Vom Hufschmied zum ?BIG?-Unternehmen

10
Die Geschäftsführer der
Krone-Gruppe / The Managing
Directors of the Krone
Group (from the left): Alfons
Veer, Dr. Josef Horstmann,
Siegfried Wickert,
Wilhelm Voß, Dorothee Krone,
Ludger Gude und Gero
Schulze Isfort (von links).
companies. In 1982, KRONE developed
one possible approach: close coupling
to increase useful load and volume
while lowering costs.This reduces the
distance between the lorry and the
trailer, enabling the loading area of the
trailer to be extended by one pallet
length without exceeding the total
permitted length. Only when the law
was changed in 1994 to permit greater
length did the close coupling disappear
from the market. Nevertheless, KRONE
continue to make improvements, with
subsequent developments such as an
interim floor, which enabled pallets to
be loaded onto a trailer at two levels.
KRONE also reduced the loading area,
again increasing the load volume.
KRONE’s aim is to load longer trailers
with greater load volumes, while
conforming to the legal requirements.
At the International Automobile
Exhibition (IAA) for commercial vehicles
in 2004, KRONE presented the Giga
Liner with a length of 25,25 meters.
KRONE also focuses on diversification
through special solutions, such as
producing refrigerated vehicles
following the purchase of a Danish
company.The Cool Liner is available as
a double-decker loading facility, multitemperature
semitrailer and insulated
swap body.
The bestselling Profi
Liner
The current KRONE product range
includes above all the Profi Liner as the
product most frequently built and sold
in Werlte. The Mega Liner, Coil Liner,
Paper Liner, Fresh Liner, Dry Liner and
Light Liner, as well as the City Liner,
which is able to dock on to ramps, are
also available. The Profi Liner is a real
allround talent, as it can be refitted with
special modules without much effort.
The MultiLock-MultiBlock system, with
over 3,000 securing options, provides
the necessary load security. KRONE
presented its future-oriented tractortrailer
concept at the IAA 2004 with the
Giga Liner. This combination of semitractor
and central axle trailer can cope
with a maximum total weight of 60
tonnes. KRONE is hoping that extended
lengths will be permitted on German
roads, as is already the case in Sweden
and Finland.
Certified company
As the top manufacturer of commercial
vehicles in Germany, KRONE has been
certified in conformance with ISO
9001. “We want to build high-quality
vehicles which provide value for
money, and which can be maintained
as a low cost”, claims Dr. Bernard
Krone.That is why he decided in 1997
to make the largest investment in the
100-year history of the company: for
20 million DM, an electro-immersion
coating plant was installed at the
KRONE plant in Werlte, with
environmentally friendly powder
coating. The procedure guarantees
long-lasting corrosion protection and
high impact-resistance for the paint.
Both increase the durability of the
trailer and semitrailer; once again,
KRONE has succeeded in meeting a
quality target. This is also reflected in
the turnover figures: in 2004, KRONE
achieved a record result in the
commercial vehicle sector with a
turnover of 509 million Euros.
This level of commitment and
commercial success has not gone
unnoticed. In November 1998, the
Technical University of Carolo-
Wilhelmina in Braunschweig awarded
Bernard Krone an honorary doctorate
title for his “influence on German
agricultural machine technology”. In
his speech of thanks, he shared the
honour with his cousins and
employees:“I accept this award as the
manager of a team.Without the help of
my two cousins Heinz and Walter
Krone, and all the hard-working
employees at the three KRONE
operations, our success would not
have been possible”. The family spirit
continues to play an important role in
this corporation.
Ausgabe 1/06