50 years of concrete truck mixers from Liebherr
Liebherr has been producing truck mixers for concrete transport for 50 years. The product is undergoing continuous development to deliver further customer advantages, and the fifth generation of truck mixer is now in production.
The truck mixer product range is celebrating its 50th anniversary, with the first truck mixer delivered by Liebherr on a Henschel HS22 chassis back in 1967. The type HTM 601 version with 6 m³ nominal volume still had a separate engine, because the majority of chassis were not equipped with a suitable power-take-off. The designation HTM 601 is composed as follows: H stands for hydraulic equipment, T for transport, M for mixer, 6 refers to the 6m³ nominal volume and 01 stands for generation 01.
The truck mixers have undergone further development from the outset, with customer wishes being consistently incorporated in the design. As such, the drum volume was increased, which meant that the truck chassis had to be stronger. Then – in addition to the 2 and 3-axle chassis – came the first semitrailer. Only in the 90’s was it possible, thanks to new regulations, to additionally build on a rigid 4-axle chassis, which resulted in greater payload advantages. The 9 m³ version on four axles has since become the most commonly sold type.
Just in time for the 50th anniversary of the Liebherr truck mixer, it was possible to buy back a 40-year old truck mixer on a Magirus chassis and fully restore it. With this, Liebherr has preserved a piece of history for posterity.
Also in good time for the anniversary, the family-run company has brought the fifth generation to the market. The new truck mixer series has been fully redesigned. The most important features are a higher payload through weight reduction, higher quality steel and smooth surfaces for easy cleaning. An innovative platform concept allows the flexible mounting of options and accessories in various positions. In this way it is possible to satisfy customer wishes with ease, and even retrofits are entirely straightforward.
Liebherr produces truck mixers for Europe at the Bad Schussenried site (Germany), whilst the company also operates further production sites in China, Thailand, Brazil and Saudi Arabia for other markets. Together, the sites have produced around 92,000 truck mixers to date.
