Established in 1949, in post-war Germany, the Liebherr Company first started as a small construction firm that was managed by Hans Liebherr. Owned by his parents, it manufactured construction machinery and other domestic construction equipment. In the 1950’s, it expanded its product range and included hydraulics excavators as well as refrigerators in the list. In the 1960’s it indulged in aeronautical activities, and in 1996 changed its name to Liebherr-Aerospace Lindenberg GmbH. Now, it is a leading producer of refrigeration appliances, construction machines, mining equipment, mobile crawler and cranes, material handling vehicles, maritime cranes, aerospace and transportation systems, gear cutting and automation machinery, and high performance components.