CPA Bulletin

10 CPA Bulletin > November 2022 www.cpa.uk.net ASSOCIATIONNEWS: 3 CPA Stars Winners Visit the Liebherr Factory One of themost sought after prizes of the awards is a VIP trip to the Liebherr factory in Ehingen: headquarters of their mobile and crawler crane division, for the annual winner of the Lifting Technician of the Year category. Since the launch of this category, Liebherr GB has kindly and consistently sponsored this category and from the outset, flown the winner to Germany to spend the day visiting the factory. The first visit by a Stars winner occurred in 2019 but the pandemic prevented further visits until Stars of the Future 2022. The winner of the Lifting Technician of the Year category for 2022 was Steve Lumb from Wolffkran fromwhich Liebherr arranged the visit for late September to Liebherr-Werk Ehingen. Also accompanying Steve was the 2020 Lifting Technician winner, Luke Reddish, also fromWolffkran and now able to make his deferred trip following the pandemic. Paul Preston fromWolffkran accompanied the apprentices on the trip, as well as Siôn Morgan Jones, Vice Chair of the CPA Council representing CPA. The trip was organised by Arran Willis, After Sales Operations Manager for Liebherr GB, who further acted as host throughout the trip. Siôn takes up the story: “When offered the opportunity to accompany the prize winners as the CPA representative, I jumped at the chance. We flew to Munich and were greeted by an airport transfer to our hotel in Ehingen. I remember feeling somewhat perplexed that the majority of construction sites we passed ran pedestrian-operated cranes and not mobiles. However, as we approached our final destination, we saw the Liebherr factory rise in the distance and it slowly enveloped its surroundings with a rake of lattice and telescopic jibs filling the skyline. “After an evening of bonding and compulsory schnitzel, we arrived at the factory by 9am the next day to be welcomed by the flags of each nation in attendance. A nice touch I thought and a glimpse at the global enterprise that Liebherr has long been. “We were greeted by our host, Michael Heckenberger, Area Sales Manager for Liebherr, followed by a short presentation on the Liebherr family and product range. These were mainly plant and machinery based, with the exception of refrigeration. This seemed like somewhat of an outlier yet nonetheless, I was pleased to hear that they were one of the main suppliers of freezers to the NHS for antigen storage during the covid-19 pandemic (it indulged the science geek in me). “The factory tour started at the end of manufacturing process, where cranes were being finished, sign written and PDI’d ready for export. This felt like another teaser, keeping up the anticipation of the enormity of what was lying in wait. It was impressive to see the range of cranes leaving, branded and ready for work. Feeling somewhat bemused that I was unable to spot one going to a UK company, it quickly dawned on me that the UK is somewhat of a small player on a global scale. I was interested to hear that Germany is still the largest market for Liebherr cranes, despite having not spotted any on our journey the previous day. “Next stop was Liebherr’s training facility, which was more like a University campus in size. Training is clearly a significant part of the company mantra and they have an enviable school outreach programme and each employee has to complete a set minimum number of courses per year for their continuous professional development. They are clearly ensuring the brand continues to grow and maintains its reputation for quality well into the future. “We progressed through the tour, from the outside yard filled with steel sections and inside, onto the factory assembly floor. No two seemed alike, with a mixture of crawlers and mobiles ranging from 30t to 1700t. The lines becoming increasing blurred between the two types, as lattice jibs and ballast trays start being thrown into the mix. It was a delight to observe how the superstructures and undercarriages having started from different lines, finally met in the middle as if by destiny. It felt like German efficiency (or romanticism) at its best. “The testing ground was something to behold, with masses of crawlers, all terrains, rough terrains, truck mounted and city cranes strewn across the yard at various stages of configuration. All of these were undergoing a meticulous testing regime amongst some of Liebherr’s most trusted engineers. These experts had the daunting task of checking each crane against a myriad of configurations owing to their own VarioBase® and VarioBallast® technology. “We were even lucky enough to have a sneak peek at the much-anticipated ‘Liccon 3’ system and the new 130t rough terrain set for release at Bauma 2022. The tour was both Since the start of the now successful CPA Stars of the Future, the annual awards programme for plant trainees and apprentices, prizes in addition to national recognition have been a staple part of the awards. Since the outset, the aim has always been to provide prizes that will both support the apprentice’s occupation and incentivise them to go further and higher.