Liebherr powerhouse masters steep Alpine terrain

Brunner & Leiter was founded in 2003 in South Tyrol and currently employs around 150 people. Based in the Ahrntal valley in northern Italy, the company offers a wide range of services for its clients, primarily in the fields of building construction and civil engineering, demolition, blasting, recycling, transport and eco-construction.

On the Stubai Glacier, Brunner & Leiter has been commissioned as the main contractor for the construction of a new reservoir totalling 308,000 m3. The project also includes the construction of a pumping station and a 90-metre-long connecting corridor between the pond and the pumping station. The goal is to create a permanent guarantee of snow in Austria's largest glacial ski area for the future.

Various Liebherr construction machines are in use on site, including crawler excavators, wheel loaders, dozers and six TA 230 Litronic articulated trucks, which were purchased via Liebherr-Mietpartner GmbH. Working at altitudes between 2,600 and 3,000 metres, these powerhouses transport all the material excavated during the work – and master even the most challenging terrain with ease.

"On the steep and rough terrain here on the Stubai Glacier, the TA 230 Litronic impresses with its extremely good climbing ability and bank angle," says Armin Tempele, site manager at Brunner & Leiter GmbH. Each Liebherr dump truck can move up to 28 tonnes of earth, rocks and gravel in a single load. A powerful drivetrain combined with automatic traction control deliver all the power the trucks need and ensure excellent handling.

The combination of balanced weight distribution, permanent 6x6 all-wheel drive, solid yet flexible axle suspension, large bank angle and high ground clearance gives the Liebherr dump truck unbeatable performance on steep and uneven terrain. As a result, the machine always delivers good traction and control, even on the most challenging terrain. A selection of different tyres also allows the TA 230 Litronic to be precisely adapted to the respective applications.

"Our operators also report good levels of comfort and good visibility from the cab," continues Armin Tempele. Large areas of glass without struts in the way ensure excellent all-round visibility from the cab. The machine operator can access the cab quickly and safely thanks to offset steps and a large door. Storage surfaces and compartments ensure that there is plenty of space available and the layout of all the controls is both clear and intuitive. Hydro-pneumatic shock absorbers on the front axle and elastic mounts on the cab absorb vibrations very well. The sound insulation reduces the noise level in the cab to just 72 dB(A).