Liebherr-Werk Bischofshofen GmbH as a centre of excellence for wheel loaders
Liebherr-Werk Bischofshofen GmbH develops, produces and sells wheel loaders made by the Liebherr Group. The delivery of the 50,000th wheel loader is a particular reason to celebrate for the plant and its employees, who number in the region of 1,000. The anniversary underlines the sustainable development of the wheel loader plant. It has continued to grow over the decades thanks to pioneering innovations, creative solutions and high standards of quality. Ongoing investment in cutting-edge infrastructure and production capacities means that the Liebherr site in Bischofshofen is prepared for future challenges from international competitors.
Liebherr-Werk Bischofshofen GmbH currently provides 15 different wheel loader models in four different product groups: compact loaders, Stereoloaders®, medium-sized wheel loaders and large XPower® generation wheel loaders. The plant has also developed an independent product line for emerging markets outside Europe and North America in close collaboration with Liebherr production companies in Dalian in China and Guaratinguetá in Brazil. This enhanced product range represents an additional milestone in the international development of Liebherr-Werk Bischofshofen GmbH. Liebherr-Werk Bischofshofen GmbH is also responsible for sales and services relating to the entire range of Liebherr construction machinery throughout Austria.
The route to the 50,000th Liebherr wheel loader
Liebherr has been demonstrating innovative strength and technological vision for decades and this includes the development of the wheel loader range. As early as the first two decades of the company's history the first powerful prototypes 'Elefant’ and 'Mammut’ were developed, around the 1950s, with the 'LSL 1500’ following in the 1960s. On the basis of this experience and intense development throughout the 1970s, series production of the first two L 531 and L 541 wheel loader models was launched in 1983. After comprehensive comparative testing, Liebherr opted for a hydrostatic driveline in these pioneering models. Back then, hydrostatic drivelines were new to wheel loaders.
Additional models followed shortly after so that by 1989 the wheel loader range already consisted of seven models. With the L 522, Liebherr was the first manufacturer to showcase a wheel loader with plastic panelling, which it did at bauma 1992. The introduction of the agile Stereoloaders® and a comprehensive revision of the large wheel loader model series were additional milestones in the 1990s. Continuous developments within the wheel loader range, including elements to comply with increasingly strict emissions standards, dominated the 2000s. With the world premiere of the L 586, the world's largest wheel loader with hydrostatic driveline, Liebherr once again set a technological milestone at bauma 2007.
The introduction of compact loaders at bauma 2013 enhanced the wheel loader range still further. As part of the large XPower® wheel loaders' market launch in November 2015 and the market launch of the new mid-sized wheel loaders in April 2016, Liebherr converted these two machine categories to emission Stage IV / Tier 4f. At the leading timber trade exhibition Ligna in May 2017, Liebherr will be showcasing another new machine: the L 580 LogHandler XPower®. Liebherr has specially developed this timber handling machine with all the benefits of the XPower® concept to meet the requirements of the timber industry. The new L 580 LogHandler XPower® is already available for order and delivery.