The mobile tower crane was invented in 1949.

In post-war Germany, many areas required rebuilding. Hans Liebherr managed his parents' engineering company in southern Germany. He recognised that the construction industry and domestic engineering projects needed tools and machinery. In 1949, he collaborated with design engineers and businessmen to develop the first mobile tower crane. The TK10 was easily transportable and simple to assemble on construction sites.

This was also the first product established by Hans Liebherr Maschinenfabrik (engineering company) in Kischdorf in 1949. With the subsequent introduction of new models, Liebherr accelerated its crane production, and the engineering company evolved into a manufacturer of construction machinery.

1952–54: Expansion of the product range

In the late 1950s, gears for manufacturing gearboxes were difficult to source. To produce cranes, Hansliberheel began manufacturing his own gear hobbing machines to produce the necessary gears.

In 1953, Hans Liebherr hired a cable excavator and noted its poor power-to-weight ratio. Eight months later, he unveiled Europe's first hydraulic excavator—the L300. This machine weighed a quarter of the hired unit. By 1954, the powerful machine entered mass production.

From construction machinery to refrigerators in 1954

For Hans Liebherr, the impetus behind new business ventures sometimes stemmed from personal connections. The entrepreneur learned of a refrigerator manufacturing plant up for sale through the branch manager of a local bank.

By examining products, sales data and the market, Liebherr recognised the immense potential of domestic appliances. At that time, only one in ten German households owned a refrigerator, and demand was rising alongside economic growth. Hans Liebherr decided against acquiring an existing company, instead establishing his own production facility at the Ochsendorf plant in southern Germany. The first refrigerator was built there in 1954, with mass production commencing a year later.

In 1956, the scope of construction machinery expanded to include equipment for producing and transporting concrete, and Liebherr has been manufacturing these machines at Bad Schussenried ever since.

Expansion in Europe and Africa in 1958

As a company founded in Germany, Liebherr established its first overseas factory in the 1950s. To gain a foothold in the British and North American markets, the company set up a production base in Killarney, Ireland. Initially manufacturing tower cranes there, it later expanded to produce container cranes, shipyard cranes and specialised cranes. In the 1960s, the first company outside Europe was established in South Africa. Hans Liebherr charted the course for the Group's international expansion.

Hans Liebherr's commitment to aircraft technology began in the late 1950s through active participation. In March 1960, he established Liebherr-Aircraft Technology GmbH in Lindenburg, Germany. From the outset, the objective was to develop and manufacture prototypes in-house. The aim was to evolve the company from a licence holder into a producer of its own components and systems; from an equipment manufacturer into a systems supplier. In 1996, the company was renamed Liebherr-Aircraft Lindenburg GmbH.

The first factory was established in France in 1961.

In the late 1950s, Liebherr established subsidiaries in Ireland, South Africa and Austria, extending the company beyond its own borders.

In exploring new production bases for its crawler excavators, Liebherr selected Colmar in Alsace, France. This central European location offers an ideal base for transporting machinery. Moreover, it presents an excellent opportunity to penetrate the local market.

Following its foundation in July 1961, the Colmar factory experienced rapid development. As the excavator industry progressed, the design and technical capabilities of excavators continually advanced, establishing the French factory as a renowned manufacturer of technologically advanced crawler excavators. The increasing specialisation of excavators opened new business avenues, such as mining excavators, which would be developed a decade later.

From Aigen to the world in 1969

In the latter half of the 1960s, Liebherr continued to build upon its success despite experiencing an economic downturn. The balance sheet for its twentieth financial year showed a turnover of 400 million German marks and a global workforce of 6,000 employees. Liebherr had successfully established itself as a pioneering manufacturer of construction machinery and had gained a foothold in all sectors of new business areas.

Liebherr expanded not only abroad but also within Germany. In 1969, Liebherr-Eingen GmbH was established, developing into a leading supplier of mobile and crawler cranes. Despite fierce competition, Liebherr's order books remained full in the years that followed. Export growth accelerated. The research and development department contributed significantly to this successful expansion. Whether for truck-mounted cranes, shipboard cranes or offshore solutions, engineers meticulously sought new deployment opportunities and continuously increased payload capacities.

Global Expansion, 1971–80

In 1970, Liebherr established a foothold on the American continent. Service and proximity to local customers were paramount to Hans Liebherr, leading to the subsequent formation of Liebherr of America in Newport News, Virginia. The company supplied the North American market with hydraulic excavators, crawler excavators and wheel loaders, alongside offerings in the following sectors: machine tools, material handling and aviation equipment.

In 1974, new companies were established in Guaratinguetá (Brazil) and Burlington, Ontario (Canada). In Europe, the company responded to growing demand by introducing new production facilities in Austria and Switzerland.

Even during its restructuring period, Liebherr distinguished itself through technological innovation. In 1977, the company introduced the LTM 1025, the world's first all-terrain mobile crane designed for both road and off-road operation. With a telescopic boom length of 24 metres and a lifting capacity of 25 tonnes, it opened up entirely new fields of application. Together with its successor model, the LTM 1030, the crane established the all-terrain concept.

This pioneering initiative gained recognition throughout the industry, with the company's turnover and export volumes steadily increasing in subsequent years.