Liebherr’s engineers thrive on the challenge of providing machines and equipment for any application.

The waste sector has changed over the past few years with many companies turning their focus to specialised operations.

Machine manufacturers have had to adapt with the changing sector, developing machine and equipment options that can handle a variety of applications.

Cameron Tanner, Liebherr Area Sales Manager for South Australia and the Northern Territory, says there are many challenges working in the waste industry, but Liebherr is well-placed to meet them.

“The new generation of Liebherr material handlers are adept to a wide range of tasks, from feeding a crusher, loading and unloading trucks and containers, sorting materials waste products and stockpiling materials of any kind,” he says. 

“Because Liebherr manufactures a majority of parts in-house, machines can be tailor-made for customer requirements.

“Our engineers enjoy designing custom projects because they have to come up with something unique.”

One of Liebherr’s most recent custom projects was a material handler for SA Water, South Australia’s provider of water and sewerage services for about 1.6 million people.

Liebherr and SA Water worked in collaboration to design and manufacture a purpose-built material handler, the LH 22 C Industry, to carry out river operations on the Goolwa Barrage.

The machine consists of a Liebherr LH 22 upper carriage with a fixed cab rise, 5.3-metre angled boom and a 3.05-metre stick. The rail undercarriage was manufactured to fit on the unique 3.3-metre rail tracks.

A heavy-duty lifting winch was installed to complete general lifting tasks and Liebherr’s TR 25 Compact Tiltrotator was fitted to assist in the handling of stop logs. The stop log lifter attachment was engineered locally to complement the machine. 

“It was a very custom project,” Cameron says. “Everything on that machine was unique to the application. Quite a bit of engineering went into it.”

Cameron says one of the main requirements was the need to counter-balance the machine so that it had a high lift capacity, of about five tonnes, while being under 26 tonnes in weight.

Robbie Bonner, SA Water Co-ordinator for locks four, five and six, says there is no such thing as an off-the-shelf machine for the work the LH 22 C Industry was built to carry out.

He says Liebherr’s engineers in Germany delivered exactly what was specified. “Liebherr has previously designed another purpose-built machine for us so they’d already proven they can build something that’s fit for purpose.” 

Robbie says his team worked with Liebherr through the entire process, ensuring the design was based on operator requirements and input.

Several weeks after delivery and the LH 22 C Industry is being put through its paces. Robbie says Liebherr staff have been on hand to ensure a smooth transition.

“Their team of people were on site to make sure everything went according to plan,” he says. “The machine has gone through all the testing very well with our focus on making sure it meets our requirements for safety, operation and capability. Liebherr has achieved what we asked for.”

Cameron says Liebherr material handlers have high load capacities and long reach thanks to optimised kinematic properties and robust construction, allowing for greater handling performance. A quick coupling system and wide range of attachments, made by Liebherr, ensure they can be used for a variety of applications.

The latest engine technology with intelligent machine control means the machines are fuel efficient – on average, a Liebherr LH 22 C Industry requires 9.03 litres per operating hour. 

Optimal engine output and high pump flow allow for fast work cycles, while cleverly designed maintenance access points guarantee minimum machine downtime.

Air filters with dust extraction, reversible fans or coarse matrix radiators, have been developed for machines that are required to work in areas heavily contaminated with dust.

Undercarriage options are available including one with a dozer blade to further increase machine versatility. 

For more information, visit:  www.liebherr.com.au

Waste Management Review is the specialist magazine for the waste, recycling and resource recovery sectors in Australia.

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