Milestone anniversary: Liebherr-Werk Bischofshofen GmbH delivers 50,000th wheel loader

As family-owned businesses, Geiger and Liebherr are connected by a partnership of mutual respect that spans several decades. The delivery of the 50,000th wheel loader underlines the sustainability of the development of Liebherr-Werk Bischofshofen GmbH, the world's centre of excellence for Liebherr wheel loaders. For many decades, Liebherr wheel loader experts have been setting new standards in terms of technology and design. This also applies to the anniversary L 566 XPower® wheel loader. In collaboration with Geiger Unternehmensgruppe, Liebherr put together a special paintwork design for this machine.

"Geiger Unternehmensgruppe is a very special partner for us. We are not only linked by many years of a professional relationship: as innovative and sustainable family-owned businesses, we share the same fundamental values. Consequently, I am delighted to be able to hand over the 50,000th Liebherr wheel loader to Geiger", said, Liebherr-Werk Bischofshofen GmbH’s Managing Sales Director Martin Gschwend.

Pius Geiger explains, "We have known Liebherr as a reliable partner for many years. Across all management levels we value this trust-based, active partnership that has evolved over the decades". He adds, "Congratulations to Liebherr on the 50,000th wheel loader! We feel honoured to call this machine a part of our fleet and are keen to get working with our new L 566 XPower®."

High productivity levels at the Geiger quarry thanks to XPower®

"The anniversary L 566 XPower® wheel loader is, like all XPower® series models, a technological milestone", explains Martin Gschwend. XPower® represents the comprehensive, innovative machine concept of the latest Liebherr large wheel loaders. It combines efficiency, powerful performance, durability and convenience. The XPower® split drive guarantees excellent levels of fuel savings for any requirements. As a result, Martin Gschwend is optimistic for the future: "Already over 1,000 of the 50,000 Liebherr wheel loaders feature XPower® generation technology. The positive experience our customers are having with these machines demonstrates that we have been right to invest in durability and performance as part of the XPower® developments."

Geiger Unternehmensgruppe uses the L 566 XPower® for transportation at the company-owned quarry in Wertach im Allgäu, Southern Germany. The wheel loader transports material within the quarry, loads lorries and dumpers and clears the vast armour stone sorting system. Liebherr designed an exceptional paintwork concept for the L 566 XPower® to celebrate the anniversary. With a combination of gold and Geiger's company colours, this wheel loader not only convinces at the quarry on the basis of its technology but also catches the eye in terms of design. And the great thing is that Liebherr-Werk Bischofshofen GmbH directly provides any special paintwork requested by customers ex works.

With around 2,000 employees at approximately 50 sites, Geiger Unternehmensgruppe supplies, builds, refurbishes and disposes of materials for customers in the infrastructure, property and environmental sectors. Located in Oberstdorf, Southern Germany, the company is a watchword for high quality products and services. A wide range of Liebherr earthmoving machinery is in use at Geiger building sites because Geiger Unternehmensgruppe also expects a high standard of quality from its partners.

Liebherr-Werk Bischofshofen GmbH as a centre of excellence for wheel loaders

Liebherr-Werk Bischofshofen GmbH develops, produces and sells wheel loaders made by the Liebherr Group. The delivery of the 50,000th wheel loader is a particular reason to celebrate for the plant and its employees, who number in the region of 1,000. The anniversary underlines the sustainable development of the wheel loader plant. It has continued to grow over the decades thanks to pioneering innovations, creative solutions and high standards of quality. Ongoing investment in cutting-edge infrastructure and production capacities means that the Liebherr site in Bischofshofen is prepared for future challenges from international competitors.

Liebherr-Werk Bischofshofen GmbH currently provides 15 different wheel loader models in four different product groups: compact loaders, Stereoloaders®, medium-sized wheel loaders and large XPower® generation wheel loaders. The plant has also developed an independent product line for emerging markets outside Europe and North America in close collaboration with Liebherr production companies in Dalian in China and Guaratinguetá in Brazil. This enhanced product range represents an additional milestone in the international development of Liebherr-Werk Bischofshofen GmbH. Liebherr-Werk Bischofshofen GmbH is also responsible for sales and services relating to the entire range of Liebherr construction machinery throughout Austria.

The route to the 50,000th Liebherr wheel loader

Liebherr has been demonstrating innovative strength and technological vision for decades and this includes the development of the wheel loader range. As early as the first two decades of the company's history the first powerful prototypes 'Elefant’ and 'Mammut’ were developed, around the 1950s, with the 'LSL 1500’ following in the 1960s. On the basis of this experience and intense development throughout the 1970s, series production of the first two L 531 and L 541 wheel loader models was launched in 1983. After comprehensive comparative testing, Liebherr opted for a hydrostatic driveline in these pioneering models. Back then, hydrostatic drivelines were new to wheel loaders.

Additional models followed shortly after so that by 1989 the wheel loader range already consisted of seven models. With the L 522, Liebherr was the first manufacturer to showcase a wheel loader with plastic panelling, which it did at bauma 1992. The introduction of the agile Stereoloaders® and a comprehensive revision of the large wheel loader model series were additional milestones in the 1990s. Continuous developments within the wheel loader range, including elements to comply with increasingly strict emissions standards, dominated the 2000s. With the world premiere of the L 586, the world's largest wheel loader with hydrostatic driveline, Liebherr once again set a technological milestone at bauma 2007.

The introduction of compact loaders at bauma 2013 enhanced the wheel loader range still further. As part of the large XPower® wheel loaders' market launch in November 2015 and the market launch of the new mid-sized wheel loaders in April 2016, Liebherr converted these two machine categories to emission Stage IV / Tier 4f. At the leading timber trade exhibition Ligna in May 2017, Liebherr will be showcasing another new machine: the L 580 LogHandler XPower®. Liebherr has specially developed this timber handling machine with all the benefits of the XPower® concept to meet the requirements of the timber industry. The new L 580 LogHandler XPower® is already available for order and delivery.