Friday round up: Bauma preview, Liebherr farewell, women in cranes

Bauma prepares to open its doors in Munich, Germany, for the April 7-13, 2025 event.

Well, here it is, almost upon us, the great Bauma exhibition in Munich, Germany, running from 7 to 13 April. Bauma promises to be back much more like its old self, as it was before the pandemic. Covering an area of 614,000 square metres, it is expected to welcome more than half a million visitors.

More than 3,000 exhibitors will be keen to show you their latest wares. Updates on developments at this year’s show have appeared in the last few issues of International Cranes and Specialized Transport and American Cranes & Transport magazines. We have now pulled together in one place a comprehensive list of what to see at the show. Many of the manufacturers are keeping new products entirely under wraps and others are giving scant details until the show itself, all helping to further build the anticipation in the lead up to the mother of all trade shows.

Read more about what to see at Bauma 2025 in lifting and transport.

Tuesday brought you the latest news and moves from across the crane and specialized transport sector with our Crane and Transport Briefing Extra newsletter. The top story this week detailed what’s in store for attendees of Bauma, the world’s biggest trade show.

It’s the end of an era at Liebherr-Werk Ehingen in Germany. The vast wheeled and crawler mobile crane business is saying goodbye to its technical managing director of 30 years.

Dr Ulrich Hamme, who is taking retirement, is only the second holder of the post since Liebherr-Werk Ehingen was started in 1969. In that time the company has been expanded into a huge business widely considered as the pinnacle of mobile crane development worldwide. Its output of wheeled mobile and crawler cranes accounts for a quarter of the entire Group’s total annual turnover.

One of many elements of the story of Dr Hamme’s time at Liebherr has been the emergence, development and coming of age of the all-terrain crane and the realisation of this crane type’s full potential, for which he can be attributed a large proportion of the credit. Alex Dahm asked Dr Hamme about his time in the industry, his achievements and his take on all things mobile crane.

Read more about leading the way in mobile crane development.

The crane industry may still be a male-dominated field, but more women than ever are stepping into boots, climbing into cabs and leading from boardrooms across the construction sector. In this powerful and personal reflection, long-time American Cranes & Transport editor D.Ann Shiffler celebrates the incredible women reshaping the crane and rigging sector—from operators and engineers to executives and entrepreneurs. Their stories are honest, inspiring and a testament to how far the industry has come—and where it’s going.

Featuring voices from respected professionals like Sarah Emig, Kate Lampson, Jennifer Gabel and more, the article, originally featured in Sarens Women magazine, explores the evolving role of women in cranes, the challenges they still face and the optimism fueling their continued progress. It’s a candid, uplifting look at an industry in transformation—and a must-read for anyone invested in building a more inclusive future in construction and heavy lifting.

Read more about the women who are powering change in the crane industry.