On the eve of the world’s leading exhibition for construction machinery, construction material machines, construction vehicles and construction equipment, the international Bauma Innovation Award kicks off proceedings with much highly anticipated fanfare. 2025 sees the coveted prize awarded for a 14th time. In the first round of the selection procedure, Liebherr entries produced five finalists, three of whom went on to make it into the final 15.

Just under twelve hours before Bauma opens its doors, the pulse of the industry is racing. This is not just in anticipation of the imminent trade show, but also a sense of excitement for the international Bauma Innovation Award, which is this year being awarded in the ICM on the show ground for the first time. As with the Oscars award ceremony, the event orga­nisers’ lips are firmly sealed regarding the winner. The list of 15 nominees is the only indication the esteemed guests from the worlds of construction, politics, science and the media are given about who – from the full 208 applications received – might be in with a shot at the top prize. A sense of anticipation once again fills the air at the reception, as the candidates take one last glance at the trophies on display – intricate stainless steel designs first created by students at Offenbach HfG Design College.

This evening is especially important to Liebherr. At the most recent ceremony, in 2022, Liebherr France SAS won the coveted prize in the climate protection category with its R 9XX H₂ ­hydrogen crawler excavator – a groundbreaking step towards a zero-emission construction site. In 2025, at the 14th ceremony of the international Bauma Innovation Award, Liebherr continues to be well represented. An impressive five submissions across three categories, made it into the second round comprising a total of 52 finalists:

Climate protection category: Liebherr Mining Equipment Newport News Co.; T 264 Battery Electric truck and autonomous mining truck

Digitalisation category: Liebherr-Werk Bischofshofen GmbH; autonomous system for wheel loader

Mechanical engineering category:

• Liebherr-Werk Biberach GmbH; Positioning Pilot assistance system
• Liebherr-Werk Ehingen GmbH; driver assistance ­systems to increase traffic safety
• Liebherr Corporate Ventures AG; prototype of a single-axle truck

On 18 February 2025, the event organisers finally announced the results of the next selection round. Three Liebherr innovations made it into the top 15 finalists from which the winners will be crowned: Liebherr-Werk Biberach GmbH with its Positioning Pilot assistance system for ­tower cranes, Liebherr-Werk Bischofshofen GmbH with its ‘Liebherr Autonomous Operations’ development and Liebherr Corporate Ventures AG with the Liebherr single-­axle truck S1 Vision.

A coming together of top associations and Bauma

The history of the award speaks of its significance within the industry. This prestigious honour has its roots in German Construction Machine day, where cutting-edge technologies from Germany were awarded prizes until 2004. After this, the award evolved into an international contest for groundbreaking innovations in five categories – climate protection, digitalisation, mechanical engineering, construction and research. Since 2022, the prizes have been awarded every three years at Bauma as a mark of recognition from the VDMA, VDMA Services GmbH, Bauma and the most prestigious associations of the German construction industry, HDB, ZDB and bbs. This alliance of organisations is led by VDMA (Verband des Maschinen- und Anlagenbaus, the German ­Association of Mechanical and Plant Engineering).

In the multi-stage selection process, the judging panel, made up of representatives from science and industry, as well as the trade press, focuses on future-oriented innovations of great practical value. In addition to technological progress, aspects such as energy efficiency and resource efficiency, sustainability and socially responsible work design also form central evaluation criteria. ‘The selection process is very demanding and time-consuming. Even though there is no prize money and the award itself is immaterial, it is still held in high regard within the industry,’ stresses Martina Scherbel, project manager of the Bauma Innovation Award.

Martina Scherbel attributes the success of the Bauma Innovation Award to more than simply the exceptional products and services of the participating companies. ‘Universities, colleges and associations also play a vital role, in that they provide judges and bring the public’s attention to the contest. All those involved invest a great deal of time in evaluating the entries and do not take their decision lightly. They know that innovation is the key to preparing our industry for the future in the face of international competition. This is precisely why the prize is so important.’ Partnerships with scientific institutions and industry-specific organisations have provided exceptional stimulus for the transfer of knowledge and have laid the foundations for technological breakthroughs. ‘The Bauma Innovation Award offers an ideal platform to make these synergies visible,’ adds Scherbel.

If Liebherr uses Bauma 2025 to present its visions of a sustainable and digitalised world of construction on the big stage to a global audience, then simply being in the race for the award is part of Liebherr’s entire innovation story. This way, the award not only provides affirmation of the targets achieved. It also provides motivation to keep working on the instrumental technologies of the future. And that is undoubtedly what underscores the sense of anticipation on 6 April 2025 in the moments before the winners are announced.