Cranes boost Liebherr in 2013

Construction equipment manufacturer Liebherr reported total group turnover of € 8,963.6 million (US$ 12,166 million) for 2013, down € 126.6 million ($ 171.8 million) or 1.4 % on the 2012 figure. Positive results, however, were posted by all the company’s crane divisions.

Turnover at the largest, Liebherr-Werk Ehingen, was up 7.1 %, or € 138.2 million ($ 187 million) to € 2,077.8 million ($ 2,820 million). Increases for the wheeled mobile and large crawler crane plant were largely from Germany, the USA and the Netherlands, the division’s largest markets during the past business year, the company said. The division also saw growth in 2012.

Growth in the tower crane division was reported as 10.4 %, or € 37.4 million ($ 50.76 million), to € 395.5 million ($ 536.79 million). Germany, Switzerland and Russia, the three largest markets for Liebherr tower cranes, all showed growth. In the maritime cranes division turnover was up 0.3 %, or € 2.4 million ($ 3.3 million), to € 830.1 million ($ 1,126.8 million).

Turnover by region, for the group’s whole range of products, showed a wide variation that was different from 2012 when there was an overall increase. The ten largest markets were Germany, the USA, Australia, Russia, France, Great Britain, Canada, Netherlands, Brazil and South Africa. Western Europe showed a € 191.2 million ($ 259.5 million), or 4.8 %, increase, to € 4,157.5 million ($ 5,643.8 million). In Eastern Europe, largely Russia, turnover fell by € 139.1 million ($ 188.8 million), or 13.2 %, to € 914.1 million ($ 1,240.9 million).

In the Near and Middle East turnover was down overall by 0.5 %, at € 306.5 million ($ 416.1 million), although increases were recorded in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Turnover in the USA was down 1.9 %, at € 1,470.3 million ($ 1,996 million). Africa was up 2.4 % to € 606.0 million ($ 823 million).

Following a 2012 upturn in Australasia, group turnover dropped 9.7 % to € 1,509.2 million ($ 2,049 million) in 2013.

In outlook for 2014 the company forecast that the world economy “will probably develop rather more dynamically than in 2013; the International Monetary Fund forecasts growth of 3.6 %. In its initial estimate for 2014, the Liebherr Group expects total turnover to be equivalent to the 2013 figure, though development will differ from one division to another. There will probably be a further increase in the size of the workforce."