Rubner Holzindustrie

L 580 LogHandler XPower impressively handles timber work

Rubner Holzindustrie GmbH is the largest and most modern sawmill in eastern Austria. It is one of 19 branches of the family-run Rubner Group, one of the most important timber construction companies in Europe.

At the Rohrbach an der Lafnitz site, more than 400,000 solid cubic metres of wood are handled and processed each year. The new L 580 LogHandler XPower was put to the test, carrying out a wide variety of tasks. The Liebherr special wheel loader performed so well that the company decided to purchase it immediately.

Application

Round timber handling

Location

Styria, Austria

Machine

L 580 LogHandler XPower

Operating weight

37,550 kg

At the lumber yard, the L 580 LogHandler XPower feeds the delivered logs into the debarking and sorting system, and then transports the logs – sorted by diameter – to their storage areas. The lift arms, which were specially developed for log handling, have a manipulation height of up to seven metres and a reach of almost four metres, which is ideal for rapid material handling. The 360° rotatable grapple with a capacity of up to 4.0 m² allows versatile and time-saving transport from the storage area to the company’s own sawmill.

This is the first Liebherr wheel loader that we have tested at our sawmill, which meant that the operation was new and somewhat unfamiliar to us at first. However, once we got used to it, we liked the machine so much that we bought it immediately after testing it. We were also particularly impressed by the new grapple and lift arms.

Rene Karner, Technical Manager at Rubner Holzindustrie GmbH

At Rubner Holzindustrie’s 14-hectare site, the L 580 LogHandler XPower has to cover more than half a kilometre on most loading operations. With its potent, power-split XPower driveline and a top speed of up to 40 km/h, these trips can be carried out quickly and efficiently. There are also numerous optional assistance systems to support the operator’s daily work and enhance safety on the site.

When we directly compared this machine to a competitor, we saw fuel savings of about two litres per operating hour. Additionally, the hydromechanical braking effect of the drive results in less tyre wear and virtually no brake wear. These features of the L 580 LogHandler XPower provide us with significant economic and service advantages in our day-to-day work.

Rene Karner, Technical Manager at Rubner Holzindustrie GmbH

In addition to the economic aspect, Rene Karner also highlights the simple and intuitive operation of the special wheel loader. All working and driving functions of the machine can be precisely and sensitively controlled with the optional joystick steering integrated in the operator’s seat. With no steering wheel and column, this state-of-the-art operator’s cab also offers plenty of space and comfort to work in.

Liebherr’s customer service is a unique selling point

The staff at Rubner Holzindustrie were not only impressed by the versatile, powerful machine and its comfortable operation, but also by Liebherr customer service. Rene Karner goes so far as to say: “We’ve never known this quality of customer service before. The instruction given directly on our site by a specially trained Liebherr employee is unique for us. This service means all our employees are optimally trained, which ensures smooth operation and saves time and costs.”