On July 15th, three Liebherr-plants in the Allgäu region hosted the Liebherr-Race 2017. In collaboration with 14 local schools Liebherr-Verzahntechnik GmbH, Liebherr-Aerospace Lindenberg GmbH and Liebherr-Elektronik GmbH organised a soapbox derby taking place in Kempten, South Germany. Students from grade 7 to 9 drove their self-constructed soapboxes on a 180 meter long race track on the factory permises of Liebherr-Verzahntechnik GmbH. Around 1.200 visitors cheered for the teams along the track.
The Chili Peppers team of Mittelschule Lindenberg accomplished the fastest running round and was awarded first place in the category time. In the category quality, the girls’ team Sweet Candys of Maria-Ward-Schule Kempten won the first place and thereby clearly demonstrated their technical skills. The Seifis team of Realschule Lindenberg was awarded first place for its ingenuity in the category design. Winner of the category Facebook post were the teams Bobbes Fan Club and Pinki Flower I bi a Mädle of Grund- und Mittelschule Buchenberg.
The soapbox derby marks the peak of a collaboration lasting for months between Liebherr and schools in the surrounding area. Within the framework of the cooperation 300 students divided into 26 teams assembled self-constructed and personalised soapboxes. Liebherr provided a kit containing all parts, tools and instructions needed for assembling. During construction phase apprentices of the Liebherr Group supported the teams of students. Jochen Weisgerber, Training Manager at Liebherr-Elektronik GmbH in Lindau, Germany, draws a positive conclusion: “Activities such as the Liebherr-Race promote a more intense and valuable contact with schools. Therefore we are able to get young people excited about technology. Schools in turn have the possibility to realise exceptional teaching projects. Thus supposedly unpopular subjects such as physics or mathematics can be conveyed in an exciting way.”