Liebherr Expands into Plant Hire for Great Britain

Following the successful creation some ten years ago of Liebherr-Mietpartner, a specialist in earthmoving and materials handling equipment rental throughout continental Europe, plans are now at an advanced stage to establish a similar operation in Great Britain. A separate company - Liebherr-Rental Limited (incorporated on 8th February 2007) - is being set up, modelled on the "Mietpartner" principles of working co-operatively with the equipment sales operations, offering existing and new customers an option for both short and long-term hire of the exclusive range of Liebherr equipment from excavators to specialist materials handling machinery. The new company will be based in Liebherr's modern British headquarters at Biggleswade, Bedfordshire and the recruitment process for experienced management and plant hire personnel is well under way. This further investment by the Liebherr family in the UK forms part of the continuing growth plans for this key European market.

Liebherr is keen to emphasise that the hire operation will in no way conflict with their capital equipment sales activities, but broadens the products and services already on offer to customers.  This will provide the opportunity to operate specialist Liebherr equipment on a hire basis - and direct from the manufacturer.

An initial £7M investment in rental equipment will create a substantial and varied hire fleet of 55 earthmoving, quarrying, demolition and materials handling machinery. Furthermore, Liebherr-Rental Limited will also have easy access to a pool of over 3,000 additional machines available through Liebherr-Mietpartner in continental Europe, including equipment for tunnelling and other highly specialised applications.  Initially the hire fleet will operate out of the established Liebherr network at the Biggleswade Head Office and the major regional depots of Bathgate (West Lothian) and Wigan (Lancashire). This will ensure that a versatile fleet is strategically located to be able to respond swiftly and cost-effectively to hire customers. The existing highly trained team of Liebherr field service engineers is being increased nationally through an ongoing recruitment campaign and will provide all routine maintenance and engineering support for the rental fleet, giving a local service for the national hire operation.

Liebherr-Rental Limited is planned to be operational throughout England, Scotland and Wales by the 3^rd Quarter of this year. The new company will be entirely autonomous, focussed on delivering first class hire services, allowing access to high quality Liebherr products for new and existing customers.

For further information, please contact:                           
Liebherr-Rental Limited
Telephone: 01767-602100
Fax: 01767-602110