WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE SWISS GROUP?

The Liebherr family business was established in 1949 by Hans Liebherr. The great success of his first mobile, easy-to-assemble and affordable tower crane was the foundation on which the company flourished. Today Liebherr is not only one of the world’s leading manufacturers of construction machinery but is also an acknowledged supplier of technically innovative user-oriented products and services in numerous other fields. Over the years the family business has grown into what is today a group of companies, employing a workforce of 32,600 in more than 100 companies on all continents.
The decentrally organized Liebherr Group is divided into company units of manageable size, operating independently. This is to ensure proximity to the customer and the ability to respond flexibly to market signals in global competition. Operative management of the production and sales companies for the individual product segments is in the hands of divisional control companies. The Liebherr Group’s holding company is Liebherr-International AG in Bulle, Switzerland, which is entirely owned by members of the Liebherr family. The family business is already in the hands of the second generation and is jointly managed by Isolde Liebherr and Willi Liebherr.

Company established in
1949
Group turnover, 2008
8,408 million Euro
Group investments, 2008
915 million Euro
Workforce, end of 2008
32,600

The Liebherr Group is a German manufacturing complex established in 1949 by Hans Liebherr, headquartered in Biberach an der Riss, Baden-Württemberg. The Liebherr Group's holding company is Liebherr-International AG in Bulle, Switzerland, which is entirely owned by members of the Liebherr family. Current-generation family ownership is held by Willi and Isolde Liebherr, who are listed among the billionaires of 2005.
Beginning with the production of affordable tower cranes, Liebherr has expanded to aircraft parts and household appliances such as refrigerators. The company is a major supplier of aircraft parts to Airbus S.A.S. Liebherr also produces some of the largest mining and digging tools in the world, such as loaders, excavators and extreme-size dump trucks.
Over the years, the family business has grown into what is today a group of companies, employing a workforce of approximately 25,000 in more than 100 companies in several countries.
In December 2004, one German site put Liebherr's dumpers in first and sixth place as the world's biggest, while their largest excavator got fifth position.
Liebherr currently produces one of the world's largest mining trucks, the T 282 B. It also recently introduced the new nine-axle model LTM 11200-9.1 which received the prestigious award of Development of the Year (2007), for being the world's most powerful mobile crane, with a 100 metres (328 ft) telescopic boom.
Liebherr has locations in many countries, including Germany, Britain, Ireland, and the United States. The factory in Killarney, Ireland manufactures container cranes, which are exported worldwide through the local port of Fenit.

From BBC website....

Southampton close to Swiss deal

The man on course to become the new owner of Southampton has been revealed by BBC Radio Solent as Markus Liebherr.
A member of the Swiss family behind the Liebherr Holdings conglomerate, he owns his own group of companies.
His takeover of the troubled League One club, currently in administration, is on the verge of being completed
Mark Fry, the administrator in charge of the sale, told the BBC earlier on Tuesday: "I'm as confident as I can be that a deal will conclude shortly."
Leibherr was on the board of the family Leibherr Holdings until 2007. He has been running his own group of companies, the Mali Group, since 1994.
BBC Radio Solent understands that Leibherr will be funding the takeover privately, not through his companies. He is expected to have finalised his boardroom line-up at St Mary's by August.
The administrator's deadline for the sale of the football club passed on Friday, without him carrying out a threat to wind up the club.
The takeover deal is due to be completed in the next 24 hours, after all parties involved finalised contracts on Tuesday.
Team manager Mark Wotte told BBC South Today: "We are very confident the deal will be completed very soon. I think it looks very good, and it's about time.
"It's been extremely difficult, there has been lots of worrying about the future of this great club but hopefully we can look to a better future.
"The most important thing is that the club will be saved and we can look to a better future and start working to get back to the Championship."
Southampton went into administration in April, and as a result, will start the League One season on minus 10 points.
On 30 June, the Pinnacle group, headed by former Saints player Matthew Le Tissier, pulled out of negotiations to take over the club.

The only question I have is how much money will be available for players?
No, I have lied.
How much has the manager new or old got to spend and how long will he be given before promotion is expected?
Will we take up the option to increase capacity in the near future?
In fact one could even ask whether a manager has already been selected for our revolutionary army.

It is so refreshing to be able to actually think about football again and look forward to seeing a game. To be able to discuss what players and positions are needed to strengthen our team/squad.

Millwall beware we are on the march.
If we have been bought that is.