Earth Moving, Mining Propel Upswing at Liebherr

As worldwide industrial production slowly improved during the first half of 2010, Switzerland-based Liebherr Group’s fortunes saw a corresponding growth. Revenues increased 4.6 percent for the period, reaching €3.4 billion (US$4.5 billion) an improvement of €149 million (US$197 million) over the first six months of 2009.

Construction machine sales accounted for €2.1 billion of the total, an increase of €41 million or 2 percent for the period. The increase within this niche was due to an upturn in the company’s earth moving and mining division, which grew by 13.2 percent or by €111 million to €952 million.

Sales were off in the group’s two other construction machinery product areas, according to the company. Revenue from mobile cranes was off 5.4 percent, down some €53 million. In the construction cranes and mixing technology product area, sales were off by 6 percent.

Turnover from products outside the construction machinery areas rose 9 percent, to €108 million, and total sales revenues were €1.3 billion.

Maritime crane sales increased by slightly less than 13 percent, or by €34 million to a total of €301 million for the period.

Leibherr’s sales revenues are expected to continue increasing during 2010, although they will be affected by exchange rate fluctuations between the Euro and the Swiss franc. Liebherr’s holding company is based in Bulle, Switzerland. Liebherr Group is comprised of more than 100 companies that manufacture construction machinery, various types of cranes and other products, offer a variety of services and employ approximately 32,000 people.

Photos courtesy Liebherr Group