voestalpine AG is a leading global technology and industrial goods group with 500 group companies and locations. It focuses on product and system solutions made from steel and other metals. Under parent company voestalpine Stahl GmbH, its Steel Division is the division that generates the highest revenue. The Steel Division’s product portfolio includes high-quality steel strips, heavy plates and casting products. voestalpine Stahl GmbH operates a 100,000 m² scrapyard in Linz with annual throughput of around six million tonnes of steel.
When choosing suppliers the company always seeks professional partners with a high quality standard. This is why voestalpine has been working with Liebherr machines for over 25 years. The six new LH 60 M Industry machines will primarily be used for unloading carriages, sorting scrap and loading scrap charging boxes.
Reliability takes priority
Between 160 and 180 scrap charging boxes are loaded each day for the utilisation of the steelworks. In order to guarantee the five-shift operation runs smoothly 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and to supply the crude steel production with high-quality scrap material, optimal machine availability was a key purchasing criterion. Liebherr scored highly with the reliability of its material handlers and with excellent customer service. The LiDAT fleet management system supports the service partner: messages from the machine control system can be sent directly to an employee by email, which then enables them to provide support more quickly.
Economic and efficient
Each LH 60 M Industry will achieve an average of 6,000 operating hours each year, which is why efficiency was extremely important to voestalpine in its choice of machine. All Liebherr material handlers are equipped with the Liebherr Power Efficiency (LPE) system as standard. The intelligent machine control optimises the interaction of the drive components in terms of efficiency, thereby ensuring low fuel consumption. The Liebherr ERC energy recovery system also gives a massive power boost and provides increased handling capacity. This is reflected in further fuel savings and lower operating costs. The LH 60 M Industry complies with the requirements of exhaust emissions standard Stage IV / Tier 4f thanks to the Liebherr SCR technology, which comprises an SCR catalytic converter and other components, such as an injector and AdBlue supply. voestalpine is impressed by this complete system, which reduces the exhaust emissions very effectively without a particulate filter.
Ideally optimised for specific requirements
A particular challenge in the specification of the machine was that the grabs had to fit perfectly into the carriages being unloaded and at the same time have a high level of stability. As a result, Liebherr worked with voestalpine to develop and test a new bespoke five-tine grab for the LH 60 M Industry: the GMM 80-5 with a 0.9 m³ capacity and opening width of 2.34 m. The latter corresponds exactly to the width of a truck, meaning that the grab is also adapted to the carriage width.
All the new LH 60 M Industry machines are perfectly equipped for deployment in scrap handling at voestalpine. The clever outrigger geometry and the sturdy undercarriage with reinforced axles ensure maximum stability and provide the basic prerequisite for precise work. Thanks to the standard proportional controls, the machine operators can move the equipment and the grab very precisely. The equipment length and the range of the LH 60 M Industry also satisfied expectations. Thanks to the solid tyres with damping holes, the machines have high levels of driving comfort when travelling over long distances. With the spacious and ergonomically designed cab, the drivers work in a pleasant environment that enhances their alertness and concentration.
