2 minutes - magazine 02 | 2025
25 years of MK: a milestone in mobile construction crane history
We’re celebrating a special anniversary: 25 years of Liebherr mobile construction cranes!
A quarter of a century of innovation, progress and pioneering spirit. Reason enough to look back over an impressive success story that began in 2000 with a completely new crane concept from Liebherr.
The MK 88-4.1E today: 25 years later – state-of-the-art technology for the highest demands.
2000 – the dawn of a new era
Although Liebherr already had its first mobile construction cranes in its portfolio back in the 1980s and 90s, the story of the new MK generation began with the MK 80: instead of using a standard truck chassis, Liebherr built its own 4-axle mobile crane chassis tailored for crane operation.
Also revolutionary: program-controlled setup and dismantling. A process that had previously been laborious and time-consuming could now be carried out efficiently and in an automated manner. This solution created the basis for greater performance, more flexibility and improved driving characteristics, laying the foundations for the new generation of mobile cranes.
Step by step to the MK family
The feedback on the MK 80 was overwhelming – and Liebherr used this tailwind to continuously expand its MK series – always with the clear intention of addressing the ever-growing demands on construction sites. The cranes had to be more agile, more powerful, have fewer emissions and be even more intuitive to operate – and so they were.
Today, 25 years later, the MK family comprises four models – from the compact MK 73-3.1E entry-level crane to the MK 140-5.1E for maximum reach and height. Liebherr has been using electric drives for the MK series from the very start and is therefore the only supplier to have a purely electric folding crane on the market. All models have the “E” in their type designation – clearly indicating that they represent the construction industry’s electric future: low-noise, emissions-free and economical.
Together towards the future
Since their market launch, MK cranes have proven their abilities all over the world. They are now an absolute essential for any modern crane fleet and are synonymous with innovation, quality and reliability. 25 years of MK are not just a reason to celebrate, but also an opportunity to look forward. The success story of MK cranes will continue to be written with new technologies, intelligent assistance systems and a clear focus on sustainability.
This article was published in the UpLoad magazine 02 | 2025.
