History
Diversification under one central holding company
A versatile company with numerous product divisions requires clear and effective management structures. Therefore, in 1983 all the branches converge under one central holding company. To this day, Liebherr-International AG is responsible for managing the organization.
The new holding company is located in Bulle (Switzerland).
1983 Central umbrella company for the Group
For Hans Liebherr, reliability and continuity are decisive values with regard to company management. From an early stage he sets the ball in motion for the next generation. The organizational structure took on a new direction way back in the 1970s. The new direction required - amongst others - dividing the company into a German enterprise and a Swiss enterprise.
In 1983, Liebherr-International AG leads the Group as a central holding company in Bulle, Switzerland. To this day, the shareholders of this organization are all members of the Liebherr family.
Minister-president Lothar Späth awards Hans Liebherr with the Grand Cross for Distinguished Service of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.
1984-86 Numerous awards for Hans Liebherr's lifetime achievements
From 1976, Hans Liebherr takes a back seat from the business operations and concentrates on strategic company management. His lifetime achievements as an entrepreneurial personality are honored and remain in the public eye. In February 1984, the university of Eberhard-Karls in Tübingen appoint him as honorary senator. Many other awards followed, among which is the Grand Cross for Distinguished Service of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1986.
The D926 is one of the first in-house developed diesel engines from Liebherr.
1984 Mastering key technologies within: the Group
To meet the high demands of quality for its products, Liebherr places great value on mastering core competences within the organization. For this reason, important assemblies are developed and produced by the Group itself. Depending on the product area, vertical integration within the company is now higher than 60 percent.
One good example is the start of series production of diesel engines in 1984. At this time, Liebherr realizes the potential to optimize the construction machines and designs its own engines that also work reliably under extreme conditions.
Toronto (Canada): Liebherr climbing cranes during construction of a skyscraper. The first cranes of this kind were built in 1985.
1988 The Group's 40th year of business
After four decades of company history, the balance sheet remains positive. The strategy of investment and expansion ensures a fully consolidated turnover of more than three billion Deutschmarks. The progressive diversification over the years affords Liebherr greater independence as a corporation with regard to business fluctuations and volatile markets.
Financial freedom makes the intensive development of pioneering product ideas possible for long-term implementation. The sustainable growth in the range of products facilitated in this way is the basis for branching out into new strategic markets.