MANmagazine Truck edition 1/2017 Great Britain

01 / 2017
Great Britain
LIFESAVERS
In Turkey’s city of Izmir, Asli Oskay and her firefighter colleagues
ride modern engines to arrive at crisis points just in time

01 / 2017
PERFORMANCE UP.
CONSUMPTION DOWN.
GREAT BRITAIN
CONTENT
06
04 Extreme athlete
Off to bungee jumping with the all-road truck
06 Custom vehicles
A look into the image archives illustrates
the diversity of MAN.
04
08
All-rounder:
MAN covers an impressive range of operations
with its truck portfolio: singular portraits of the
TGX, TGS, TGM, TGL and TGE models.
08 Picture-book family
An overview of the five MAN truck models
12 Pole position
The TGX carries DTM cars to their races.
16 Lifesavers
In Turkey’s Izmir, TGM engines ensure that
firefighters save valuable time.
20 On location
News from the British MAN market
28 Carry on with caution
A Munich-based forwarder delivers sensitive white
goods with its TGL fleet.
32 From tiny to tall
On site at the highly modern TGE plant in Poland
36 Timber tech
MAN ProfiDrive training for the logging industry
20
The new MAN TGX
We present you with our best tool against cost pressure on the road: the new MAN TGX.
With drive tuned ideally for efficiency and performance, you can gain even more from every
single drop of fuel: more distance, more torque and power, more reserves. Because we have
invested no end of expertise in it and incorporated a whole range of improvements such
as MAN EfficientCruise® and MAN EfficientRoll, LED daytime driving lights, light and rain
sensors and also a new infotainment system. Find out more about the best MAN TGX of all
time at www.truck.man
MASTHEAD
MANmagazine is published twice a year in 16 languages. PUBLISHED BY MAN Truck & Bus, Stefan Klatt (resp.), Dachauer Straße 667, 80995 Munich, Germany EDITOR IN CHIEF & PROJECT MANAGER Joachim Kelz,
Tel.: +49. 89. 1580-1175, magazin@man.eu, www.man.eu EDITORIAL GREAT BRITAIN Verity Cullum PUBLISHER C3 Creative Code and Content GmbH, Heiligegeistkirchplatz 1, 10178 Berlin, www.c3.co. Shareholders of C3 Creative
Code and Content GmbH are the Burda Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung (limited liability company), Offenburg (85%), and the KB Holding GmbH, Berlin (15%). Sole shareholder of the Burda Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung is
the Hubert Burda Media Holding Kommanditgesellschaft (limited partnership), Offenburg. Shareholders of the KB Holding GmbH are Lukas Kircher (managing director, Berlin) and Rainer Burkhardt (managing director) to 50% each.
CONTENT DIRECTOR Klaus-Peter Hilger EDITORS & AUTHORS Yasmine Sailer (resp.), Uli John-Ertle, Jutta Schreiner; freelance authors: Diana Gäntzle, Richard Kienberger, Philipp Mattheis, Marcus Schick
EDITORS, INTERNATIONAL EDITION Patricia Preston (freelance, resp.), Asa C. Tomash PROJECT MANAGEMENT Sara Austen-Schrick GRAPHICS Igor Clukas, Michael Helble, Christian Kühn, Micheline Pollach IMAGE EDITORS
Elke Maria Latinovic, Samantha Taruvinga COVER IMAGE Monique Jaques PRODUCTION C3 Creative Code and Content GmbH PRINTING Gotteswinter und Aumaier GmbH, Joseph-Dollinger-Bogen 22, 80807 Munich, Germany
REPRODUCTION permitted with reference. Any changes must be coordinated with the editors. ADVERTISING SALES Zeitzeichen Vertriebs GmbH, Radka Neumann, Tel.: +49. 8323. 9984630, radkaneumann@zeitzeichen.de
COPYRIGHT ©2017 MAN and C3 Creative Code and Content GmbH
03

01 / 2017
”My passengers are
adventure-seekers from
around the world.”
John Hughes, bus driver at AJ Hackett
Bus and truck driver in one: The 57-year-old
John Hughes has been driving trucks since
1996.These days, he’s not moving goods, but
rather conveying tourists in his MAN.
Working for the New Zealand-based
adventure company AJ Hackett, John Hughes
drives tourists from Queenstown to bungee
jumping hot spots in the vicinity. As these sites
are unreachable by bus due to extreme road
conditions, including steep inclines and gravel
tracks, Hughes operates an MAN all-wheeler
with a 44-seat omnibus superstructure. In
four years, his truck has chalked up about
350,000 kilometres.
Mr Hughes, how did you become a truck
driver? That’s a funny story, actually. For
quite a while, I worked as the co-driver for a
municipal truck. One day, the driver broke his
ankle somewhere in the outback. Since there
wasn’t any phone service, I simply plopped
myself behind the steering wheel and drove
my injured colleague back. When we arrived
at the depot, my boss spotted us and simply
said, “You can drive? Well, you’re a driver
now.” Naturally, I also went and got my truck
licence after that.
Where do the customers whom you
transport in your MAN come from? Our
customers are mainly young and adventurous
people. Backpackers are definitely the
majority. Lots of them come from Germany,
but also from Asia – especially from Japan.
During the journey back after bungee
jumping, can you still see the spark in your
passengers’ eyes? Oh, no. Most of them are
completely worn out by the adrenaline kick.
Many call home to talk with their mums and
dads. “Guess what I just did!” That’s the phone
phrase I usually hear.
Have you already experienced a special
moment with your MAN? Yes, just a short
while ago. Since the adventure activities here
around Queenstown are so very unique, our
locations are repeatedly booked for shooting
commercials. The last TV spot that my truck
and I got the chance to appear in was viewed
by four million people. Just my mum has not
seen it yet, for she doesn’t have a computer.
Extreme
athlete
All-wheel bus: The converted truck
offers seating for 44 passengers.
Robust and rugged: The MAN 15.290 4x4 easily
handles steep inclines and gravelled off-road
tracks on the South Island of New Zealand.
MY MAN
© Richard Kienberger
04
05

01 / 2017
Custom vehicles
From construction and municipal vehicles to lumber trucks,
city buses and intercity coaches to fire trucks: MAN has always
appealed to every sector with the right solutions.
CITY BUSES AND INTERCITY COACHES
Intercity coaches (below) were widely known, as
they transported both passengers and mail. The
early 1920s then witnessed the first open-topped
coaches (right), which became very popular for
undertaking regional excursions.
BACK IN 1915, MAN began building
commercial vehicles. The first trucks and
buses were built in southern Germany’s
Lindau in cooperation with the Swiss
manufacturer Saurer, until production
was moved to Nuremberg in 1916. During
the early years, MAN and Saurer still
followed a strongly regulated production
agreement. MAN was not permitted to
make any autonomous construction
changes and therefore focused primarily
on making vehicle bodies. This resulted
in MAN developing a high level of
industry expertise early on, which is still
being reflected by the company’s wide
range of vehicles.
1951: F8 tipper for reconstruction
© MAN archives
1921: Post coach 1922: Open-topped coach
LUMBER TRUCKS
The Munich-based building company Stöhr became one of MAN’s very first customers.
In order to navigate tight curves, the driver’s assistant also had to muster all available power
to help turn the steering wheel. Occasionally, another passenger rode along on the vehicle’s
rear end – the trailer – to support the braking process.
1916: Lumber truck
1922: Semi-trailer truck
TRACTOR-TRAILERS
MAN manufactured the first tractor-trailers
as early as 1921/22.
1921: Rotating tipper 2016: TGS
MUNICIPAL VEHICLES
As early as 1915, MAN supplied a sewage truck
to the city of Nuremberg – namely a 4-tonner with
30 hp. Numerous repeat orders followed, primarily
for refuse collection trucks and road sprinklers
(below), the predecessors of today’s sweepers.
FIRE ENGINES
MAN already supplied fire trucks back in 1916.
Among other orders, eight fire engines went to
Munich’s professional fire brigade, while six were
delivered to the city’s volunteer firefighters.
1915: Brewery truck
CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES
MAN’s truck plants introduced their first rotating
tipper as early as 1921 (above). Drivers could
operate the tipper without leaving their seat – a true
innovation. Today, MAN offers a complete range of
construction truck series, including the TGE, TGL,
TGM, TGS (right) and TGX.
1918: Road sprinkler
1921: Fire engine
BEER TRANSPORTERS
Breweries were some of the first enterprises to
transition from horse-drawn carriages to trucks,
which allowed them to commence with transregional
delivery. Renowned companies, such as Munich’s
breweries Augustiner (above), Paulaner and
Löwenbräu, were among the first customers of MAN.
06
07

01 / 2017
Picture-book
family
41
tonnes
total weight is how much the MAN TGX
and the MAN TGS are permitted to carry.
They hereby cover the heaviest transport
segment.
Commercial vehicles by
MAN are deployed in
almost every business
area. Be it construction,
technology or equipment:
The truck family is flexible
enough to cover a vast
range of customer needs.
An overview.
Find the entire MAN truck family
at a glance under
> www.truck.man/series-overview
Upon introducing the MAN TGE at
the 2016 IAA Commercial
Vehicles trade show, MAN
expanded its product portfolio,
thus becoming a full-range
provider of commercial vehicles
and covering all weight classes. It begins with
light commercial vehicles with 3.0 tonnes of
permissible total weight and ranges up to
41-tonners for use in the heavy-duty transport
segment. Depending on configuration and deployment,
this allows for an overall gross combination
weight of up to 250 tonnes. Thus, MAN
trucks are suitable for a most diverse range of
applications – whether in long-distance
transport, in construction or in distribution
traffic, and wherever special trucks are needed.
The performance
artist: MAN TGX
With its powertrain trimmed for efficiency
and performance, the TGX delivers heavyduty
performance every day. This transport
professional is especially competent in longdistance
transport, easily handles ascents and
reaches high transport speeds even on tough
routes. Its proficiency is ensured by the supplemental
range of six-cylinder rail engines,
optional with a range of 360 hp to 640 hp. In
addition to lightweight components and aerodynamic
solutions, assistance systems simultaneously
minimise fuel consumption. In
2016, the TGX EfficientLine 3 proved this yet
again: In the latest model generation, the
anticipatory GPS-controlled EfficientCruise
speed control also manages the EfficientRoll
freewheel mode, thereby saving even more
fuel. The new MAN TGX thus sets the
benchmark for the greatest transport efficiency,
reliability and economy. Furthermore, the
new TG series from MAN offer the best ergonomics
for drivers. The driver’s cabs for longdistance
transport, for example, stand out
with perfect comfort for living and sleeping.
A broad range of configurations with
various wheelbases, and different coupling
heights for variable Eurotrailers and volume
trailers, allows this performance artist to
handle every transport task flexibly. Read
about how TGX trucks transport DTM race
cars – along with their entire workshops – to
their race track venues, on page 12.
© Ben Poser
The top achiever: MAN TGS
The MAN TGS shoulders quite a load: It serves tinuous damping control for roll stabilisation
in continuous operations for heavy distribution,
municipal and construction deploy-
centre of gravity, such as swap body trucks or
is also available for vehicles with a high
ment as well as national and near-border timber transporters.
long-distance transport. The transport sector
relies on the MAN TGS when heavy-duty
loads such as timber, bricks and much more
must be reliably hauled to their destinations.
In Indonesia, for example, the national
mineral oil company Pertamina deploys TGS
rigs to supply fuel to petrol stations. The
efficient powertrain with the new six-cylinder
common-rail diesel engines delivers up
to 500 hp and makes it possible to save the
maximum amount of fuel. Transport safety
also plays an important role in the MAN TGS:
It is available with an Electronic Stability
Programme (ESP), Adaptive Cruise Control
(ACC), Lane Guard System (LGS) and
Emergency Brake Assist (EBA). An active con-
08
09

01 / 2017
The powerhouse:
MAN TGM
Thanks to its first-class load capacity,
economy and reliability, the MAN TGM is an
established player in medium-duty traction
and distribution transport. The common-rail
D08 engine with high output density
installed in the trucks of this class is available
with 250 hp to 340 hp, depending on the
vehicle’s weight class. Wherever special crosscountry
mobility is needed, the TGM
two-axle vehicles, which come in 13-tonne
and 18-tonne total weight versions, can
clearly show off their attributes: Due to their
all-wheel drive, they can handle nearly any
surface. Deployed on construction sites – for
example, as a three-way tipper or skip loader,
equipped with a loading crane, or as a
concrete mixer truck – its frame with its
maximum lightweight construction is
extremely stable and weight-bearing. It
comes as no surprise that TGM trucks are
also used by many fire brigades – including
in the Turkish port city of Izmir, where firefighting
crews head out with two TGM trucks
that are outfitted with state-of-the-art
equipment (starting on page 16).
The athlete: MAN TGE
Transporters for the light-duty segment were
still missing from MAN’s portfolio – until the
autumn of 2016, that is. At last year’s IAA
Commercial Vehicles trade show in Hanover,
the TGE was introduced for the weight
category from 3.0 to 5.5 tonnes, thus closing
the gap and rendering MAN a full-range
provider. The newcomer is produced in
Września, Poland, in a recently built, ultramodern
plant (report starting on page 32),
which was designed for a wide range of
variants. The TGE comes with a choice of four
diesel engines with an output of 102, 122, 140
and 177 hp and, depending on the total permissible
weight, three different types of
drive: front-wheel, all-wheel and rear-wheel
drive. In addition, there are also two wheelbases,
three roof heights, three vehicle
lengths and various body designs. Depending
on the combination, the delivery van offers a
maximum cargo volume of 18.3 cubic metres.
This very generous storage room is accompanied
by high load reserves. Consequently, the
transporter is not only suitable for use in distribution
transport and building craft, but
also useful for trade and passenger transport.
3.0
tonnes
total weight is how much the light MAN
TGE covers. It is the smallest member of
the truck family.
The agile one:
MAN TGL
Because of their short wheelbases, the trucks
in the TGL series are extraordinarily flexible
and can handle even the tightest turns in
inner cities. The 7.5- to 12-tonners can also
handle transport tasks in densely built-up
areas, and have therefore become popular allrounders
for use in municipalities, in trade
and business, in construction, and especially
in classic distribution transport. They can be
configured precisely for each area of deployment,
be it as a road salt vehicle, refrigerated
transporter or beverage truck with a low
loading edge. They combine maximum
payload with high loading capacity, low fuel
consumption and simple handling. This is
ensured by the powerful D08 engines with
150 hp to 250 hp. The four- and six-cylinder
trucks can also be optionally equipped with
the comfortable, automated TipMatic gearbox
with integrated EasyStart. How the TGL
performs reliably in regional distribution
transport, is explained as of page 28.
© Ben Poser
10
11

12
POLE
01 / 2017
How do DTM cars journey to the race track?
With trucks made by MAN. At least the racers
competing for the racing team Audi Sport
Team ABT Sportsline, based in southern
Germany, do. We went along for the ride, from
the workshop in Kempten to Hockenheim.
Right off, it will become quite a
squeeze again. The man behind
the wheel of the Audi race car is
completely focused – as this
spot is about mere centimetres.
Speed is not what matters today,
however, but rather the most finely honed of
skills. The DTM season finale on Germany’s
famous Hockenheimring is coming up shortly
and preparations are in full swing in the
enormous hall of the Audi Sport Team ABT
Sportsline racing team. The cars must be
moved from the workshop in Kempten,
located in the Allgäu region in southern
Germany, to the race track. As Mattias Ekström,
an Audi legend in the DTM and an all-rounder
in motor racing, is absent due to competing in
the rallycross championships, only four cars
polished to a glossy shine are being loaded this
time around – namely those driven by teammates
Miguel Molina, Edoardo Mortara, Nico
Müller and Mike Rockenfeller. With open tailboards,
four equally buffed silver TGX 18.480
trailers stand waiting for their precious cargo.
CLEANLINESS IS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR in
the DTM universe. “No team would ever
dream of showing up with a dirty car or an
unwashed truck,” says Johannes Riedmüller,
Head of Fleet and Logistics for Audi Sport
Team ABT Sportsline. Riedmüller makes sure
that materials from the workshop in Kempten
aren’t just clean but also complete when they
arrive at the race course – ranging from the
screwdrivers to spare parts and tires up to the
cars themselves. “We require fully equipped
workshops in the pit lane,” he explains. In
handling this mammoth logistical task, he
© Guenther Bayerl
POLE POSITION
13

„
floor”
01 / 2017
We transport entire workshops,
and it’s a herculean task.”
Johannes Riedmüller, Head of Fleet and Logistics for Audi Sport Team ABT Sportsline
Precision work: The trailer
on the MAN TGX is barely
wider than the Audi race car.
relies on his team members, his decade of
expertise – and on trucks made by MAN.
During Germany’s Deutsche Tourenwagen
Masters (DTM) tournament, the three car
manufacturers Audi, BMW and Mercedes are
competing for the title with a total of 10 teams
and 24 drivers. Over the course of the season’s
nine racing weekends, the vehicles are
serviced and repaired if necessary in the
teams’ workshops. Each team has its own
“Official Truck Supplier” for transport. The
managers of Audi Sport Team ABT Sportsline
collaborate with MAN. On this late morning in
mid-October, Riedmüller’s 12-member team
has already pushed powerful flight cases and
metal boxes the size of refrigerators into the
TGX trailer. These are followed by stacks of
tires, the motor scooter and e-bikes for the
drivers, spare parts, rims, tools, ladders, cable
spools, brooms. Altogether, 70 cubic metres of
materials have vanished into each truck.
Now the great moment has arrived and it
is time to load the race car: Four men finesse
an Audi racer onto the powerful hydraulic lift
behind the trailer. The mechanic behind the
wheel steers and brakes while the others
manoeuvre it forwards and backwards. How
the RS 5 is raised upwards by the strong
hydraulic lift into what is basically the “upper
Final sprint: The TGX carries
its precious cargo into the pit
lane at the Hockenheimring.
Piece by piece:
Within just a short
while, a complete
workshop emerges
from the trailer.
© Guenther Bayerl
Best outlook: The driver’s
cab of the TGX truck is
equipped with every amenity.
Successful trio:
Ekström, ABT and MAN
THE SWEDISH RACE CAR DRIVER Mattias
Ekström has been racing for the Audi Sport
Team ABT Sportsline in the Deutschen
Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) tournament
since 2001. With his two DTM titles from
2004 and 2007, he is viewed as one of the
world’s best touring car racers and also is
the most senior and successful Audi driver
in the DTM. For more than 20 years, the
Audi Sport Team ABT Sportsline outfit has
depended on the reliable MAN trucks to
transport its valuable race cars.
of the trailer looks awfully risky. Such
an undertaking requires millimetre precision.
As the trailer is not wide enough, the driver’s
side door of the race car has been removed.
Once having arrived on top, the car is pushed
into the narrow cargo space and lashed into
place with tension belts. This action is
repeated three more times until all Audi cars
are stored in the trucks and readied for their
journey to the race track.
Logistics expert Riedmüller – who is also
one of the truck drivers – climbs into his TGX
vehicle and starts the engine. Astonishingly,
the 480-hp motor is barely audible in the
driver’s cab. In fact, it is surprisingly comfortable,
if not even cosy inside the cab. Installed
behind the driver’s seat is a comfortable
sleeping cot along with adequate storage space
and reading lights for the driver and assistant.
“There are certainly worse places to work,”
Riedmüller says with a laugh, before setting
off in his truck. About 300 kilometres lie
between ABT headquarters in Kempten and
his destination, the race track in Hockenheim,
located in the state of Baden-Württemberg.
THICK LAYERS OF FOG are rolling over the
Hockenheimring this morning. The trucks of
every team stand assembled on a large field
next to the switchback, including the four
silver-grey MAN trucks servicing the ABT
Sportsline stable. Work begins at 10:00 a.m.
sharp. The first trucks head across the home
straight to the sponsored Ravenol curve, then
turning into the pit lane. The loading crew
members are still in a relaxed mood, sharing
wisecracks with colleagues on the other
teams. Then things get started. Riedmüller
stands in front of one of the two ABT pits and
waits for the first truck. The tailboards open,
and in no time the men are carrying the hard
boxes, stacks of tires, rims, tools and spare
parts to their designated places. The cars are
covered by fabric tarps. As soon as they have
rolled off the truck ramp, they’re pushed into
the pit. “We try to limit any opportunity for
other teams to discover what might be new or
different about the vehicle as much as
possible,” explains Riedmüller. After all, the
Audi Sport Team ABT Sportsline still has
every chance on the last DTM racing day. In
less than three hours, the trucks are emptied
and the workshop has been readied in the
Audi pit. Johannes Riedmüller can take a deep
breath. He and his crew have created the
perfect setting for a successful racing
weekend. “Now it is up to the others to win,”
he says with a smile.
Pit stop: Speed and
precision are also critical
when unloading the race
cars and equipment.
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01/2017
Inspection: Kansu
Ozurtürk checks
his equipment
before climbing
one of the ladders.
Close and personal: The
fire brigade even advances
to the historic clock tower
in the heart of the city.
Strong presence: Whenever needed,
the two fire trucks will be on the scene
anywhere in the port city.
The fire brigade serving Izmir in Turkey is experiencing a push for modernisation.
This includes Rosenbauer fire trucks based on MAN chassis and equipped with the latest
technology. They offer firefighters the sometimes decisively critical factor: time.
LIFE-
SAVERS
© Monique Jaques
N
ever losing faith is the most important
thing. “Firefighters will
maintain hope until the end,”
says Serdar Yücel, Captain of the
Izmir Fire Brigade. There are 130
people working here, with 80 of
them on active service and the others engaged
in administrative duties.
Sirens wail. Volkan Salgut, Kansu Ozurtürk,
Asli Oskay and four other emergency personnel
sprint across the courtyard to the fire
truck. The MAN TGM 18.290 is among the most
advanced of its kind, a 290-hp 18-tonner designed
for six firefighters. Their duties are
clearly defined: Salgut is the driver and, once
on site, operates the pumps to fill the hoses
with water or foam. Team leader Ozurtürk coordinates
the individual tasks. The staff of four
in the crew compartment are the firefighters.
As respirators and breathing air bottles are installed
in their back rests, they can be easily
donned during the journey just like a backpack
– and the firefighters are able to walk through
fire with breathing equipment. The truck rear
holds reservoirs of water and foam, a power
generator, and a multitude of tools, including
chainsaws, jet pipes and hoses. A second vehicle
transports four more firefighters and carries
a ladder on the roof that can extend up to
32 metres. This makes even higher-up flats ac-
„
cessible for the firefighting crew. Together, the
two vehicles make the perfect combination
for deployment. Salgut takes off, with the second
vehicle in his wake.
IZMIR IS INDEED NOT AN EASY PLACE for a fire
brigade. With four million residents, Turkey’s
third-largest city is built around a bay. Residential
buildings rise steeply from the sea to
the slopes, and the streets are narrow and
winding. Since the economic boom in the
2000s, the number of cars has multiplied exponentially.
The result is heavy traffic, often
making it hard for the fire brigade to get
through. Due to modern technology, however,
the crew makes it to the deployment site faster
than before – much faster, actually. “We
once needed about 15 minutes to get from the
station to the call site,” says Yücel. “Nowadays
it takes between six and eight minutes.” Min-
Izmir
Izmir
Turkey
With more than four million residents,
Izmir is the third-largest city in Turkey
and the capital of Izmir Province. The
metropolis on the Aegean coast in the
Gulf of Izmir is also home to the nation’s
second-largest harbour, behind Istanbul.
We reach the
call site in six to
eight minutes.”
Serdar Yücel, Captain of Izmir’s fire brigade
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01/2017
Urban traffic: The vehicles don’t always
find such clear roads, but must often fight
their way through traffic instead.
Female pioneer: Emergency technician
Asli Oskay is still the only woman on Izmir’s
fire brigade. For now, as modernisation
efforts are also underway here.
ternet presence, and virtual visitors to the
website are now greeted by a group of women
in uniform. That doesn’t quite match reality:
Asli Oskay is the only female staff member not
working in administration. “Yet the numbers
are growing,” says the 22-year-old emergency
medical technician.
SERDAR YÜCEL IS ALSO INVESTING in new
equipment, including two MAN TGM-series
trucks equipped with state-of-the-art technology.
“At the same time, these vehicles offer the
best price-to-performance ratio,” says Bülent
Tosun, chief of fire operations. Important features
include the 290 hp and the automatic
Just one button: The built-in pump
is easy to operate and delivers
3,500 litres of water per minute.
utes can mean lives. The goal is to get to an
emergency in no more than five minutes.
Yücel, formerly department chief in charge
of maritime affairs at the municipality, assumed
his position at the fire brigade four
years ago. At that time, the mayor was seeking
an individual with a strong vision, someone he
could trust to modernise Izmir’s fire brigade.
Yücel first travelled to Austria, Germany and
then Finland to learn from colleagues there.
“One problem is that Turkey has hardly any
voluntary fire brigades,” says the 53-year-old.
“In addition, many young people shy away
from the hard work hours and the relatively
low pay earned by professional firefighters.” In
Izmir, the team works in 24-hour shifts with
48 hours in between. The long-term plan is to
allow a 72-hour break, as is customary practice
in other countries. Employees earn a monthly
salary of around €1,000. To promote his profession,
Yücel modernised the fire brigade’s In-
© Monique Jaques
drive. “This accelerates the journey, and I can
focus on other things,” says Salgut. While one
electronic control panel next to the dashboard
indicates the filling levels of extinguishing fluids,
another connects the vehicle to the communication
system. The manufacturer Rosenbauer
provides both the structure and the
entire firefighting technology. Yücel is also
proud of the risk management system. An interactive
map shows call probabilities based on
empirical data. On it, he can also see the two
vehicles that have reached the motorway
headed towards the coast and are now stuck in
traffic. “Unfortunately, Turkish drivers are still
not taught how to form an emergency lane,”
says Salgut. That eats up time. With the help of
blaring sirens, the vehicles can advance only
slowly. Kansu Ozurtürk, the senior firefighter
in the group with 16 years of experience, emphasises
that while traffic used to be better, today
the vehicles are much improved: “Because
of modern technology, we can use the pumps
more quickly, so we save precious minutes at
the call site.”
The team heads out about five times each
day. Half of the calls relate to putting out fires.
“Buildings in Izmir are often more than 40
years old and outdated,” says Yücel. “That
makes houses susceptible to fires.” The rest of
the calls are traffic accidents, suicide attempts
and stray pets.
After just over seven minutes, the two vehicles
reach the destination of their training
call, Izmir’s famous clock tower. Children immediately
surround the team while their parents
take photos. “The nicest part of this job is
that you get so much back,” says Yücel, before
he tells us the story of two brothers, who one
day came up with the questionable idea of
searching for treasure in an old well. Once the
two men in their mid thirties had dug down to
about 10 metres, the walls of the well suddenly
collapsed. Hundreds of rocks buried one of the
brothers. For two days, the fire brigade removed
them, one by one. The man’s family
stood at the accident site, crying, hoping,
doubting. After 48 hours, they heard the brittle
voice of the buried man. Two days later, he
was freed. “That was an indescribable feeling,”
says Yücel.
Obviously, daily routine isn’t always that
dramatic. “We’re also often called to rescue
cats that climbed up too tall a tree and are
afraid to come back down,” says Kansu. Even
here, a firefighter must never give up hope.
„We save precious
minutes thanks to
modern equipment.”
Kansu Ozurtürk, firefighter in Izmir
MAN fire trucks are deployed around the
world – such as at Munich’s airport:
> www.truck.man/airport-fire-brigade
18
19

01 / 2017
On the road with
the green
business hauler
the side of the cabs and an intense green
overall paint job.
The company was established back in 1961
and still proudly remains a family-run firm
today. As Parry & Evans has enjoyed continuous
expansion, each new management generation
contributed to innovations that have
resulted in steady growth.
“These new vehicles will be put to work
across the country, and with MAN we know
our drivers will be happy – essential in daily
operations,” observed Lee Evans, Operations
Director at Parry & Evans. “The cabs are
spacious and comfortable, and from a
business perspective they are both economical
and reliable.” The recycling company took
out the full repair and maintenance contracts
on all vehicles and found the A. N. Richards
dealership to be very helpful throughout the
process. The choice fell on interim rental
vehicles using the spot-hire package.
MAN sales executive Chris Clee said: “It is
indeed a credit to MAN that customers like
Parry & Evans show such loyalty to the MAN
brand. The trucks will look fantastic on the
road, as the design is truly eye-catching.”
Vehicle information
MODEL
TGS 26.400 6x2-2 BL
With rear steering axle
CAB
M day
ENGINE
D2676LF 6-cylinder
12.4-litre
POWER
400 hp at 1,800 rpm
TORQUE 1,900 Nm at 930–1,400 rpm
“TopTorque”
GEARBOX MAN Tipmatic 12 Speed
SUSPENSION
Steel/air
WHEELBASE 4,200 mm + 1,350 mm
Rear bogie spread
PLATED WEIGHT
44,000 kg GTW
Premier recycling company Parry & Evans expands
its service fleet with MAN Truck & Bus UK vehicles.
Becoming colours: The striking
company colours and logo
emphasise identity and image.
Seeking to meet rising demand in
services due to growing environmental
awareness, recycling
specialist Parry & Evans ordered
seven MAN vehicles of different
series from MAN Truck & Bus
UK. Based in Welshpool, eastern Wales, the
paper and cardboard recycling company has
been in business for more than 50 years and
has grown into one of the leading recycling
companies in the UK.
With the addition of three new MAN TGS
26.400 6X2-2 BL trucks, an MAN TGX 26.480
6X2-2 BLS, as well as three MAN TopUsed
vehicles, including two MAN TGX 26.440 XLX
tractor units, Parry & Evans now operates
more than 25 vehicles in their fleet.
All trucks will be decked out in the rather
striking company design of Parry & Evans,
which features a large red Welsh dragon on
Vehicle information
MODEL
TGX 26.480 6x2/2 BLS
CAB
XLX sleeper
Air-management kit
ENGINE
D2676LF 6-cylinder
12.4-litre
POWER
480 hp at 1,800 rpm
TORQUE 2,300 Nm at 930–1,400 rpm
“TopTorque”
GEARBOX MAN Tipmatic 12-speed
SUSPENSION
Steel/air
WHEELBASE
2,600 mm
Rear bogie spread
PLATED WEIGHT
44,000 kg GTW
With MAN, we know that our
drivers are happy. That is essential
in daily operations.”
Lee Evans, Operations Director, Parry & Evans
© Xxxxxxx name Xxxxx
20
21

01 / 2017
Concrete order boost for
MAN in Northern Ireland
Based in Enniskillen, Northern
Ireland, and one of the largest
precast concrete manufacturers
in the UK as well as Ireland,
Tracey Concrete received three
new MAN TGS 35.440 8x4 vehicles
fitted with Liebherr mixers from MAN
Truck & Bus UK to join its ready-mix fleet.
The company required particularly sturdy,
enduring and reliable vehicles, and MAN‘s
portfolio provided just the right product.
“We operate a fleet of approximately
30 trucks, and half of our more recent additions
are manufactured by MAN,” said company
manager Anton Tracey. “We specifically
opted for the MAN TGS and the 8x4 spec
because we were looking for a vehicle with a
strong chassis. They will be delivering
ready-mix concrete and flow screed to local
sites with rough, hilly terrain, and the 440
engine is ideally suited for this.”
The specialised vehicles were purchased
due to a company expansion, and also in order
to rejuvenate the fleet of Tracey Concrete.
The cab trucks are powered by
Off to rough terrain:
The MAN TGS 8x4s can
tackle the hard jobs.
D2676LF 6-cylinder 12.4-litre engines with
an output of 440 hp, and feature manual
transmissions and steel suspensions.
Brian Beattie, MAN area sales manager,
added: “Tracey Concrete is a well-known
company, and we are glad to deliver vehicles
that can meet their exacting requirements.
While the trucks will certainly be put to the
test out there, we are very confident that
they will stand up to the tough challenges
ahead and deliver on the efficiency as well
as quality that MAN is known for.”
Vehicle information
MODEL:
TGS 35.440 8x4 BB
CAB:
M day cab
ENGINE:
D2676LF 6-cylinder
12.4-litre
POWER:
440 hp at 1,800 rpm
TORQUE: 2,100 Nm at 930–1,400 rpm
GEARBOX:
16S223 Manual OD
SUSPENSION:
Steel/steel
WHEELBASE:
3,205 mm
PLATED WEIGHT: 32,000 kg GVW
Spotlight of recognition
on MAN aftersales
THE MAN TRUCK & BUS UK dealership located in
Preston once again assisted the HPH Group, a
Lancashire-based warehousing and distribution
company, in meeting vehicle fleet needs.
The haulage expert placed an order for a total
of ten MAN TopUsed TGX 26.440s with XLX
cabs with the MAN specialist in Preston and
began 2017 with an order for yet another one.
Specialising in warehousing and distribution,
the HPH Group currently operates 97 vehicles,
with 95% of its fleet being composed of
MAN. They are a mixture of newly owned,
MAN TopUsed and rental vehicles and range
from 7.5-tonners to 44-tonners.
Steve Sugden, General Manager of the HPH
Group, explains: “We have gone with MAN for
a long time and we know they are competitive
and offer a good product, but for us it is the
aftersales service that makes us return. The
service is truly second to none, and we have
never had a problem. We have the new vehicles
on a repair and maintenance contract,
and the MAN TopUsed are maintained by our
own workshop facility, which is only about
three miles from MAN Preston. Everything
from the supply of parts through to the support
we receive is excellent.”
Matt Neal, MAN sales executive, added: “MAN
has a very strong relationship with the HPH
Group, and that is primarily due to the products
and services MAN Truck & Bus UK can
offer. The fact that they repeatedly return to
MAN highlights our apparent capability to
meet their requirements, whether they are
looking for MAN TopUsed or new trucks.”
MAN moves
logistics expert
New TGX Euro 6c models join vehicle fleet of
supply chain service provider in central UK.
Located in Northamptonshire, in
the so-called Golden Triangle for
rapid distribution throughout the
UK, the transport specialist Route
Logistics adds six new MAN TGX
26.500 Euro 6c trucks to its fleet.
The family-run company placed an order for
the tractor units after experiencing a demo
vehicle at its Rockingham base.
Route Logistics Ltd is a family-owned
business established in 2005 by its current
Managing Director Paul Clifton. It operates a
fleet of 25 units and 15 trailers, which are based
at Rockingham Motor Speedway near Corby.
Route Logistics has grown significantly over
just the past 12 to 18 months, and needs to
meet the growing demand, says Amanda
Wells, Financial Director at Route Logistics:
“Due to our diversifying into different market
sectors, growth within the general haulage
and tramping activities of our business
resulted in considering the option for a
greater specification vehicle, and the MAN
TGX 26.500XXL seemed the ideal fit. We
initially agreed on taking three units, but
positive results from the demonstrator soon
led to us increasing that order to six.”
Chris Robinson, Transport Operations
Director at Route Logistics, added: “The
miles-per-gallon figures of a vehicle this size
were indeed very impressive, with one driver
even managing a return of 11.77 mpg during
his shift. The drivers were very impressed
with the comfort of the ride, spacious interior
and the general performance of the TGX.”
Including the Microlise telematics system
and forward-facing/near-side look-down
cameras assist in supporting driver training
Vehicle details
MODEL
TGX 26.500 6x2/2 BLS
CAB
XXL Slp cab
ENGINE
D2676LF 6-cylinder
12.4-litre
POWER
500 hp at 1,800 rpm
TORQUE 2,500 Nm at 930–1,350 rpm
GEARBOX
Tipmatic 12-speed
SUSPENSION
Steel/air
WHEELBASE
2,600 mm
PLATED WEIGHT
44,000 kg GTW
and proper implementation of SAFED policies.
Route Logistics was particularly impressed by
the back-office support of MAN, as it was
clearly dedicated to creating an even more
efficient and compliant fleet to further
strengthen the capabilities of the logisticssupply-chain
expert.
Scott Munton, MAN Sales Executive, said:
“Route Logistics is a new customer for MAN,
but they have already been impressed with
the quality of our product and our offered
services. We were able to put together a highly
competitive package in terms of rental and
running costs, and they were happy to take a
two-year contract on the vehicles even before
they had operated the demo. Obviously, we
are delighted to have won Route Logistics
business and look forward to providing them
with unbeatable service in to the future.”
22
On the track to success: The supply chain company
Route Logistics is perfectly positioned for growth.
23

01 / 2017
MAN Bus & Coach hands
over the 400th NEOPLAN
Tourliner model to be
sold in the UK.
Small and spirited: Travel
operator Buckleys Tours was
happy to accept the
commemorative miniature.
Once again showcasing its
strong focus on customer
relations, the team at MAN
Bus & Coach UK made it a
memorable moment when
Buckleys Tours took delivery of
the 400th NEOPLAN Tourliner sold in the UK.
Wayne Ulph, General Manager of MAN Bus &
Coach UK, had arranged for a commemorative
miniature model, which was presented
on the occasion of holiday operator Buckleys
Tours receiving its NEOPLAN Tourliner Select
P21 model, the 400th NEOPLAN Tourliner
vehicle to be purchased in the UK market.
THE LANDMARK agreement had been made
at the Euro Bus Expo 2016 in Birmingham,
which MAN Bus & Coach registered as their
most successful exhibition to date. The
company secured 14 new sales as well as
signing a contract worth millions with the international
transport company Arriva.
Buckleys Tours, a family-run business
based in Doncaster, now has six NEOPLAN
Tourliners in its fleet. The holiday company
offers trips to both UK and European destinations,
as well as day trips, weekend and minitours.
Its latest addition to the fleet is a
Neoplan Tourliner Select P21 featuring 53 seats
and a DVD system with twin monitors, which
will be operating on a school contract. It is
fitted with emergency brake assist and lane
guard systems and powered by an MAN-made
D20 10.5l Euro 6 engine with 400 hp.
“We are honoured to be the customer who
purchased MAN’s 400th NEOPLAN Tourliner.
Slated for journeys across the UK and Europe,
it will go into service straight away,” observed
company manager Richard Buckley. He also
noted that the aftersales and support offered
by MAN was quite unparalleled and perfect for
his business, also when considering the outstanding
vehicle quality: “Our drivers are
proud to be behind the wheel of an MAN coach,
and our customers receive the quality travelling
experience they expect and deserve.”
“Selling our 400th Neoplan Tourliner
certainly presents a landmark in our sales
book. It is a marvellous testament to the MAN
brand that our customers have shown such
loyalty through the years, Buckleys being
among them,” said Wayne Ulph. “We look
forward to more success stories with NEOPLAN
down the road, as well as to the future launch
of the MAN TGE with so much potential for the
small-commercial-vehicles market.”
VIP treatment for
valued customer
Lined up for business: With its
groundbreaking pick-up
service, Buckleys has attracted
a very loyal customer base.
24
25

01 / 2017
Sweet new delivery
for distribution
Major transport player chooses MAN after securing
large, long-term contract for consignment.
Commercial vehicle manufacturer
MAN Truck & Bus UK recently
delivered 17 truck units to Bibby
Distribution as part of an order for
70 new vehicles commissioned
by the customer after securing a
new contract with Tangerine, the UK’s leading
independent sugar-confectionery supplier.
A subsidiary of the internationally active
Bibby Line Group, long-time MAN customer
Bibby Distribution purchased the MAN TGX
26.460 Euro 6c commercial vehicles as part of
the company’s fleet expansion and renewal
programme, which resulted in an order of
70 MAN trucks being handed over to Bibby
Distribution from February to April, 2017.
The company has more than 2,000
employees and over three decades of experience
in industrials, paper and packaging,
consumer, and food and drink distribution;
warehousing; and other value-added support
services. It operates in more than 90 locations
across the UK, with its fleet of 650 vehicles
and 1,500 trailers travelling tens of millions of
miles every year to meet customer demands.
Remaining a family-owned business, the
corporate Bibby Line Group looks back on a
200-year heritage and is active in a wide range
of industries, including financial and offshore
services, as well as retail and logistics.
Emphasising the long-standing relationship
with MAN, Adam Purshall, who oversees
the Bibby Distribution fleet, said: “Obviously,
we have been supporters of MAN vehicles for
quite some time, with 450 units currently
utilised in our fleet. We have found that time
and time again, MAN has not just met, but
rather exceeded, our requirements and
delivered the most in terms of reliability,
uptime and fuel economy. We enjoy an
excellent relationship with MAN and adopted
a flexible, true-partnership approach.”
Bibby Distribution especially appreciates
the seamless interaction with both the MAN
dealer network as well as after-sales support,
which strives to deliver very competitive
value to MAN’s customers throughout the
operational cycle of any vehicle. The TGX Euro
6 in question has already been well-proven
and established in Bibby’s fleet, with a high
specification in line with the company’s operational
demands. This meant that a flexible
contract through MAN Rental with excellent
reliability, improved fuel efficiency and
excellent driver acceptance made it a natural
choice for the distribution expert.
“We not only always take a full repair and
maintenance package from MAN, but also use
the entire dealer network across the UK. With
such widespread operations, it is key that
dealers are located in the right places and our
vehicles maintain the very best safety and
maintenance standards with a focus on maximising
uptime and technology,” said Purshall.
MAN key account manager Neil Waters,
who spearheaded the agreement, said: “Bibby
Distribution is a long-time MAN customer,
and we consider it a credit to our brand that
they have remained so loyal. The price and
package have obviously measured up, and we
are confident that the performance of the
TGX will continue to speak for itself in future.”
Vehicle information
MODEL
TGX 26.460 6x2/2 BLS
CAB
XLX Slp cab
ENGINE
D2676LF 6-cylinder
12.4-litre
POWER
460 hp at 1,800 rpm
TORQUE 2,300 Nm at 930–1,350 rpm
GEARBOX MAN Tipmatic 12-speed
SUSPENSION
Steel/air
WHEELBASE
2,600 mm
PLATED WEIGHT
44,000 kg GTW
Ready to roll: A key company in
terms of consignment and goods
transport, Bibby Distribution
relies on MAN trucks.
Sweet dreams are made of
this: MAN trucks distribute the
goodies throughout the UK.
26
27

01 / 2017
The man for fragile things:
Peter Unertl and his forwarding
company carry white goods
safely to the customer.
Passionate driver: Calm and
collected, Stefan Hauf enjoys being
on the road with his TGL truck.
Carry on with
caution
The haulage company Unertl, based in Munich, specialises
in the delivery of delicate household appliances.
Managing the family business in its third generation,
the owner still rides the forklift every day.
© Stefan Hobmaier
Early in the morning, the trucks are
lined up along the loading ramps
installed in the courtyard of the
Unertl forwarding firm. Oversized
images of dishwashers displayed
on the side panels of the MAN
trucks reveal which kind of cargo is being loaded
here. While many trucks carry the greencoloured
lettering of Siemens, the main customer,
there’s no sign of a specific Unertl logo
anywhere. “We don’t need any advertising,
everyone knows us,” shrugs laid-back owner
Peter Unertl. Throughout its nearly 60-year
history, his family-owned company has earned
a reputation for delivering electrical appliances.
Customers like Bosch Siemens Hausgeräte
know that their sensitive merchandise will
not only arrive quickly and reliably, but also –
most importantly – in undamaged condition.
While Unertl himself is already on site before
five in the morning, manoeuvring the
forklift to unload deliveries, the workday for
his drivers begins just before six. Stefan Hauf,
wiry and wearing grey glasses, is the first to
sort through the bills of delivery that have
been allocated to him. “First I count all the appliances,”
he says. Today, he’s assigned to take
over the Fürstenfeldbruck route again. “The
drivers run their routes every day,” explains
Unertl. Thus, they know the access routes, possible
places to stop and opening times from
the inside out.
NEXT DOOR IN THE WAREHOUSE, music from
the radio provides the right mood. Bustling
and focused, the drivers walk past the rows of
appliances stacked high and gather their
goods. Recording every loaded unit, a scanner
beeps if somebody has mistakenly picked the
wrong refrigerator model. “This certainly is a
challenging job,” emphasises Unertl, “with lots
of lifting and being on your feet. The loading
„I’m certainly
satisfied with my
MAN truck, and
I’ll stick with it.”
Stefan Hauf, driver
2828
29

01 / 2017
process is the most strenuous bit.” Dressed in
neon-yellow fleece jackets, the men heave
washing machines of up to 100 kilograms, or
push three ovens stacked atop each other into
the truck via a hand barrow. Now begins what
Unertl refers to as “Tetris”, based on the video
game, where different shapes must be stacked
side by side or one above the other with as few
gaps as possible. “We can fit 54 appliances on a
truck,” works out the boss. Which means that
Stefan Hauf is short by one dishwasher. He unsuccessfully
walks up and down the rows several
times and checks with the dispatcher
once more. Finally, he’s relieved: the missing
item was found. Hauf loads it up and sets off
from the premises shortly after eight a.m.,
heading for the A99 motorway and his first
customer in Neuaubing.
BEHIND THE WHEEL OF HIS MAN TGL, the
37-year-old feels at home. “I really like sitting
behind the wheel,” acknowledges the family
man. “Even back when I was still a driving
novice, I practised every minute with the car.“
During the summer months, Hauf commutes
to work on his motorcycle. In his truck, he enjoys
the automatic drive, the GPS system and
his rear-view backup camera. “I’m certainly
satisfied, and I’ll stick with MAN,” he says.
Most of the 13 company trucks came from the
Munich-based manufacturer, and nearly all
comply with the Euro 6 standard. The preheating
system is also a welcome feature and
much appreciated on a morning with temperatures
of –14°C, when Hauf discovered a flat
tire just as he was trying to head out with a
fully loaded vehicle. “I spent an hour with a
colleague changing the tire,” he remembers.
He then relished leaving the icy cold and
climbing into his preheated cab.
Although he can already dispense with
half of his cargo when he arrives at the first
customer today, he has to wait. The unloading
ramp is occupied. Hauf remains unperturbed.
“Waiting is normal. It’s the opening hours that
create a bit of pressure,” he admits. Some receiving
departments close at lunchtime. The
wait is easily bridged with a little chat. “I have
a good relationship with our customers, and
we do enjoy sharing some jokes and laughter,”
relates Hauf. A trusting interaction with contractors
and customers is part of the company’s
philosophy. Some clients even leave their
keys with the forwarder to allow drivers to
make deliveries at any time. After a good half
an hour, Hauf once again leaves the customer’s
premises. The next two stops proceed quickly.
Two appliances are dropped off at a small electronics
store, another unit goes to a kitchen
studio in Freiham. There, Hauf must stop on
the road to do his unloading. A female motorist
rails at the blocked lane. Hauf is used to that
and not phased by it. “I like doing this job; otherwise
I wouldn’t have stuck with it for eight
years already,” he says. He particularly likes the
family atmosphere in the company. “We’re all
on a first-name basis and do share the occasional
merriment.” The boss, Peter Unertl, can
rely on many long-time colleagues, some of
whom have been with his company for decades.
“This actually goes beyond a mere employment
relationship and resembles more of
a friendship – through thick and thin,” says the
owner, who took over business operations
from his parents 11 years ago. The 52-year-old
still pitches in every day and knows exactly
how much work his people do. “I’m no pencilpusher,”
explains Unertl. He’s been on the road
himself since he was 18 and spent six of those
years handling private customer deliveries.
He’s witnessed quite a few scenes, such as the
customer whose refrigerator wouldn’t fit
through the kitchen door after all. “One would
assume that a tape measure isn’t that difficult
to handle,” remarks a slightly bemused Unertl.
He will certainly never forget one homeowner
who absolutely insisted on installing a deep
freezer in his cellar, even though it would not
fit through the stairwell. Ultimately, the man
grabbed hammer and chisel and energetically
worked on the staircase until the hauler crew
could carry the freezer downstairs.
It has become late morning during the
route of Stefan Hauf. After a large electronics
store in Germering, he’s now heading into the
countryside. At a tiny driveway to a carpenter’s
workshop in Gilching, the truck must manoeuvre
on the main road. Hauf uses a hand
truck to haul a refrigerator into the workshop
and then heads off to his last customer. It’s
still not yet noon when he turns back onto the
company premises and starts loading up for
„Our damage ratio
can be considered
practically zero.”
Peter Unertl, owner of the Unertl forwarding firm
© Stefan Hobmaier
First one to show up for work:
Company boss Peter Unertl
starts unloading deliveries in
the wee hours of the morning.
Diligent preparation:
The drivers take great
care in arranging the
goods for their routes.
his second route. He will still be en route for
half of the afternoon. Each day, the 28 employees
of Unertl deliver up to 1,600 electrical appliances.
A second, smaller business leg is salt,
– ranging from road and pickling salt to pretzel
salt for the Hofpfisterei baking company.
Business is good and “we keep growing,”
reports Unertl. Electrical appliance manufacturers
increasingly rely on specialist forwarders.
“Our damage ratio can be considered practically
zero,” says Unertl. He then adds, “We
handle very delicate merchandise. An electric
oven can cost about €1,000 and if set down a
little too hard, the glass pane is damaged.” So
such heavy appliances need to be handled not
just with power but also with great dexterity.
No problem for Hauf. In his former job he also
drove trucks, making customer deliveries for a
supermarket chain. Many people ordered beverages
and had them hauled upstairs. He
knows how to tackle a tough task. And how to
put on velvet gloves first.
Nonstop road trips: Every day, the forwarder delivers up to
1,600 electrical appliances, both in Munich and in its surroundings.
30
31

01 / 2017
In production: A floor
assembly and two side
walls – this “triple” will
become a TGE truck.
© MAN Truck & Bus
A
TGE is made up of roughly
3,000 parts,” observes Cezary
Tadej, who maintains such an
overview as Head of Assembly.
“Yet you can’t say how
many exactly, for it also depends
on precisely which model and how detailed
you count, down to the very last screw.”
Ultimately, however, it does not matter. For in
the end, every piece must be in its place. Yet
Cezary offers a jovial smile upon this comment,
as he knows about the quality that defines
“his” TGE. During the production process,
it passes through a veritable odyssey of
human and technical quality checks. Both the
gentle hands of women and the snappy timing
of robots assure the high quality standards of
this “small” MAN, which begins at the permitted
total weight of 3.0 tonnes. However, that is
just the beginning, for the 3.5-tonne version of
the vehicle offers for example a cargo capacity
of 1.5 tonnes. That creates a range of entirely
new options in daily work operations.
AT THE PLANT SITE, the production process
of the floor assembly already requires accuracy
to the decimillimetre and is checked repeatedly
by various “geometry stations”,
where automated lasers and digital cameras
measure exact alignments and positions, including
those of axle fixtures. “Even while the
floor assembly is constructed, it goes through
three of these so-called geo-stations, as we
call them here at the plant,” explains Frank
Schemmel, as the foundation of a new TGE is
being checked in the background.
Accompanied by the typical whirring
sound of industrial robots, lasers and cameras
are scanning every component dimension,
every angle, every radius – calibrating themselves
at regular intervals by means of globes
that are affixed next to the assembly line.
“While the side walls are being built, each
geo-station gets an additional two geo-stations,
for a total of nine,” explains Schemmel,
Head of Bodyshell Production. Meanwhile,
the welding robots are back at work in the
background: lifting, checking, welding.
Women are also found working in the
bodyshell construction area, something that
is completely normal in Września – even
From
tiny
to tall
By necessity, the first parts of an MAN TGE
are made of metal: stamped, formed and punched.
These metal sheets form the basis for building
the latest member of the MAN family.
As the TGE leaves the assembly line in Poland’s
Września, a visit offers some fascinating insights.
MAN’s future
talent: The
19-year-old
Piotr installs
instrument
panels into
the TGE.
32
33

01/2017
asked whether she feels at home here, she answers
with a widely smiled “Tak!” Her expression
certainly goes beyond a simple “yeah”.
It isn’t just the “spring chickens” who feel
fine in this TGE production plant. True MAN
veterans such as Robert Michalak and Marcin
Roszyk, who have been employed at MAN
since 2001 and 1998 respectively, also enjoy
working on an entirely new vehicle with the
characteristic lion on the front. “It’s really nice
to see our old and familiar logo,” admits
Marcin. “We used to build buses, and now we
build the TGE. They’re all part of the same
family, aren’t they?” The two were part of
Września from the get-go and, like many others,
lent their wealth of experience to the
plant. A good example of this is “horizontal assembly”,
where the new TGEs are lined up in a
row like cartridges in a belt, which facilitates
the assembly of bulky parts such as the roof
liner and the inner panelling. “If the vehicles
Jump start for Września: The two seasoned
MAN employees Robert Michalak (left) and
Marcin Roszyk shared their wealth of experience.
Glossy product of many industrious hands:
The Września plant creates about 3,000 jobs.
came one after another along the assembly
line, there would hardly be enough space to
manoeuvre these components into the loading
space. This way, however, it’s not a problem,”
explains Marcin. Once again, experience,
and the capacity to think outside the
box, proves tremendously useful.
„I have prospects here.
And responsibility!”
Ewelina Gèodek, Final Check for Body Construction at MAN’s Września plant
though it is a rather unusual phenomenon in
Poland. This might be due to the fact that
“KaRoBau”, the German term for body construction,
is known under the Polish name
“Spawalnia”, or “welding shop”. That sounds
like heavy industry, reminiscent of smelting
furnaces, dirt and noise – yet this gritty vision
is far removed from the TGE in its unfinished
state, where machinery handles the
hardest work.
Soon thereafter, the two side walls are attached
to the flooring assembly to create the
“triple” form. “In that moment, we’re defining
the body shape,” explains Frank Schemmel.
“Wheelbase, window, vehicle length – that’s
been determined here. All the other welding
work simply completes the structure.” A step
that now actually allows for the reference to a
“commercial vehicle”: Deliverable in three
lengths and three heights, the TGE already assumed
its identity at the very beginning,
without even the very first welding points.
© MAN Truck & Bus
3,000
individual
components
are installed in the MAN TGE. Each part
must meet the high quality standards of
the Września plant.
Quite a while later, when the body glides
toward completion, Ewelina Gèodek uses her
eyes and hands to check whether all of the
welding points are positioned correctly. She
has been working at the plant since 2016 and
was drawn there mainly because of the advancement
opportunities. “I have prospects
here,” she says with pleasure. “And I have responsibility!”
Observing her while working,
clearly affirms her statement. Always conducted
by a team of three, a close inspection
investigates the TGE body for around three
minutes. Professional routine now prevails
and the team works quickly through all the
areas. Upon team consultation, it is Ewelina
who gives the final approval for the body,
which only then may move on to the paint
shop. Perhaps the harmonious working climate
that is so tangible in this plant becomes
especially prevalent here: People rely on each
other, respect each other – and it is indeed
apparent that Ewelina enjoys her job. When
YOUNG PEOPLE such as Piotr Gréskowiak
can in turn learn from the “old hands”. At
merely 19, Piotr installs cockpits. This is his
very first job and he’s proud of it, particularly
because he comes from Września himself. “In
my family, we talk a lot about the plant and
how much it drives the city and the region forward.”
Assisted by a robotic arm controlled by
a joystick, he pushes the next instrument panel
into the TGE’s interior. It will be positioned
with millimetre precision, while his colleague
installs the corresponding cabling up front in
the engine compartment – within three minutes
and 25 seconds, everything is screwed
into place. No matter how routine the hand
movements are for Piotr, they are extremely
important to him, as he still lives at home.
“My work here is also a step towards my independence.
And I enjoy it,” he says with a shy
smile. The TGE standing in the background
also began with small metal pieces. Now that’s
what might be called development potential …
34
35

01/2017
Driving expertise is a must in the logging sector: Rugged
forest tracks and hard-to-secure loads demand a lot from vehicle
operators. In MAN ProfiDrive training programmes, they learn how
to handle these challenges even more proficiently.
Timber
tech
Secured correctly: An important part of
training is the topic of safeguarding cargo,
such as by utilising tension belts.
Fully focused, Benedikt Fuchs observes
the heavily laden 40-tonner
on the MAN testing grounds in
Munich-Karlsfeld, where drivers
practice accelerating up a steep
hill. In reverse, the truck slowly
moves up the rocky mound, and while gravel
spits out from underneath the heavy tires, the
trailer calmly glides uphill – due to the activated
MAN HydroDrive®. “We simply get a 100%
performance with this HydroDrive by MAN,”
comments Fuchs with appreciation, “while
competitors drop out at 70%.” As a native of
the mountainous Allgäu region in southern
Germany, he knows about difficult driving manoeuvres
in off-road terrain. He’s been working
in the logging industry for 35 years and now
runs the timber wholesaler Schneider & Söhne
in Isny. It is not unusual for trucks to get stuck
in the mountain forests of the Allgäu. Fuchs
also shows mobile-phone images of tippedover
trucks, before climbing into the driver’s
cab to handle the acceleration routine on the
off-road terrain with seasoned expertise. On
the adjacent asphalt track, a fully loaded timber
truck roars through a tightly spaced stretch of
pylons. On this day, Fuchs is one of 10 drivers
participating with their tractor-trailers in the
pilot training programme geared towards
short-log transport, which is conducted by
MAN ProfiDrive® at its testing grounds near
Munich. “This is a very special training and specifically
designed just for this industry,” explains
Rolf Lechner, Team Leader for the Training
department at MAN ProfiDrive, who
co-developed the new instruction course.
THE MAIN FOCUS is on driver safety, automotive
technology and securing cargo. Timber
truck drivers must master “very complex
techniques”, says Lechner, and this refers not
only to the newest technologies of MAN
Truck & Bus vehicles: The customer service
agent from Palfinger Epsilon offers information
about safe handling of the loading crane,
while a colleague from ExTe talks about the
operation of timber conveyor cars and the
loading safety systems of his company.
„We specifically
designed this
training for the
timber industry.”
Rolf Lechner, Team Leader Training at MAN ProfiDrive
© Max Kratzer
Self-assured in every situation:
With professional coaching,
drivers practise on ascents for
their challenging daily routines.
36
37

Satisfied participants: Benedikt Fuchs has been in
the logging business for 35 years, yet the Allgäu native is still
thrilled about the learning effect of the training programme.
Voll beladen: Um möglichst nah am Arbeitsalltag
zu sein, gehen die Holzfahrer mit ihren
eigenen Sattelzügen auf die Teststrecke.
Agile despite difficult cargo: Trucks loaded with timber have to
manoeuvre safely through the testing track. The high degree of
practical exercise is what distinguishes the MAN ProfiDrive training.
THE TRAINING DAY COMMENCES with a solid
two hours of theory. Afterwards, Lechner
points to the 128,000 square metres of testing
grounds. “That’s our playground today,” he
announces. By the afternoon, each participant
should have expanded his knowledge at four
stations. “This course is different due to the
high degree of practical exercise,” emphasises
Lechner. MAN ProfiDrive has been developing
drivers, driving instructors and professionals
for 35 years and now employs 140 trainers
around the world. “We train on average about
7,000 participants per year,” says Lechner.
The new training for timber-truck drivers
was developed in cooperation with UPM, one
of Europe’s largest paper manufacturers. “We
strove to design a course structure not known
before,” explains Andreas Meggendorfer,
Senior Manager Logistics & Shared Services
CEWS at UPM, and refers to the specifics of the
logging sector: constant driving in nearly
impassable terrains, sometimes even in
reverse over longer distances, the orientation
on forest trails, secure cargo loading and crane
operations. “Since all of that happens in the
woods, that individual is left to his or her own
devices. In addition, everything happens in
any kind of weather,” underlines the UPM
manager, noting that the drivers therefore
must possess excellent driving skills. More
than 100 transport companies in Germany
and Austria drive for UPM GmbH. Most of
them have been working for the subsidiary of
the Finnish UPM Group for many years, some
even in the fourth generation. “We enjoy a mature,
trusting relationship with our forwarders,”
says Meggendorfer.
The partnership with MAN is also not new.
MAN has been working alongside the paper
manufacturer for years, including at its conferences
for forwarders. “We share a similar
philosophy in terms of occupational safety as
well as the collaboration with our customers
and forwarders,” says Meggendorfer. MAN is
the “ideal partner with respect to competence
and coverage”, as the training is scheduled to
soon be offered in other locations.
Meggendorfer receives overwhelmingly
positive feedback from the pilot event, and
Benedikt Fuchs is also enthusiastic. “You can
learn a lot here, particularly about driver safety
and economics,” he says. Participants are
updated on the latest technology and can pick
up “a trick or two” along the way from the
trainers, points out the timber veteran.
Bus and coach drivers already benefit
from similar ProfiDrive courses and learn
how to respond confidently to any hazardous
situations. They hereby not only practice the
handling of fire extinguishers and drill the
evacuation of smoke-filled vehicle interiors,
but also intensify their first aid expertise.
Thorough instruction: No detail is left out in the
theoretical part, which comes first. Even the
indispensable tension belts receive much attention.
140
trainers
working for MAN ProfiDrive annually
train about 7,000 drivers, driving
instructors and professionals around
the world.
© Max Kratzer
Better Braking with Water.
The Aquatarder PWR
Economically and eco-friendly on the road: with the Voith Aquatarder PWR. The primary
continuous braking system uses the cooling water as operating medium and is therefore
maintenance-free. It performs up to 90% of all braking operations wear-free – which
reduces stays in the workshop.
As part of the MAN PriTarder braking system the Aquatarder PWR achieves high braking
outputs already at low speeds – with a weight of just 33 kg. All this makes it an ideal
continuous braking system for distribution and construction site vehicles, as well as for
combined use with the MAN HydroDrive.
www.voith.com
38

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