coverage locally before buying. Used Liebherr cranes are highly sought after worldwide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Liebherr German or Swiss?
Both. The company was founded in Germany and most of its production is in Germany and Austria, but the group holding company, Liebherr-International AG, is based in Bulle, Switzerland.
Liebherr and its model names are trademarks of their respective owners. Worksite Machines is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any manufacturer.