Kerry container crane giant Liebherr sees revenue jump to €379m

New order intakes sees revenue rise at firm which employs 931 people 

The Biglift vessel Baffin leaves Cork with three Killarney-manufactured Liebherr Ship to Shore port cranes on board. Revenue at Kerry container crane company Liebherr jumped by more than €40m. Picture: Larry Cummins

Revenue at Kerry container crane company Liebherr jumped by more than €40m as the company increased its order book and production.

The company’s 2025 financial statement shows that revenue reached €379,555,743, up from €333,723,775 a year earlier. “Turnover increased during the financial year due to new order intakes and a continuous production plan resulting in the rising of production hours,” the company said.

“The first quarter of Q1 2026 shows a further upward trend in order intakes with new and existing customers and a further favourable outlook for the business.” 

Liebherr Container Cranes is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of ship-to-shore container cranes, rail-mounted gantry cranes, and rubber tire gantry cranes. The firm was founded in Kerry in 1958 as the first Liebherr factory outside of Germany. In 2025, the company had 931 employees, with 577 involved in production activities and 354 in administration and support, with a wage bill of €57.84m.

From its base in Fossa in Killarney, the company designs, builds and exports container cranes worldwide. Separately, parent company Liebherr AG owns Killarney five-star hotels The Europe and Dunloe Castle Hotel and the four star Hotel Ard na Sidhe in Killorglin. A €100m upgrade is underway at Dunloe Castle Hotel, which has closed during the renovation.

Despite the increased turnover in 2025, Liebherr Container Cranes Ltd recorded a loss of €2.4m for the year, following on from a loss of €2.1m a year earlier. “The company made a loss for the financial year of €2,417,031 and continues to be impacted by geopolitical events,” the directors said.

“The company's business strategy is strongly influenced by price developments of steel and components. These developments are driven by worldwide raw material market.”

Liebherr Container Cranes’ operating expenses over the year included freight charges increasing from €21.6m to €30m, bank charges of €2m, warranty expenses of €5.8m, and contract loss provision of €5.8m.

Liebherr was founded by Hans Liebherr in 1949 in the southern German town of Kirchdorf an der Iller. Globally, the Liebherr Group includes over 150 companies across all continents. In 2025, it employed 55,963 staff worldwide. 

In 2025, the Liebherr Group generated total revenue of €14.7bn, representing an increase of 1% year on year, “despite geopolitical tensions, trade barriers and an overall volatile global economy”. Revenue developed particularly positively in Europe (+3.2%) and in the European Union (+7.4%), with Germany proving to be the strongest growth driver.