Cutting-edge tooling solutions

The machine tools manufacturer Liebherr-Verzahntechnik GmbH is a leading supplier of gear cutting technology, offering CNC gear cutting machines and automation systems for the automotive industry and a number of other sectors.

Liebherr-Verzahntechnik GmbH is a worldwide leading manufacturer of gear cutting machines, gear hobbing machines, automation systems and handling technology. Part of the Swiss Liebherr Group, it is a supplier to leading players in the global automotive industry. The company is based at Kempten in Germany and has a workforce of around 900 people.

In July 2011, after almost two years of construction, Liebherr-Verzahntechnik has now increased its capacity with a new production hall in the north of the factory premises. The new hall covers an area of around 16,700m2 and houses, in addition to near gear cutting machines, a test and demonstration centre. It also has facilities for customer support as well as training and seminar rooms. The value of this investment amounted to around €30 million.

About 70 per cent of its business is with automotive companies and, as the sector has globalised, Liebherr-Verzahntechnik has followed in its trail. The business in Kempten is complemented by production facilities in Germany, Italy, the USA and India.

The Liebherr Group

The Liebherr Group itself was founded in 1949 by Hans Liebherr. He built on the firm’s early success with an affordable, mobile tower crane to establish Liebherr not only as a leading manufacturer of construction machinery

but also as a supplier of a diverse range of products and services.

Over the years, this family-run business has grown into a group of over 120 companies. As well as machine tools, the Liebherr Group supplies an extensive range of construction machinery, cranes for cargo handling, interlinked machine systems, aviation equipment and transport technology, and domestic refrigerators and freezers. Liebherr-Verzahntechnik itself was established in 1952.

The group has adopted a highly decentralised organisational structure of company units operating independently with operative management of the production and sales for individual product segments in the hands of divisional control companies.

Highest quality products

At Liebherr-Verzahntechnik – and throughout the Liebherr Group – great importance is attached to maintaining control of its key technologies and competences. The corporation avoids outsourcing, instead choosing to develop and manufacture major sub-assemblies in-house.

Liebherr-Verzahntechnik produces an extensive portfolio of gear cutting machinery for its customers. A wide range of gear hobbing machines in a production series of up to 6000mm workpiece diameter are available, using a modular concept separated into four different size segments. The latest HSC-dry cutting technology is offered which increases productivity and – because coolant is no longer required – provides a more environmentally friendly process. LiebherrVerzahntechnik pioneered this technology – a prime example of the firm’s success in bringing innovation to the market. The gear hobbing machines are a universal platform for shaping machines and for generating and profile grinding technology.

The gear cutting machinery activities are

also complemented by a range of automation and handling systems including gantry robots, automatic loading and unloading equipment for machine tools, and manifold transport products. Customers for these products are mainly from the automotive industry.

Continued focus on innovation

Liebherr-Verzahntechnik is always aiming to build on its reputation for innovation and quality. Research and development activities are focused on optimising customers’ production processes in areas such as reducing changeover times for workpieces. Building greater flexibility into the machinery is a key factor, because his customers are constantly being asked to produce smaller and smaller batches. The company is also concerned with economical production using pallet handling systems, having given a presentation on this issue at the MAV Innovation Forum in 2010. Here it discussed the increasing importance of production coordinated to meet demand, especially in light of the continuing economic situation and the global pressure for sustainability. Pallet handling systems such as those offered by Liebherr can help customers reduce warehouse stock and unit costs.

As just one of a handful of firms competing to supply the relatively small global market for gear cutting machinery, Liebherr-Verzahntechnik is looking to the future with confidence despite facing challenging market conditions. n