About 90 jobs at risk at Sunderland's Liebherr crane making factory

Tom Keighley
·2-min read
Liebherr bosses say there has been continued low demand impacting its Sunderland plant.
-Credit:Tony Hall


About 90 jobs are under threat at the Sunderland plant of crane manufacturer Liebherr amid what the firm says is a continued lull in demand.

Staff were told of the potential redundancies at a company-wide meeting at the Deptford Terrace site where Liebherr produces specialist cranes for the maritime industry. Bosses said the move - which could impact just under half of the site's 200-strong workforce - is needed to secure the long term sustainability of the business, which has been operational for more than 35 years.

Managers at Liebherr Sunderland Works said they were taking the situation of affected employees very seriously and would take into account the concerns and interests of staff.

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The 758,000 sqft Ayres Quay operation specialises in producing harbour and ship cranes and supplies customers in the offshore and ports markets. The Sunderland company was founded in 1989 when the site was acquired by German multinational Liebherr Group, which now includes 150 companies in 50 different countries.

Most recent accounts for Liebherr Sunderland Works, covering 2023, show revenue of £55.2m, up from £41.1m the year before. Over the same period the Wearside plant generated pre-tax profits of £1.5m, up slightly from £1.2m. At the time, the firm also had liabilities of £20.4m.

Within those accounts, bosses said the business operates on a rolling five-year strategy alongside sister factories in Germany and Austria. They said one of Liebherr's strengths was its broad portfolio which is "constantly adapted in the production planning to cover for dips in demand and to cater to the strongest markets".

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Liebherr Sunderland Works issues a statement to ChronicleLive, which said: "On January 21, 2025, the employees of Liebherr Sunderland Works Ltd, which produces mobile harbour cranes and ship cranes, were informed of potential redundancies during an official mass meeting. The proposal is a targeted measure to secure the long-term stability of Liebherr Sunderland Works Ltd, which the management feels compelled to take as a result of the continuing low demand for smaller mobile harbour cranes produced in Sunderland.

"We take the situation of the affected employees very seriously and see it as our duty to define socially acceptable solutions in close coordination between management, HR and the representatives. This ensures that the concerns and interests of employees can be taken into account in the best possible way. The employees of Liebherr Sunderland Works Ltd. will be informed promptly about the next steps."

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