During the branch opening of the new Liebherr facility in Rognac, a Member of the Board of Management of Liebherr-International AG handed over the first device in a ceremonial act.  
The river port of Lyon, which is located in the southeastern part of France, is one of the highest-turnover ports in the region. Thanks to its location on the Rhone River and the accompanying direct connection to the Mediterranean Sea, the Lyon Terminal achieved a total turnover of approx. 137,000 TEUs in 2017. With its infrastructure and constantly growing traffic volume, the terminal is the first multimodal platform in the province. Furthermore, the French logistic company is well known as a European rail terminal, which can handle 20’ and 40’ containers up to semi-trailers.  

In spring, Lyon Terminal S.A. decided to make a major investment to further advance the progressive technical expansion of the port. Until May 2018, the first Liebherr 
Reachstacker LRS 545 will operate on Lyon’s port site, followed by the second device by the end of the year. These two machines will increase the terminals efficiency enormously. The Reachstacker LRS 545 Toplift has a maximum lifting capacity of up to 45 t. It scores particularly highly with its unique hydrostatic transmission, which ensures stepless speed control for highly sensitive and smooth operation without gear changes, which means components such as torque converter and differential are obsolete. Thanks to the closed hydraulic circuit and the hydrostatic braking system, the reachstacker works with an almost maintenance-free system. 
 
Beyond its remarkable capabilities, the LRS 545 amazes with its slim and compact design. Due to its wedge-shaped appearance, small turning radii and great manoeuvrability can be ensured even in narrow ports. Furthermore, the excellent allround view from the driver's cabin and the rear view camera ensure an absolute safe driving experience for the operators in the port of Lyon. 

"In addition to the exceptional view of the driver's cabin, its special feature is the 30 % lower fuel consumption of 12 to 14 l/h compared to the market average. Furthermore a maintenance interval of 1,000 hours significantly reduces the machine's idle times," says Anthony Martin-Garin, Divisional Manager for Maritime Cranes at Liebherr France. 

Ceremonial handover at Rognac branch opening 

Together with 400 customers, Liebherr inaugurated its new location in Rognac on March 9, 2018. From now on, 60 employees will be responsible for the sale, rental and maintenance of the division’s earth moving, construction machinery and maritime. The family business invested a total of 12 million Euros in the new, almost 43,000 m² facility in the southeast of France. The new branch is regarded as an important milestone in its development within the region. During the opening ceremony of the new Liebherr branch, Patricia Rüf, Member of the Board of Management of Liebherr-International AG, solemnised the contract signing of the two units with Samira Himeur, Head of Development at the Lyon Terminal.