20 years after the company was founded, Liebherr employs around 6,000 people worldwide. Although the market fluctuates, sales show a steady upward trend. Liebherr expanded and created additional business areas.
1961 First location in France
In the late 1950s, Liebherr founded companies in Ireland, South Africa, and Austria to expand the organization beyond his own borders.
When looking for a location for a new production site for crawler excavators, Liebherr chose Colmar in Alsace, France. This central location in Europe is ideal for transporting heavy equipment. In addition, it is a great opportunity to enter the local market.
Big machines for big jobs
After the foundation stones were laid in July 1961, the Colmar site developed rapidly. As the excavator industry developed, machine design and technology improved and the French factory became a leading manufacturer of technologically advanced crawler excavators. Progressive specialization led to new business areas such as mining excavators, which would not be built until a decade later.
1964 Honorary doctorate for Hans Liebherr
More than 30 patents for tower cranes, about 20 for hydraulic excavators and more than a dozen for concrete mixers – in many locations around the world, jobs have been simplified thanks to innovation from Liebherr.
In addition to technological achievements, Hans Liebherr is known for his corporate performance. TU Aachen recognizes this achievement with an honorary doctorate.
1968 Positive balance after two decades of growth
In the second half of the 1960s, Liebherr continued to expand its success despite the recessionary phase. Balance sheet from 20th year of business: 400 million DM turnover and 6,000 employees worldwide. Liebherr has successfully established itself as a pioneer in the production of construction machinery and has opened up new areas of activity in all areas of industry.
1969 From Ehingen to the world
Liebherr flourished not only outside but also inside Germany. Liebherr-Werk Ehingen GmbH was founded in 1969 and has grown to become a leading supplier of mobile and crawler cranes. Despite the tough competitive conditions, Liebherr’s order book will be filled to capacity in the coming years. Export picks up speed. The research and development department contributes to successful growth. Whether mobile cranes, ship cranes or offshore solutions, engineers work closely on new applications and ever-increasing payloads.