Mobile Cranes

The Mobile Cranes division reported record sales of € 2,540 million in 2019, which represents a € 297 million, or 13.2 %, increase compared to the previous year.

Development compared to previous year*
Turnover in € m
from 2,243 		( + 13.2% ) 0
Investments in € m
from 84 		( - 53.6% ) 0
Employees
from 4,883 		( + 2.3% ) 0

Turnover by sales regions

  1. European Union
    45.5%
  2. North America
    25.4%
  3. Central and South America
    2.7%
  4. Non-EU countries
    5.7%
  5. Asia and Oceania
    14.6%
  6. Africa, Near and Middle East
    6.1%

Highest revenues in the history of the division

The global market for mobile cranes continued to grow on a high level during 2019. Demand was particularly high for the Mobile Cranes division’s 3- to 5-axle classes. The market for crawler cranes remained difficult, despite improvements compared to the previous year. This was due in part to the delays in numerous wind energy projects. Furthermore, the regions that offer the most dynamic growth opportunities for crawler cranes are difficult to serve with the existing product range and pricing policies. Nevertheless, sales growth continued positively for this product category.

The division reported favourable increases in all sales regions except for Africa, Near and Middle East. Meanwhile, there were significant gains in the division’s core markets of North America and Europe.

The last financial year saw new developments in existing crane designs with a strong focus on safety.

A new heavy duty crane and a focus on safe crane operation

During the last financial year, Liebherr unveiled numerous innovations at the Bauma trade fair in Munich (Germany). These included a prototype for the new LTM 1650-8.1 heavy-duty crane. This 8-axle crane is designed for maximum power and will replace the LTM 1500-8.1 which is the best-selling large crane of all time.

Safety is a recurring theme in many of the division’s new product developments. The next-generation LR 1300 SX crawler crane, for example, is equipped with innovative operator assistance systems that automatically stop the crane to prevent it from being unintentionally manoeuvred into an unsafe position. The RemoteDrive remote control system enables operators to control some mobile cranes from the outside. This ensures a perfectly clear view of problem areas, especially when working on confined construction sites. The Mobile Cranes division is also working with the Construction Machines segment on new applications to bring digitisation to life with the “Liebherr AR Experience” augmented reality app. The app allows any technology lover to turn their own living room into a construction site.

In terms of investment, the division focused primarily on commercial property as well as business and operational equipment last year. Global customer service was also an investment priority.