Liebherr's Fiber Rope Set for Success

Tue November 25, 2025
Liebherr

According to Liebherr, its fiber technology is setting new standards in crane operation.

Through the combination of new rope-shortening options and simple on-site repairability, a repair rate of up to 85 percent has been achieved. This means that instead of fitting an entirely new rope, customers can often continue using the existing one, saving both time and costs. The overall service life of the fibre rope also has been extended to up to 14 years, according to Liebherr.

Greater Efficiency Through Service Innovation

Feedback from operations worldwide has been directly incorporated into the optimization of Liebherr's service concepts. "We analyzed our partners' field experience in detail and can now offer tailored solutions, both directly on site and through our second life concept for reconditioned spare ropes," said Jochen Huber, product manager of fiber technology of Liebherr.

The technical challenges have been successfully mastered: Fiber cranes now offer advantages in removing twist from the hoist rope and, despite the use of care products, require less maintenance than comparable steel-rope cranes.

Easy Handling Wins Over Sales Partners

Numerous partners are now deliberately opting for fiber cranes. For instance, John Paul Construction in Ireland has added its own fiber cranes to their fleet after successful rental projects, while Utleiecompagniet AS in Norway has decided to purchase only fiber cranes for its rental fleet going forward.

"The advantages of the fiber rope are numerous," said Kjetil Tettum, head of construction of Utleiecompagniet AS. "It offers higher lifting capacity, it is easier to handle, requires no lubrication and has a longer service life compared to steel ropes. When Liebherr introduced this solution to us, the decision was clear for us, it will always be fibre rope."

Repairability Drives Cost Efficiency

The Beutlhauser Group also is among the pioneers.

"For us, the advantages go beyond increased lifting capacity," said Benjamin Grillmeier, head of construction of Beutlhauser. "The fibre rope technology stands out particularly for its repairability. Downtime on the construction site is practically eliminated, as most repairs can be completed within two hours."

For Beutlhauser, the greatest added value lies in the ability to perform repairs directly on site, without a second service visit.

"The longer service life reduces our machine cost per unit," he said. "We were already convinced by the advantages of fiber cranes and with the latest improvements, we see our forward-thinking approach fully confirmed. We are consciously investing in the fiber technology for all new acquisitions and are also working to convert our existing steel-rope cranes to this new technology. We stand behind the product, we are convinced."

"On a construction site, every minute counts," said Daniel Österle, technical trainer of Liebherr. "Thanks to the rope's excellent repairability, our customers can minimize downtime and maximize productivity."

This practical benefit also is confirmed by Stefan Westermann, head of building construction of Liebherr-Baumaschinen Vertriebs- und Service GmbH, Germany.

"Through on-site rope shortening and repair options, we significantly reduce downtime on site," he said. "Our fiber rope technology ensures maximum availability and easy handling. For us, one thing is certain: in the future, we will rely exclusively on fiber cranes."

The ability to repair the rope directly on site is a key feature of Liebherr's fiber technology. Combined with the rope-shortening option, the risk of downtime has been reduced to approximately two percent, based on service feedback from recent years.

Feedback from the field is clear: repairability, short installation times, reduced maintenance, clean operation, high safety and lifting capacity all of these make fiber cranes an economically and environmentally sound solution.

Profitability, Investment Security, Flexibility for Future

Enhanced repairability through rope-shortening, extended overall service life and a newly structured spare part pricing system have led to a significant reduction in operating costs, according to Liebherr. Replacement rope costs have been reduced by 26 percent, while the fiber care extended warranty is now 44 percent more affordable.

"The cost-efficiency of our Fibre cranes increases through the maximum utilisation of each rope," said Jochen Huber, product manager for fiber rope.

Further investment security is provided by the ability to convert cranes from fiber rope to steel rope and vice versa, lowering the entry barrier to the technology while ensuring long-term flexibility. Many Liebherr partners have already made a clear decision, moving exclusively towards fiber cranes for their rental fleets.

The combination of higher lifting capacity, simplified handling, economic operation and sustainable resource efficiency makes Liebherr's Fibre cranes a truly future-oriented solution for the global crane industry.