At this year’s bauma trade show in Munich, leaders celebrated pioneering ideas that enrich the industry and bring us all a step ahead. The innovation award celebrates the best in construction, material handling and mining machinery, construction vehicles, and equipment.
This year, several Liebherr products were nominated for the prize. Over the course of several selection rounds, the list of entries submitted got shorter until only 15 nominated entries were left for the final round. The prize winners only themselves knew they had won when their name was read out at the evening ceremony on April 6, 2025, in the International Congress Center of Messe München. The guests looking on included representatives from the worlds of politics, industry, and the media, as well as representatives from the nominated companies.
The standard for the competition was high, and Liebherr-Werk Bischofshofen GmbH was well-matched. Employees accepted the innovation award in the Digitalization category for the Liebherr Autonomous Operations product.
Liebherr Autonomous Operations
Liebherr Autonomous Operations is an autonomous system for wheel loaders. Using the system, the repetitive and monotonous tasks of a wheel loader can be undertaken simply and intuitively without a driver.
The technology helps counteract the difficulty of finding staff for monotonous routine tasks. At the same time, it can create space for employees to focus on more complex activities and allows for fully automated wheel loader operations. The autonomous system gives operators a user-friendly application that does not require any specialist IT knowledge.
Winners of the bauma Innovation Awards
Federal Minister Klara Geywitz and Bavarian Minister of State Hubert Aiwanger together with the honorary speakers congratulated the winners and presented the awards.
The winners are:
- ROTHO ProCarbonCure, Robert Thomas GmbH – Climate Protection
- Liebherr Autonomous Operations, Liebherr-Werk Bischofshofen GmbH – Digitalization
- Tunnel Enlargement System, Herrenknecht AG – Mechanical Engineering
- New composite bridge construction method, Adam Hörnig Baugesellschaft mbH & Co KG – Building
- MAXX – Mobile Assembly X-System, Center Construction Robotics (RWTH) – Research
The jury evaluates the entries according to criteria that are crucial for the future of the industry. Key factors include the practical relevance of a solution and its economic potential. In addition, the judges consider the progress of digitalization, environmental aspects, sustainability, resource efficiency, and the humanization of the workplace.
A total of 208 entries were received, with 52 finalists making it through to the next round. In two rounds of voting, the jury and the task force selected their 15 nominated favourites. Trade journalists attending the bauma Media Dialog in Munich in February also had the opportunity to vote in the final round.
There are five categories in total, in recognition of exceptional achievements in the construction sector. These achievements help to make work methods, products and processes more eco-friendly, more efficient, safer, and more future-proof, even in an ever-changing environment. The categories are: climate protection, digitalization, machine technology, construction, and research.
A Liebherr product was also honoured with an award at the last Bauma, three years ago, when Liebherr France SAS won the prize for the climate protection category. Its R 9XX H2 hydrogen crawler excavator was recognized as a groundbreaking step toward a zero-emission construction site.
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