Cooperation agreement for IHC backhoe dredgers between IHC Merwede and Liebherr-France

IHC Engineering Services, part of IHC Merwede, and Liebherr-France (Mining and Marine Excavators division) have announced that they have entered into a cooperation agreement. Both parties signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding joint activity in relation to product development, sales and global service of IHC backhoe dredgers.

This collaboration is a perfect match between two such strong brand names: IHC Merwede, the global market leader for efficient dredging and mining vessels and equipment; and Liebherr-France (Mining and Marine Excavators division) the world market leader for the design and manufacture of hydraulic backhoes.

The range of IHC backhoe dredgers compromises of stationary dredgers that can be used for a wide range of marine operations, fitted with Liebherr excavators and fully adapted for continuous use in maritime environments.

The pontoon can be partially lifted out of the water so that the dredger is firmly held in place by the ground. The pontoon is equipped with three spuds for lifting and positioning the IHC backhoe dredger: two fixed spuds are positioned close to the excavator; and the third spud, together with a hydraulically operated spud carrier, is positioned on the opposite side of the dredger.

The collaboration between these market-leading partners confirms Liebherr-France’s (Mining and Marine Excavators division) and IHC Merwede’s combined ambition to design and deliver backhoe dredgers for their customers with the lowest cost of ownership. With their respective global presences, both partners offer their customers a worldwide service network.

IHC Merwede has renowned expertise in dredging techniques, research and development, and in-house products, such as spud carriers, hydraulic systems, electronic equipment, IHC Excavator Positioning Monitoring etc. Similarly, Liebherr-France (Mining and Marine Excavators division) carries its own expertise as an acknowledged supplier of technically innovative, useroriented products and services. Together, they offer the dredging industry a unique product – an integrated design in which the excavator, pontoon and other equipment integrate successfully to reach the most economic solution in terms of production, operational cost and efficiency.