Commemorating Liebherr’s 75th anniversary

Today, Liebherr’s trademark yellow tower cranes are distinguishable against decorated skylines around the globe. But in 1949, the company was founded by Hans Liebherr with just one piece of equipment: a tower crane that was affordable, easy to assemble and easy to transport.

In 1949, Hans Liebherr developed the world’s first mobile tower crane, which jumpstarted the rebuilding of Germany.

Fast-forward 75 years and the company offers models that are still fast-erecting, mobile and even top-slewing, but with cutting-edge technology and capabilities. Liebherr cranes first started showing up in the United States in the early 1990s. Since that time the Liebherr brand has become respected and revered among crane-owing companies throughout North America, in many crane classes.

The active family shareholders (from left to right): Patricia Rüf, Sophie Albrecht, Jan Liebherr, Stéfanie Wohlfarth, Philipp Liebherr, Johanna Platt, Isolde Liebherr and Willi Liebherr.

While the company produces a wide range of cranes, Liebherr Group has 13 product segments in a number of industries, including earth moving, material handling, mining, maritime, concrete, aerospace and transport, gear technology and automation systems, refrigeration and freezing and mechanical and hydraulic components. Liebherr operates six world class hotels in three countries.

A celebratory wrap decorated the new LTM 1400-6.1 crane that was unveiled at the 2024 Customer Days.

The Liebherr Group also finished the 2023 business year with a record revenue of €14,042 million ($15,011,529.89 million). Compared with the previous year, this represents a revenue growth of €1,453 million ($1,553, 213 million) or 11.5 percent for the company. The Group achieved increased revenues in 11 of its 13 product segments.

Family ties

Today, the Liebherr Group employs more than 50,000 workers in over 50 countries and on every continent.

All these years later, and despite its size, Liebherr is still a family business. The Liebherr Group’s holding company, Liebherr-International AG, is currently managed by descendants in the second and third generation.

The company coined this anniversary as “75 years of moving forward.” Liebherr is a company that has and always held a strong commitment to innovation – a value that has served it well as it has expanded into the global player it is today.