French SAB Expands its Fleet With Big Order of Liebherr Wheel Loaders and Crawler Excavator

Since its foundation in 1985, SAB has invested in more than 50 Liebherr machines. New Liebherr XPower wheel loaders and an R 945 G8 are the most recent additions. The SAB machines are in operation for an average of 1,500 to 2,000 hours per year in three different quarries. Production covers a quarter of the demand in the French département of Hautes-Alpes.

“Choosing Liebherr is a decision for reliability and for the regular technical developments that meet our needs. We have a very good personal relationship with both Liebherr and its sales partner Ets PIC. Buying machines made in Europe and even in France is an important signal at this time when we need to support our industries in an increasingly uncertain and globalised economic environment.“

explains SAB Director Lionel Para.

XPower wheel loader – Easy to operate and comfortable

SAB’s Liebherr fleet includes nine wheel loaders, of which seven XPower models were recently delivered. The XPower series is highly appreciated by Lionel Para for its ease of use and low fuel consumption. The XPower wheel loaders are characterised by higher engine power and thus achieve better acceleration and speed values. The hydraulic system and working equipment have also been improved so that higher breakaway forces can be achieved. The cab of the XPower wheel loaders offers full all-round visibility, is air-conditioned and features an adjustable 9-inch touchscreen and optional joystick steering to create a safe and comfortable working environment. Servicing the XPower wheel loaders via the service access points is efficient, simple, quick and extremely safe thanks to non-slip areas and stable ramps in the access area.

Liebherr crawler excavators – A powerful and economical tool

The latest Liebherr crawler excavator in SAB’s fleet is an R 945 G8, which is manufactured in Colmar, France. The fleet also includes an R 974 and an R 950 SME, also from Colmar. The main strengths of the Generation 8 are the higher engine power, the heavy counterweight, which allows higher bucket capacities, and the lower fuel consumption. Other innovations are the boom concept with modified head for better boom forces and the optimized load curve, which leads to fuel savings.Result: SAB’s R 945 G8 consumes only 18 litres per hour. All Liebherr Generation 8 engines meet the environmental requirements of exhaust gas Stage V.

The operating behaviour of the R 945 G8 has been optimised: Its manoeuvrability and comfortable cab make it the ideal machine for SAB operations. The Generation 6 R 950 SME model also fully meets the challenges of quarry use. Liebherr crawler excavators in the SME series are fitted with the counterweights of the next higher model in the standard series. This increases their stability and allows the use of larger buckets. Thanks to special cylinders, the machine generates exceptional tearing and digging forces, which improves the performance and economy of SME excavators.