Liebherr upgrading wheeled loader output

Liebherr plans to ramp up production capacity for wheeled loaders in Austria. The current Bischofhofen factory is used to produce wheeled loaders and employs 1,200 people on a site covering 170,000m². The present capacity allows the production of up to 7,000 wheeled loaders/year. However, the firm sees the need to boost output as it expects demand to hit 10,000 machines/year, so the plan in the medium term is to expand capacity.

"Our site is beside the B 159 road that runs along the Salzach valley and is hemmed in by the slope to Mitterberghütte, the railway line and the river Salzach. We would only be able to expand our site by building upwards. Current projects around Bischofshofen do not have the required space and would result in a complex transport concept that would further burden traffic in the region. This makes the expansion in Wildon a logical and necessary decision in order to be able to meet the increasing market demand," said Peter Schachinger, managing director for Production at the Bischofshofen plant.

The decision was taken to build a state-of-the-art production facility on a 200,000m² site in Wildon. The new facility will manufacture the compact wheeled loader models up to the L 518, as well as models for the OEM partners John Deere and Claas.

The location of the new site offers many advantages that make it attractive. In particular, the rail connection and the proximity to the Cargo Centre Graz (CCG) allow efficient material supply and the dispatch of finished products. This not only optimises production processes, but also minimises environmental impact by reducing lorry transport.

In addition, Wildon offers the ideal infrastructure for future expansion. The proximity to key suppliers and the availability of skilled workers in the region are other advantages that make the location so attractive. The planned expansion will provide new jobs and strengthen the local economy and contribute to regional development.

The Bischofshofen plant will continue to build large and medium-sized wheeled loaders, as well as steel construction for the entire wheeled loader range. “Liebherr's Bischofshofen plant will remain the centre of expertise and development for all the company's wheeled loaders. The enormous potential for growth in countries such as the USA, along with increasing requirements for digitalisation and intelligent assistance systems, allow us to look with confidence into the future of our main plant in Bischofshofen”, said Schachinger. Employees have been involved in all of the planning at the Liebherr plant in Bischofshofen which emphasises Liebherr's commitment to being an attractive and secure employer for the region.

By 2030, the company plans to increase its production capacity to 10,000 wheeled loaders/year and achieve a 10% share of the global market (excluding China).

The announcement of the plans to upgrade the wheeled loader production capacity follows soon after Liebherr’s public demonstration of its new hydrogen fuel technology during a trade event at the factory in Bischofshofen. The world's first large wheeled loader to use hydrogen as a fuel was presented to attendees, including representatives from politics and business.