Marking 50 years of Liebherr-Werk Nenzing

Marking the 50th anniversary of Liebherr-Werk Nenzing in Austria, for a celebration where more than 26,000 visitors were expected. Photo: Alex Dahm/KHL Group

Crane and construction equipment manufacturer Liebherr has celebrated 50 years of its Nenzing division in Austria since its official opening on 30 June 1976.

Production started at Liebherr-Werk Nenzing with maritime cranes (moved from the Ehingen plant), later extending to crawler cranes up to 400 tonnes, heavy duty foundation, mining and other machines, plus the latest technological developments for use across the group. Maritime crane production was moved from Nenzing to Rostock, on the north coast of Germany, after that plant was developed in 2002.

The Liebherr-Werk Nenzing test pad yard full of product on display in June 2026 for the 50th Anniversary. Photo: Alex Dahm/KHL Group

Shown around

Celebrations to mark the 50th started in the week of 22 June with open days for customers from all over the world, continuing over the weekend. Hundreds of customers attended each of the first three days. The next day around 600 students and teachers attended to learn about potential careers and training opportunities. Saturday welcomed around 25,000 people.

Visitors were treated to displays of all the latest machines and the newest technology being deployed on equipment for general construction and civil infrastructure projects.

Cranes on show included the new LR 1300.2 SX, a 300 tonne capacity lattice boom crawler crane. The original LR 1300 was first shown at the Bauma trade show in Munich, Germany, in 2007. In the first 18 years of production it became the best selling product from Nenzing. Half of Nenzing’s crawler crane production is exported to the USA and North America accounts for 40 per cent of the Nenzing division’s total turnover.

The new version of the 300 tonne Liebherr lattice boom crawler crane designated LR 1300.2 SX from Nenzing. Photo: Alex Dahm/KHL Group

Changes to the latest .2 version of the 300 tonne crawler include the addition of ground bearing pressure reduction plates, front and rear, which reduce the GBP by as much as 56 %. They are slightly narrower versions of the ones on the LR 1400, its larger sibling.

A wider, two-seat, cab is an option, also from the 400 tonner. The .2 version also has the LR 1400’s 450 kW diesel engine, instead of the 390 kW unit in the old model.

Other machines on show included the LRB 19 installing sheet piles with the LV 23 vibrator, a demonstration of ground compaction, an LRB 355.1 with 3MA 65 mixing cutter, the large LMD 1200 mining dragline, which can have a bucket up to 16 cubic yards, among many more machines and tech developments. 

Over the last 20-odd years the Nenzing division has evolved from a production plant to an international innovation and competence centre, the company said. Examples include alternative drive systems, control technology and digital solutions for construction sites. As home to Liebherr-MCCtec GmbH (Nenzing, Rostock and the ship-to-shore and RTG crane division at Killarney in Ireland), the Nenzing division has four production sites and more than 50 sales and service centres around the world.

Nenzing’s first crawler crane, the model 870 from 1979. This is the very first unit off the line. Photo: Alex Dahm/KHL Group