Event Preview

By Cindy O’ Hara bauma 2025

From April 7-13, one of the world’ s largest trade fairs for lifting equipment will serve as a launchpad for groundbreaking technology, with manufacturers unveiling next-generation machines designed for a more sustainable, digital and customer-driven future.

Liebherr

Driving Innovation With Electric and Digital Strategies

Liebherr, a major player in the construction machinery sector, will present a wide array of products at its booth.

A key highlight will be the launch of a new five-axle all-terrain crane featuring an electric drive for the upper section, powered by a battery pack. This move addresses the growing demand for zero-emission operation on local construction sites.

Pierre Bilgeri, divisional director for mobile and crawler cranes in the USA at Liebherr, emphasized the customer-driven philosophy behind their innovations.

“ Our design philosophy is fully based on designing what the customers and the market need in order to operate more efficiently, more cost effectively and to [ meet ] customers’ demands,” he said.

The company will also showcase its LICCON 3 operating system across a wider range of models and a new threeaxle all-terrain crane designed for efficient transport, particularly in markets with complex routing approvals.

“ In addition to the new crane control and the new design, other technical features that increase efficiency, comfort and safety are part of the LICCON 3,” said Bilgeri.

With“ sustainability” a buzzword these days and a definite trend, Liebherr has been proactive. All cranes leaving their factory are filled with Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil( HVO) fuel, which significantly reduces CO2 emissions.

Tobias Ilg, head of marketing and communication for Liebherr’ s mobile and crawler crane division, pointed out the immediate benefit for existing fleets:“ You can switch your existing fleet of mobile cranes immediately to HVO and save your whole fleet 90 % on CO2 emissions.”

To that end, for the first time, Liebherr is going to launch and release an all-terrain, five-axle crane with an electric drive, designed for its utilization at local zero emissions construction sites.

In addition, the MK120-5.1 E mobile construction crane with electric crane operations, connectable to shore power, will be on display.

While autonomous driving for mobile

cranes is not currently feasible due to their varied tasks and unpredictable environments, Liebherr is developing solutions to assist operators, including simulators for training and remote-controlled driving for operation in confined spaces.

The company is significantly investing in digital technologies. Bilgeri highlighted the performance telematics system, accessible through Liebherr Connect, which allows customers to monitor crane data, including fuel consumption and lifting operations which is currently starting the rollout.

“ It helps in planning the jobs. It always helps to see if there is room or space for additional jobs or if … another crane could be sent, maybe a smaller one,” he explained.

The Crane Planner 2, a 3D lift planning tool, and the Crane Finder app, designed to quickly identify the most suitable crane for a specific task, will also be featured.

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April 2025 • www. cranehotline. com