Wind of change - Mercedes-Benz España
Wind of change - Mercedes-Benz España
Wind of change - Mercedes-Benz España
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www.mercedes-benz.de | July 2009<br />
<strong>Mercedes</strong>-<strong>Benz</strong><br />
Unimog<br />
The magazine for multi-functional applications<br />
1|2009<br />
<strong>Wind</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>change</strong><br />
WIND POWER_Enercon, one <strong>of</strong> the leading<br />
manufacturers <strong>of</strong> power generation systems,<br />
relies on the Unimog road-railer system.<br />
DEMOPARK WITH THREE WORLD PREMIERES | FIELD ASSETS | CUSTOMERS SWEAR BY THE UNIMOG
Product Division Special-Purpose Vehicles<br />
04 Shining example_ Sales record<br />
New developments_ U 20 with enhanced technology<br />
05 News_ Another step into the future with Euro 5 / Innovative semitrailer rig / Once more: Unimog<br />
Change at the top_ “Ideal candidates”<br />
Road-railer<br />
06 <strong>Wind</strong> power_ <strong>Wind</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>change</strong> with ec<strong>of</strong>riendly drives<br />
Showtime<br />
10 Versatility_ Unimog expertise and three world premieres<br />
Energy industry<br />
12 Oil production_ Field assets<br />
Energy industry<br />
14 Pipework_ Lifelines for energy customers<br />
Technology<br />
16 Trailblazing_ Top <strong>of</strong> the class<br />
Contractors<br />
18 Plus points_ Customers swear by the Unimog<br />
Road-maintenance services<br />
20 Snow-clearing operations_ Start <strong>of</strong> spring on the Riedberg Pass<br />
Daimler Worldwide<br />
22 Bulk goods_ Technology leader<br />
Engine development_ Economical, powerful, reliable<br />
23 Shaping Future Transportation_ Hybrid tippers<br />
News_ Training programme, Canter for Vietnam<br />
Courier, express and parcel services_ On expansion course<br />
International<br />
24 Forest fires_ Blessed Unimog in the fight against fire<br />
History<br />
26 Museum_ 60 years <strong>of</strong> the Unimog and agriculture<br />
Publisher‘s data<br />
Publisher: Daimler AG, Product Division Special-Purpose Vehicles<br />
Responsible at publisher: Benjamin Syring, Product Division Special-Purpose Vehicles<br />
Editorial committee: Benjamin Syring, Marion Weisenburger, Thomas Bach, Dieter Mutard, Dieter Sellnau, Claws E. Tohsche<br />
Contributors to this issue:<br />
Texts and photographs: Dieter Mutard, Ute Risché, Henrik Morlock, Product Division Special-Purpose Vehicles<br />
Editorial <strong>of</strong>fice address: Daimler AG, Product Division Special-Purpose Vehicles,<br />
Sales and Marketing, D-76742 Wörth, Germany<br />
Production: Dieter Mutard DWM Pressebüro und Verlag, Söflinger Straße 100, D-89077 Ulm, Germany<br />
The publisher accepts no responsibility for unsolicited copy or photographs · The next issue will appear in autumn 2009<br />
Printed on paper bleached without chlorine · Printed in the Federal Republic <strong>of</strong> Germany<br />
06<br />
Cover story_ U 400 transports<br />
ENERCON rotor blades measuring<br />
over 40 m in length<br />
18<br />
20<br />
24
16<br />
UniMoG UniMoG 1 · 2009 1 · RuNNINghEaDER<br />
· 2009 · CONTENTS<br />
Technology<br />
groundbreaking_ The Unimog with<br />
BlueTec technology complies with the<br />
strictest <strong>of</strong> emission standards<br />
3
4 PRODuCT DIVISION SPECIal-PuRPOSE VEhIClES · UniMoG 1 · 2009<br />
U 20 with enhanced technology<br />
Barely two years after its launch, the Unimog U 20 compact implement carrier has benefited from further<br />
technical innovations aimed at enhancing ride comfort and widening the range <strong>of</strong> applications.<br />
NEW DEVElOPMENTS— The U 20 features a<br />
range <strong>of</strong> attractive technical modifications for<br />
2009. From the second quarter <strong>of</strong> this year onwards,<br />
the vehicles will also be available with<br />
a permissible GVW <strong>of</strong> 9.3 tonnes – in addition<br />
to the 7.5-tonne and 8-5-tonne load ratings. The<br />
corresponding axle loads – 4.8 tonnes front and<br />
rear – have each been increased by 200 kg to 5.0<br />
tonnes. The benefits to the user are obvious: the<br />
extra load – 200 kg per axle – is an advantage in<br />
terms <strong>of</strong> implement mounting as it extends the<br />
range <strong>of</strong> applications for the U 20 considerably,<br />
particularly in the case <strong>of</strong> snow-clearing operations,<br />
but also when it comes to agricultural, horticultural<br />
and landscaping work. In<br />
addition to this, the increase in gross weight<br />
makes the U 20 a viable option for fire brigades.<br />
Some fire-brigade bodybuilders have already<br />
started and completed projects based on the<br />
Sales record<br />
For the first time, annual unit sales <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Mercedes</strong>-<strong>Benz</strong> Econic have<br />
topped the 1500 mark. Vehicle number 1500 was handed over to<br />
“Die Stadtreiniger Kassel”.<br />
ShININg EXaMPlE— In its eleventh year <strong>of</strong><br />
production, the <strong>Mercedes</strong>-<strong>Benz</strong> Econic – the lowfloor<br />
vehicle for municipal, collection and distribution<br />
operations, drink suppliers, fire brigades,<br />
airports and tanker applications – has notched<br />
up a landmark success. Some 1500 models based<br />
on this innovative vehicle concept were sold<br />
in 2008. The Econic is the market leader in its<br />
segment and a role model in its competitive environment.<br />
Since the Econic premiered at the<br />
“Entsorga 1998” show, over 8000 vehicles have<br />
been supplied to customers in various sectors. By<br />
way <strong>of</strong> example, the town <strong>of</strong> Kassel in northern<br />
Hesse has switched to the <strong>Mercedes</strong>-<strong>Benz</strong> Econic<br />
for all <strong>of</strong> its waste-disposal vehicles. With a per-<br />
U 20 platform. The second new development concerns<br />
ride comfort in the <strong>Mercedes</strong>-<strong>Benz</strong> Unimog<br />
U 20. An air-sprung driver‘s seat with pneumatic<br />
lumbar support, adjustable backrest and head<br />
restraint adjustment options will likewise be<br />
available from the second quarter <strong>of</strong> this year<br />
onwards. It further enhances the vehicle‘s alrea-<br />
missible GVW <strong>of</strong> 26 tonnes and an engine output<br />
<strong>of</strong> 240 kW (326 hp), the Econic can collect more<br />
than ten tonnes <strong>of</strong> waste paper on each trip. In<br />
addition to this, the vehicle is equipped with sophisticated,<br />
ec<strong>of</strong>riendly BlueTec diesel technology,<br />
and it already meets the requirements <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Euro 5 emission standard due to come into force<br />
in October 2009. Further exemplary features in-<br />
Easily accessible:<br />
the controls for the<br />
airsprung driver‘s seat<br />
More payload:<br />
the new 9.3-tonne variant<br />
can carry larger and heavier<br />
implements, e.g. for<br />
snow-clearing operations<br />
dy impressive seating comfort, ride comfort and<br />
workplace comfort. In addition, this innovation<br />
based on the latest occupational health standards<br />
and requirements provides all that is needed for<br />
ergonomic and efficient work as the driver can<br />
climb out <strong>of</strong> the cab without any risk to injury,<br />
even after working for long periods.<br />
The complete vehicle fleet: Niels Kowollik hands over the landmark vehicle to the Mayor <strong>of</strong><br />
Kassel, Thomas-Erik Junge (right), with workshop manager Stefan Weiland in the background<br />
clude the Econic‘s ergonomic design, including a<br />
practical cab for the driver and three co-drivers.<br />
Easy entry and exit is assured thanks to the low<br />
frame at a height <strong>of</strong> just 847 mm. The cleverly<br />
conceived cab also has a flat floor throughout and<br />
a wide-opening folding door.
Another step into the<br />
future with Euro 5<br />
Europe‘s Euro 5 emission standard comes into force on<br />
1 October <strong>of</strong> this year. Euro 5 means even lower nitrogen<br />
oxide limits <strong>of</strong> 2.00 g/kWh – a further 40 percent<br />
lower than Euro 4. This reduction is achieved thanks<br />
to a new barrier coating in the catalytic converter and<br />
optimisation <strong>of</strong> the AdBlue injection into the exhaustgas<br />
stream. Production with the new engines will<br />
commence on 1 July for all Unimog U 20, U 300/<br />
U 400/U 500 and U 4000/U 5000 models. All <strong>of</strong><br />
which means that the Unimog – the most economical<br />
implement carrier in its class – is taking another giant<br />
step Into the future.<br />
Innovative semitrailer rig<br />
A long-standing <strong>Mercedes</strong>-<strong>Benz</strong> truck customer, the<br />
Tengelmann trading company – incorporating Kaiser‘s<br />
and the Tengelmann supermarkets – is based in Viersen,<br />
Germany. When it comes to purchasing trucks,<br />
Tengelmann abides by its ecological and socio-political<br />
principles. Together with the <strong>Mercedes</strong>-<strong>Benz</strong> Product<br />
Division Special-Purpose Vehicles in Wörth, the company<br />
agreed to take part in a goods-transport test involving<br />
the <strong>Mercedes</strong>-<strong>Benz</strong> Econic with natural-gas drive<br />
(NGT). This means that an innovative Econic semitrailer<br />
tractor (photo) which already meets the requirements<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Euro 5 emission standard is already on the road,<br />
saving up to 40 percent on fuel costs compared to a<br />
comparable diesel vehicle. This truck is even CO 2 -neutral<br />
when filled with biogas.<br />
Once more: Unimog<br />
For the fifth time in succession, the <strong>Mercedes</strong>-<strong>Benz</strong><br />
Unimog for extreme <strong>of</strong>f-road conditions (U 4000/U<br />
5000 series) has been crowned <strong>of</strong>f-roader <strong>of</strong> the year<br />
in the ”Special-purpose vehicles“ category by the<br />
readers <strong>of</strong> OFF ROAD magazine. The awards are based<br />
on vehicles from eight categories put forward by the<br />
tradition-steeped all-wheel-drive magazine based in<br />
Munich. In the ”Special-purpose vehicles“ category,<br />
the Unimog secured top spot with a resounding 42.3<br />
percent <strong>of</strong> the readers‘ votes.<br />
Group photo at the farewell gathering: Martin Daum<br />
(left), Hubertus Troska (middle), Head <strong>of</strong> <strong>Mercedes</strong>-<strong>Benz</strong><br />
Trucks, and Yaris Pürsün, the new Wörth plant manager<br />
“Ideal candidates”<br />
in 2003, Martin Daum took over at the helm <strong>of</strong> the Product Division Special-Purpose Vehicles.<br />
Then, in 2006, he assumed dual responsibility by also becoming manager <strong>of</strong> the Wörth truck<br />
plant in Germany. He is now taking over as head <strong>of</strong> Daimler Trucks north America, effective<br />
1 June 2009. His successor in both <strong>of</strong> his previous functions is Yaris Pürsün, formerly head <strong>of</strong><br />
Finance & Controlling <strong>Mercedes</strong>-<strong>Benz</strong> Trucks.<br />
ChaNgE aT ThE TOP— On 29 April, Martin<br />
Daum was given a fitting send-<strong>of</strong>f by Hubertus<br />
Troska, Head <strong>of</strong> <strong>Mercedes</strong>-<strong>Benz</strong> Trucks,<br />
in the customer centre at the Wörth plant,<br />
with his successor, Yaris Pürsün, being introduced<br />
at the same time. The event – attended<br />
by the Rhineland-Palatinate Chief<br />
Minister Kurt Beck, representatives <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Germersheim administrative district and<br />
the town <strong>of</strong> Wörth, and many <strong>of</strong> Daum‘s<br />
colleagues – was a resounding success.<br />
The trust Hubertus Troska has placed in<br />
Martin Daum, and now also in Yaris Pürsün,<br />
Daum‘s successor, was clearly evident in<br />
Hubertus Troska‘s speech. “Martin Daum<br />
was my ideal candidate to be plant manager<br />
in Wörth when he was appointed, and now<br />
so is Yaris Pürsün,” said Troska, underlining<br />
his esteem for the new Wörth manager and<br />
his predecessor. Yaris Pürsün spoke about<br />
his new role as plant manager and head <strong>of</strong><br />
Special-Purpose Vehicles: “I start my new<br />
job with the greatest <strong>of</strong> respect and recog-<br />
nition for what Martin Daum has achieved.<br />
I will continue my work in the same vein<br />
and, where necessary, bring something new<br />
to the job.”<br />
Walter Eisele (Development and Production<br />
Special-Purpose Vehicles) and Ernst Wünstel<br />
(Production Manager Trucks) reflected<br />
on Martin Daum‘s six years as manager in<br />
Wörth, citing a series <strong>of</strong> unique production<br />
records. Eisele referred to several outstanding<br />
achievements in the Product Division<br />
Special-Purpose Vehicles during this time,<br />
including the moving <strong>of</strong> Unimog activities<br />
from Gaggenau to the Wörth truck factory,<br />
further development <strong>of</strong> the Econic – notably<br />
the version with natural-gas engine – new<br />
developments such as the Unimog U 20 and<br />
the all-wheel-drive Zetros truck, and the armoured<br />
Actros. “With his decisions, Martin<br />
Daum helped to create many new jobs and<br />
product lines in the Product Division Special-Purpose<br />
Vehicles,” said the Division‘s<br />
Chief Engineer.<br />
New product developments during the Daum era in Wörth (from left): Zetros, Unimog U 20, armoured Actros,<br />
Econic with gas engine<br />
5
6 ROaD-RaIlERS · UniMoG 1 · 2009
Precision work:<br />
great care is taken when<br />
positioning the rotor<br />
blades, some <strong>of</strong> which<br />
measure over 40 metres<br />
in length, on the special<br />
wagons<br />
<strong>Wind</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>change</strong> with<br />
ec<strong>of</strong>riendly drives<br />
EnERCon from Aurich in East Frisia is one <strong>of</strong> the world‘s leading manufacturers <strong>of</strong> wind energy plants.<br />
The Unimog road-railer is an indispensible link in the logistics chain, in terms <strong>of</strong> both economy and<br />
ecology.<br />
WIND POWER— In view <strong>of</strong> the rising global demand<br />
for energy and ever-diminishing fossil-fuel<br />
resources, the energy sector is without doubt one<br />
<strong>of</strong> the world‘s key industries. <strong>Wind</strong> energy plant<br />
manufacturer ENERCON – based in Aurich in<br />
Lower Saxony and celebrating its 25th birthday<br />
this year – is ideally equipped to face the challenges<br />
in this industry. Company founder and owner<br />
Aloys Wobben started in 1984 with a small<br />
team <strong>of</strong> engineers and developed the first wind<br />
energy plant with an output <strong>of</strong> 55 kW. Today the<br />
company is the market leader in Germany with a<br />
market share <strong>of</strong> over 50 percent. With more than<br />
14,500 wind energy plants installed in over 30<br />
countries, ENERCON is also a leading manufacturer<br />
on the international stage and is posting<br />
double-digit growth rates in the current economic<br />
crisis. The latest development – the E-126 – has<br />
a rotor diameter <strong>of</strong> 126 metres, a hub height <strong>of</strong><br />
135 metres and a rated output <strong>of</strong> six megawatts,<br />
making it the world‘s most powerful wind energy<br />
plant at this moment in time. “The innovative<br />
drive concept forms the heart <strong>of</strong> the ENERCON<br />
wind energy plants,” explains Klaus Peters, the<br />
company‘s Global Production Manager. “A gearless<br />
system comprising a small number <strong>of</strong> rotating<br />
components allows a practically frictionless<br />
flow <strong>of</strong> energy, thus reducing mechanical loads,<br />
operating costs and maintenance expenditure<br />
whilst maximising output and reliability.” To<br />
meet the high demand, ENERCON produces at its<br />
Aurich headquarters in East Frisia and also has<br />
two further production sites in Magdeburg and<br />
Emden as well as international sites in Sweden,<br />
Portugal, Turkey, Brazil and India, employing a<br />
total <strong>of</strong> more than 12,000 people.<br />
In recent years, the overwhelming success <strong>of</strong><br />
the ENERCON products has posed increasingly<br />
stiff challenges, not least in the logistics domain.<br />
“Many components <strong>of</strong> wind energy plants, especially<br />
the rotor blades, some <strong>of</strong> which are over 40<br />
metres long, call for complex transport solutions<br />
that require special permits and involve a number<br />
<strong>of</strong> disadvantages, such as only being able to<br />
transport the products when there are low volumes<br />
<strong>of</strong> traffic on the road and the need for escort<br />
vehicles,” explains Ulrich Neundlinger. “The<br />
reopening <strong>of</strong> the long disused rail link between<br />
Aurich and Abelitz in April 2008 was therefore<br />
an important milestone in our quest to safeguard<br />
the future <strong>of</strong> our company‘s headquarters in East<br />
Frisia.” Neundlinger, responsible for transferring<br />
consignments to the railways, continues: “Now<br />
that the around 15-kilometre long single-track<br />
7
8<br />
Wide range <strong>of</strong> applications: as well as pr<strong>of</strong>essional shunting duties, the Unimog also performs vegetation control and cleaning work<br />
rail link has been reactivated, we have access to the German national rail<br />
network as far as the North Sea port <strong>of</strong> Emden, where the majority <strong>of</strong> our<br />
plants destined for export are forwarded by sea. We ultimately shouldered<br />
the investment for reactivating the rail infrastructure together with the<br />
German state <strong>of</strong> Lower Saxony, the administrative district <strong>of</strong> Aurich, and<br />
the towns <strong>of</strong> Aurich and Emden, thus creating the basis for further investment<br />
at the Aurich site.”<br />
The crucial importance <strong>of</strong> the railways as a means <strong>of</strong> transport for<br />
ENERCON can also be seen by the fact that, in order to establish a rail<br />
transport link between Aurich and Emden, ENERCON took over the railway<br />
company Eisenbahngesellschaft Ostfriesland-Oldenburg mbH (e.g.o.o.),<br />
founded by rail enthusiasts and based in Aurich, back in 2007. Johann Ubben,<br />
local operations manager for e.g.o.o., explains: “Operating our own rail<br />
transport link with our own vehicles gives us a high degree <strong>of</strong> flexibility,<br />
meaning we can always react to changing transport requirements at short<br />
notice. In the first year alone, we completed around 2000 train journeys,<br />
exceeding our originally planned total by a considerable margin.”<br />
Following the takeover <strong>of</strong> e.g.o.o. and the start <strong>of</strong> rail transport, a <strong>Mercedes</strong>-<br />
<strong>Benz</strong> Unimog U 400 was drafted into service<br />
in April 2008. Equipped with a powerful 6-<br />
cylinder diesel engine featuring Euro 4 technology<br />
and a torque converter and clutch<br />
unit, the vehicle is used mainly for shunting.<br />
To this end, rail specialist ZAGRO equipped<br />
the vehicle with rail gear, a railway wagon<br />
braking system designed for 800 tonnes<br />
or 52 axles, radio remote control, and foldup<br />
drawbars front and rear. Johann Ubben<br />
continues: “One <strong>of</strong> the locations at which<br />
we use the Unimog is our loading station,<br />
which is still under construction, although<br />
parts <strong>of</strong> it are already operational. It is due<br />
to be completed in September 2009.” Here<br />
■ FuTuRE-COMPaTIBlE ENERgY MIX<br />
rotor blades are loaded onto low-platform wagons using a 64-tonne crane.<br />
The Unimog road-railer shunts together lines <strong>of</strong> wagons for collection by<br />
the long-distance locomotive or can easily be used to take the wagons to the<br />
transfer station in Georgsheil. Locomotive driver Thorsten Saath<strong>of</strong>f is thrilled<br />
about his new vehicle: “On the route to Abelitz, we have to cross over<br />
several unguarded railway crossings, many <strong>of</strong> them within communities. I<br />
have an ideal view from the Unimog cab and can spot all the danger areas<br />
very easily.” Saath<strong>of</strong>f is also highly satisfied with the performance <strong>of</strong> the<br />
<strong>Mercedes</strong>-<strong>Benz</strong> U 400: “When unloading wagons with gravel at our plant<br />
for prefab concrete towers in Emden, we regularly have to transport loads<br />
<strong>of</strong> around 800 tonnes. The Unimog takes this all in its stride without any<br />
problems whatsoever!”<br />
The range <strong>of</strong> applications covered by the vehicle supplied by Unimog general<br />
distributor Schelling in conjunction with road-railer specialist “Zwieh<strong>of</strong>f<br />
Zweiwege-Fahrzeuge” includes shunting among many other tasks. The<br />
Unimog is fitted with a Dammann track spraying system as a swap body<br />
at the rear. As vegetation growth in the track bed leads to considerable<br />
damage to the infrastructure, the Unimog is used for vegetation control<br />
twice a year on the reopened rail route. A<br />
grooved rail and surface cleaning imple-<br />
Renewable energies are now responsible for<br />
generating a vast amount <strong>of</strong> power in many<br />
countries. In order to combat the already<br />
discernable effects <strong>of</strong> climate <strong>change</strong> and<br />
reduce dependence on imported energy, the<br />
importance <strong>of</strong> wind power for a future-compatible<br />
energy mix will continue to increase.<br />
Industry leader ENERCON will continue to<br />
bring about <strong>change</strong> and implement innovative<br />
ideas to aid this development!<br />
ment made by Dücker, which is mounted<br />
on the Unimog‘s front mounting plate and<br />
driven by a mechanical front PTO shaft, can<br />
be used to clean crossings or to sweep the<br />
company grounds. The selection <strong>of</strong> implements<br />
is completed by a snowplough and a<br />
gritting trailer, which ENERCON uses itself<br />
in winter to clear snow and black ice from<br />
the company grounds and important access<br />
roads. “Our Unimog is a true all-rounder,”<br />
says Ubben.” But the things he appreciates<br />
most are the Unimog‘s mobility and cost-effectiveness:<br />
“We use the Unimog at various
locations. It has huge advantages over the locomotive<br />
in that we can transfer goods between two<br />
locations on the road both quickly and easily,”<br />
explains Ubben. “What‘s more, the fact that the<br />
machine consumes far less fuel than a shunting<br />
locomotive totally won us over. Being a company<br />
in the renewable energy sector, this is particularly<br />
important to us, not only on a cost level but<br />
also in terms <strong>of</strong> environmental protection.”<br />
There remains plenty <strong>of</strong> work ahead for the<br />
Unimog road-railer. In late summer 2009, a new<br />
plant for castings in Georgsheil, Aurich will commence<br />
operations. Here ENERCON will be producing<br />
high-quality nodular cast iron parts such<br />
as rotor blade adapters, rotor hubs and kingpins,<br />
nearly 100 percent <strong>of</strong> which will be loaded onto<br />
rail vehicles. ENERCON is therefore consistently<br />
following its strategy <strong>of</strong> ensuring a high vertical<br />
range <strong>of</strong> manufacture and investing sustainably<br />
in the company‘s headquarters in East Frisia. ■<br />
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Outstanding technology from Germany<br />
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UniMoG 1 · 2009 · ROaD-RaIlERS<br />
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As a worldwide expert in the field <strong>of</strong> road / rail technology we <strong>of</strong>fer a variety <strong>of</strong> multi-purpose<br />
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9
10<br />
MESSE · UniMoG 1 · 2009<br />
Unimog expertise and three<br />
world premieres<br />
A wide range <strong>of</strong> <strong>Mercedes</strong>-<strong>Benz</strong> Unimog vehicles added an extra-special ingredient to the “demopark” open-air show in Eisenach in June <strong>of</strong> this year:<br />
no fewer than 15 different Unimog vehicles were either exhibited or demonstrated to highlight their pr<strong>of</strong>essionalism and versatility, including three world<br />
premieres!<br />
VERSaTIlITY— The main focus <strong>of</strong> the Unimog<br />
demonstration was the Unimog U 20 and new<br />
implement combinations. Not to mention the<br />
U 300, U 400 and U 500 implement carriers,<br />
which displayed their vast range <strong>of</strong> applications.<br />
Great interest was also shown in the U 5000 series<br />
for extreme <strong>of</strong>f-road conditions.<br />
This was the most effective way to demonstrate<br />
the unique Unimog expertise – high-performance,<br />
versatile, cost-effective and ec<strong>of</strong>riendly applications<br />
– in unison with a sophisticated range <strong>of</strong><br />
implements during the three show days, and the<br />
impact <strong>of</strong> such a line-up on the demopark show<br />
is immense. As Europe‘s largest open-air show <strong>of</strong><br />
its kind, it provides an ideal platform for visitors<br />
representing municipalities or private service<br />
providers. Landscape preservation, rural conservation,<br />
work in green spaces, road construction<br />
and a wide range <strong>of</strong> services are the ideal focal<br />
points for exhibiting the range <strong>of</strong> applications and<br />
versatility <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Mercedes</strong>-<strong>Benz</strong> Unimog U 20,<br />
U 300/U 400/U 500 and U 5000. Over 30,000 visitors<br />
attended the event, primarily to experience at<br />
first hand the 370 or so vehicles and implements<br />
on display. The Unimog exhibition area was vast:<br />
some 3700 square metres were available to exhibit<br />
and demonstrate a total <strong>of</strong> 15 Unimog vehicles, ten<br />
<strong>of</strong> which visitors were able to witness in action during<br />
the course <strong>of</strong> a series <strong>of</strong> demonstrations.<br />
Three Unimog world firsts signal an even wider<br />
range <strong>of</strong> applications for the various Unimog models.<br />
A Komtec hook-lift implement was mounted<br />
on a U 20 with extended wheelbase. Also extended<br />
at the rear, the vehicle features air suspension so<br />
that it can be lowered to a loading height <strong>of</strong> 900<br />
millimetres. The fact that the U 20, the most compact<br />
Unimog series, can now be fitted with a hooklift<br />
implement increases its multiple-use capability<br />
by an substantial margin. Demonstrations were<br />
performed to show how to mount the implement<br />
and how to swap it for an automatic gritter.<br />
A U 300 unit with a Holzer road grader showed<br />
just what the Unimog is capable <strong>of</strong> in impressive<br />
style. It is attached in front <strong>of</strong> the implement carrier<br />
and is used for grading, for other earth-moving<br />
work and, in longitudinal position, also for cutting<br />
small ditches or trenches. It replaces self-propelled<br />
graders, which can be used solely for this one pur-<br />
pose. A further premiere – not just as a Unimog<br />
combination but also as a stand-alone mounted implement<br />
– was the Feind earth cutter (developed<br />
by Söder). It sits on the side <strong>of</strong> the vehicle – the<br />
2200-millimetre wide Unimog is narrow enough<br />
to carry such an implement without exceeding the<br />
permissible dimensions – and cuts slit-type trenches<br />
into the soil whilst inserting a special foil or<br />
film – all in a single operation. This process is effected<br />
in the soil on the verge beside the road and<br />
is designed to prevent fine root systems from working<br />
their way under the road surface and causing<br />
damage there. The Unimog unit‘s dual-mode steering<br />
system ensures that the operator is always<br />
positioned on the verge side, which is imperative<br />
for precision work in this area.<br />
Another new development is the Jotha skip loader,<br />
custom-designed for the Unimog U 20. Featuring<br />
a flat skip in this case, the skip loader is designed<br />
for high tipping by means <strong>of</strong> the telescopic lifting<br />
arm. Furthermore, the rear wall can be used either<br />
as a tipping or a swinging rear gate. Customers<br />
have had the option <strong>of</strong> uprating the Unimog U 20<br />
to a permissible GVW <strong>of</strong> 9.3 tonnes since spring
2009. A vehicle <strong>of</strong> this type, equipped with a<br />
UNA 450 uni-arm and mower head from Dücker,<br />
took part in the demonstrations at the show.<br />
Visitors to the event were also keen to learn about<br />
an independent survey, which concluded that the<br />
Unimog implement carriers are far more cost-effective<br />
transporters than tractors <strong>of</strong> a comparable<br />
size. Using a standardised test procedure, the German<br />
Agricultural Society (DLG) determined that<br />
the Unimog U 400 reduced fuel consumption by<br />
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Invitation happily<br />
accepted: scores <strong>of</strong><br />
visitors flocked to the<br />
demonstrations at the<br />
Unimog stand<br />
(large photo on left)<br />
A new Unimog look:<br />
the U 300 has a grader<br />
mounted at the front<br />
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13 litres per operating hour, equivalent to a fuel<br />
and emission saving <strong>of</strong> around 40 %. This advantage<br />
also makes a significant difference in the case<br />
<strong>of</strong> labour-intensive implement use, as highlighted<br />
by a further test conducted by the DLG. Combined<br />
with a verge and embankment mower, the Unimog<br />
U 400 easily achieved the better fuel consumption<br />
figures, even when mowing, which in all cases results<br />
in a considerable fuel saving thanks to the<br />
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UniMoG 1 · 2009 · ShOWTIME<br />
not only lower costs but also better environmental<br />
compatibility thanks to the lower CO 2 emissions.<br />
Together with the fact that the Unimog range<br />
switched to the Euro 5 emission standard ahead <strong>of</strong><br />
schedule on July 1, these were all key points in the<br />
intensive discussions between the Unimog experts<br />
and the visitors to the demopark show.. ■<br />
11
12 runningheader · unimog 1 · 2009<br />
Power pack: the U 500 with Werner/Palfinger crane body at work on the “Rühlermoor” oilfield Wet habitat: typical fen landscape in Emsland<br />
Field assets<br />
The requirements specified by Exxonmobil Production Deutschland when it came to purchasing a unimog with Werner/Palfinger crane body almost went<br />
beyond squaring the circle. “We need a vehicle that is not too heavy, has <strong>of</strong>f-road capability and can carry as large a crane as possible,” says georg Stülen,<br />
engineer for the crude oil exploration company in Rühlermoor near meppen (in the Emsland administrative district).<br />
OiL PrOduCTiOn— On the Rühlermoor<br />
fens, ExxonMobil and Gaz de France Suez extract<br />
crude oil and natural gas from an area<br />
covering more than 30 square kilometres.<br />
Fens are defined as „wet habitats“, meaning<br />
that the underground conditions are problematic<br />
when it comes to extracting resources.<br />
The Rühlermoor fens have around 120 km <strong>of</strong><br />
partially gravelled or tarred roads and 105<br />
km <strong>of</strong> tracks for various vehicles and transport<br />
trains, The entire area is interspersed<br />
with typical oilfield landmarks in the shape<br />
<strong>of</strong> the pumping units that draw the crude oil<br />
upwards to the surface.<br />
In this terrain, despite its gross weight <strong>of</strong> 15<br />
t, the Unimog is a true asset for ExxonMobil<br />
Production Deutschland GmbH‘s oil production<br />
operations in Rühlermoor and Osterwald.<br />
Each day around 700 cubic metres <strong>of</strong> crude<br />
oil are obtained in Rühlermoor and a further<br />
350 cubic metres in Osterwald, all <strong>of</strong> it ex-
tremely viscous. For this reason, it has to be<br />
heated using pressed-in high-pressure steam<br />
so that it can flow more easily from the pores<br />
<strong>of</strong> the stone to the oil-well bore. Pumps are<br />
then used to draw the oil upwards to the surface.<br />
And this is precisely where the Unimog<br />
comes in.<br />
The range <strong>of</strong> tasks performed by the <strong>Mercedes</strong>-<strong>Benz</strong><br />
Unimog U 500 includes all repair<br />
and service work on the pumping units requiring<br />
heavy parts. It is also used to help install<br />
and remove submersible centrifugal pumps,<br />
a likewise heavy-duty task. „The Unimog<br />
U 500 with a wheelbase length <strong>of</strong> 3350 mm is<br />
ideal for our application requirements,“ says<br />
Alwin Asman, Team Field Lead at the Rühlermoor<br />
site. For these requirements on the fens,<br />
ExxonMobil has opted for the Palfinger crane<br />
(PK 44002 with 44 m/t, two articulated levers<br />
and crane winch) with an unladen weight <strong>of</strong><br />
um · 9/09 · SE<br />
7.9 t. This is the largest crane to have ever<br />
been mounted on a two-axle Unimog. The<br />
advantages <strong>of</strong> this Unimog-Werner/Palfinger<br />
configuration are clear: thanks to the impressive<br />
range <strong>of</strong> the crane jib, heavy components<br />
can be lifted from surfaced roads to the areas<br />
where they are needed on the site. ExxonMobil<br />
has a total <strong>of</strong> four <strong>Mercedes</strong>-<strong>Benz</strong> Unimog<br />
units (U 400, U 500, U 1200 and U 1300) in<br />
service at its Rühlermoor site, all <strong>of</strong> which<br />
were supplied by Unimog general representative<br />
RKF-Bleses GmbH in Münster. These vehicles<br />
are serviced and maintained by authorised<br />
workshop Hermann List Kraftfahrzeuge<br />
in nearby Uelsen. ■<br />
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Overview<br />
unimog 1 · 2009 · energY induSTrY<br />
Osterwald<br />
Emsland<br />
Lingen<br />
administrative district<br />
Netherlands<br />
Rühlermoor fens<br />
Karl-Müller-Str. 18 - 42<br />
72270 Baiersbronn-Mitteltal<br />
Germany<br />
Phone +49 (0) 74 42 / 4 96-0<br />
www.mueller-mitteltal.de<br />
Meppen<br />
Bad Bentheim<br />
13
14 runningheader · unimog 1 · 2009<br />
Pipe-laying vehicle: <strong>of</strong>f to the construction site with two<br />
pipes on the side jib<br />
Lifelines for energy customers<br />
Around 90,000 households in Düsseldorf, capital <strong>of</strong> the german state <strong>of</strong> north Rhine-Westphalia, count on the reliable supply <strong>of</strong> electricity, water and gas<br />
every day. The basis for this is provided by a network <strong>of</strong> underground pipes and cables measuring over 13,000 km in length, maintained and developed by<br />
the department responsible for project implementation at Stadtwerke Düsseldorf Ag (SWD Ag), the local public utility company.<br />
PiPeWOrK— This network, constituting the<br />
“lifelines” for the energy customers, ensures a<br />
safe and efficient supply <strong>of</strong> electricity, water and<br />
gas for the general public. A specialist department<br />
– in this case Project Implementation III<br />
at SWD AG – is needed to look after pipeline<br />
production, mast installations, cable installation<br />
and overhead line dismantling on a daily basis.<br />
All work for which two Unimog U 500 vehicles<br />
have been used for the past one-and-a-half years<br />
or so. Given the specific requirement pr<strong>of</strong>ile in<br />
question, the vehicles had to be checked right<br />
down to the last detail by the head <strong>of</strong> the specialist<br />
department before they were purchased.<br />
The length <strong>of</strong> the gas and water network alone<br />
(not including connecting lines) is a staggering<br />
3230 km.<br />
A compact vehicle with <strong>of</strong>f-road capability is<br />
needed to ensure safe and efficient movement <strong>of</strong><br />
the standard 12-metre long pipes or the lighting<br />
masts measuring up to 18 metres in length, with<br />
weights <strong>of</strong> up to 1.5 tonnes, on the construction<br />
sites. This is why the department responsible<br />
for “Workshops and Transport” within SWD AG<br />
purchased two Unimog U 500 vehicles with Hiab<br />
166 E-3 HiDuo crane with cable winch or 166<br />
E-4 HiPro crane as well as an HPC front cable<br />
winch with a tensile load <strong>of</strong> 5 tonnes. The other<br />
well-known benefits <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Mercedes</strong>-<strong>Benz</strong> Unimog<br />
system – such as short wheelbase, permanent<br />
all-wheel drive, high towing capacity, high<br />
payload, hydrostatic drive system, PTO for hydraulics,<br />
electrical interfaces and serviceability<br />
– were likewise major plus points in the eyes <strong>of</strong><br />
this customer.<br />
Many years <strong>of</strong> expertise and a vast pool <strong>of</strong> knowhow<br />
in the field <strong>of</strong> pipework, coupled with the<br />
aforementioned fleet modernisation, ultimately<br />
Martin Tank: swears by the Unimog and its cost-effectiveness<br />
allowed SWD AG to perform a large share <strong>of</strong> the<br />
work previously carried out solely by outside<br />
companies itself, both independently and economically.<br />
In addition to this, SWD AG is <strong>of</strong>ten<br />
successful in public tenders for similar work<br />
across the entire Düsseldorf region on account <strong>of</strong><br />
its sophisticated technical equipment and wealth<br />
<strong>of</strong> experience. The two Unimog vehicles successfully<br />
complete the line-up <strong>of</strong> ten pipework installation<br />
convoys with 20 staff and play a major part<br />
in ensuring that around 30 kilometres <strong>of</strong> new<br />
gas and water pipes are added to the network<br />
each year. Graduate engineer Martin Tank, group<br />
leader in the specialist department, is quick to<br />
emphasise one particular aspect: “We are increasingly<br />
switching to mechanisation with the<br />
appropriate vehicles and implements in order<br />
to make better use <strong>of</strong> our staff potential and increase<br />
the cost-effectiveness <strong>of</strong> our activities.”
Easily visible: the axle lock with additional hydraulic<br />
cylinder (left)<br />
Manoeuvrability: the Unimog comes into its own when<br />
space is at a premium on construction sites (right)<br />
As far as the technical equipment for the two<br />
<strong>Mercedes</strong>-<strong>Benz</strong> Unimog U 500 vehicles is concerned,<br />
this strategy can be clearly understood<br />
as the vehicles and implements allow a high<br />
degree <strong>of</strong> efficiency. Each <strong>of</strong> the Hiab cranes<br />
is installed as a rear body with 17 m/t, and all<br />
their functions can be controlled by radio. Tasks<br />
performed by the HPC cable winches include<br />
salvaging masts from near-impassable terrain<br />
when dismantling overhead lines or extracting<br />
old lines from protective pipes when performing<br />
pipework. The pipe loading system on the right- laden, and the speed is limited to max. 10 km/h.<br />
hand side <strong>of</strong> the vehicle is suitable for pipe and Furthermore, optimised power hydraulics have<br />
mast lengths <strong>of</strong> up to 18 metres and a weight been installed. Thanks to this equipment, both<br />
<strong>of</strong> 1.5 tonnes. In conjunction with this, an axle Unimog U 500 vehicles can be used as heavy-<br />
lock with additional hydraulic cylinder has been duty pipe laying vehicles on construction sites,<br />
incorporated. For safety reasons, the vehicle either with or without a trailer, or as mobile hy-<br />
can only be driven by means <strong>of</strong> hydrostat when draulic stations. Thanks to their exceptional ma-<br />
Unimog 09_U20:Layout 1 30.09.2009 10:24 Uhr Seite 2<br />
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unimog 1 · 2009 · energY induSTrY<br />
noeuvrability, the compact vehicles get the job<br />
done quickly. The fact that the Unimog general<br />
representative Fasieco GmbH, which looks after<br />
this customer and also takes care <strong>of</strong> servicing<br />
for Hiab, has a branch in nearby Neuss completes<br />
what has been a successful partnership<br />
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15
16 runningheader · unimog 1 · 2009<br />
Top <strong>of</strong> the class<br />
in times <strong>of</strong> strict economic criteria, expensive raw materials and high demand for ec<strong>of</strong>riendly vehicles,<br />
the unimog comes out on top when compared with either tractors or trucks equipped with engines<br />
featuring exhaust gas recirculation and diesel particulate filters – mainly on account <strong>of</strong> its leading<br />
engine technology and universal application possibilities.<br />
TraiLBLaZing— The Unimog – with Daimler<br />
Bluetec® engine technology and a drive concept<br />
that has proven itself hundreds <strong>of</strong> thousands<br />
<strong>of</strong> times over for several decades – is now even<br />
more future-compatible and innovative than ever.<br />
Bluetec® ensures that fewer nitrogen oxides and<br />
particles are produced as well as reducing fuel<br />
consumption. The <strong>Mercedes</strong>-<strong>Benz</strong> Unimog is<br />
Agricultural<br />
tractors<br />
Old diesel technology with<br />
much higher emissions<br />
Slower operating speed<br />
Higher tyre costs<br />
Higher costs for adapting<br />
implements for road<br />
maintenance services<br />
No platform for payload<br />
or grit<br />
therefore the most economical and ec<strong>of</strong>riendly<br />
implement carrier in its class. As proven by independent<br />
tests conducted by relevant institutions<br />
and confirmed by the statements and positive<br />
experiences <strong>of</strong> Unimog drivers covering an extremely<br />
wide range <strong>of</strong> applications.<br />
The Unimog system has many benefits. The<br />
unique implement carrier concept, with up to<br />
<strong>Mercedes</strong>-<strong>Benz</strong> Unimog<br />
with BlueTec®<br />
Up to 40 % lower fuel consumption<br />
and CO2 emissions<br />
Higher transport speed<br />
up to 90 km/h<br />
Better transport performance<br />
Capable <strong>of</strong> transporting up to 3<br />
people with a much higher level<br />
<strong>of</strong> ride comfort<br />
High capacity utilisation thanks<br />
to all-season deployment<br />
Fuel saving <strong>of</strong> up to 5 %<br />
Optimised “clean” combustion<br />
No ban on Sunday driving when<br />
used as tractor unit<br />
Off-road capability thanks to single<br />
tyres and chassis concept<br />
Compact dimensions for improved<br />
manoeuvrability when space is tight<br />
High capacity utilisation thanks to<br />
all-season deployment<br />
Ec<strong>of</strong>riendly:<br />
Unimog with Euro 5. Job done!<br />
four attachment and mounting areas, makes the<br />
Unimog efficient and effective as well as saving<br />
the need for additional vehicles and operations.<br />
Unimog vehicles can be used flexibly for many<br />
tasks all year round and are more mobile on any<br />
terrain. These advantages pay <strong>of</strong>f as it is ultimately<br />
not just the purchase price that is a deciding<br />
factor for the operator. Equally important are the<br />
system and lifecycle costs, which are much lower<br />
for the Unimog than for agricultural tractors, for<br />
example. <strong>Mercedes</strong>-<strong>Benz</strong> was keen to find out the<br />
exact figures and so commissioned the technology<br />
and equipment testing centre at the German<br />
Agricultural Society (DLG) to conduct an independent<br />
analysis. The tests – fuel consumption<br />
when performing transport work and when mowing<br />
roadside vegetation – revealed the <strong>Mercedes</strong>-<br />
<strong>Benz</strong> Unimog to be the clear winner:<br />
• If a comparable tractor is driven at the same<br />
speed as a Unimog U 400, the tractor consu-<br />
mes 13 litres more fuel per hour on average.<br />
• If the vehicles are operated for 10,000 hours,<br />
the tractor costs approx. 195,000 more than a<br />
Unimog (13 l x 10,000 h x 1.50/litre <strong>of</strong> diesel).<br />
Superior: the Unimog system – easily the most economical<br />
solution when compared to trucks with engines featuring<br />
exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and a diesel particulate<br />
filter (DPF) as well as when compared to tractors, many <strong>of</strong><br />
which are still fitted with conventional drive systems<br />
Trucks with<br />
EGR + DPF<br />
Higher fuel consumption<br />
Soot accumulation due to lower<br />
combustion temperature means<br />
frequent replacement <strong>of</strong><br />
particulate filter<br />
High levels <strong>of</strong> stress<br />
on the engine<br />
Sulphur-free diesel required in<br />
most cases<br />
Low-ash oil required
The Unimog is therefore more ecological and more economical.<br />
This result is down to benefits such as:<br />
– low fuel consumption (up to 40 % lower)<br />
– long service intervals and long service life<br />
– high resale value<br />
– low tyre wear<br />
– multi-functional all-season deployment, saving the need<br />
to use other vehicles<br />
– fast and easy implement <strong>change</strong>s thanks to integrated and<br />
standardised interfaces<br />
– high operating and transport speeds<br />
– unique environmental and safety standards that are already<br />
included in the purchase price<br />
– costs incurred for adapting commonly used additional implements<br />
to the tractor are not a factor as the Unimog is generally already<br />
designed for these.<br />
The facts and figures drawn from the comparisons therefore speak in<br />
favour <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Mercedes</strong>-<strong>Benz</strong> Unimog, which proves unbeatable on an<br />
almost daily basis.<br />
Further information about this topic can be obtained from:<br />
Daimler AG, Product Division Special-Purpose Vehicles,<br />
Marketing/Communication, 76742 Wörth am Rhein, Germany ■<br />
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16<br />
14<br />
12<br />
10<br />
8<br />
6<br />
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unimog 1 · 2009 · TeChnOLOgY<br />
Highly impressive: emissions reduced drastically by up to 94 percent since 1990<br />
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17
18 runningheader · unimog 1 · 2009<br />
Customers swear by the Unimog<br />
Contractors who work for the public sector or in agriculture have to be precise with their calculations. So it‘s good if the unimog can be factored into the<br />
equation – in terms <strong>of</strong> both economy and ecology – not least thanks to BlueTec®. it is ideally equipped to meet all statutory requirements regarding redu-<br />
ced emissions.<br />
PLuS POinTS— The first look in the morning is<br />
out <strong>of</strong> the window. What will the weather be like<br />
today? The answer to this question determines<br />
how the day will pan out. If it stays dry, it‘ll be<br />
wage work on fields and meadows. If it‘s wet,<br />
transport work will be on the agenda, for example.<br />
Each activity has to be planned precisely so<br />
that it pays <strong>of</strong>f. Franz Aigner is an independent<br />
haulage contractor from Chiemsee in Upper Bavaria.<br />
Four employees, a Unimog U 400, wheel<br />
loader, excavator, truck – his operation is well<br />
prepared for work in this mountainous region.<br />
The 42-year-old is pleased to have the Unimog on<br />
his side: for transport logistics and jobs in the<br />
agricultural sector. The advantages, he laughs,<br />
are obvious: with a top speed <strong>of</strong> up to 90 km/h,<br />
the Unimog is much faster than any tractor. Then<br />
there is the high level <strong>of</strong> versatility. Aigner: “We<br />
can <strong>of</strong>fer a lower price, just because we are quicker<br />
– it‘s simply a winning argument.” In agriculture,<br />
Aigner has regular customers who swear<br />
by the Unimog. Firstly because <strong>of</strong> the impres-<br />
sive tyre pressure control system, which allows<br />
Aigner to vary the inflation pressure between 1.8<br />
bar for driving unladen and 3.5 bar: “It protects<br />
the turf”. Some farmers watch him closely when<br />
he silages the mown grass laid in rows. Some 41<br />
blades rotate to pick up the grass and cut it down<br />
to just four centimetres. His trailer holds 54 m 3 .<br />
Aigner gets through some 90 daily tasks per day,<br />
although this number can be as high as 120. In<br />
this case, one hectare is equivalent to around 3.3<br />
daily tasks. To work efficiently and make the job<br />
pay, the Bavarian starts at 6 a.m. if the weather<br />
is fine, sometimes carrying on until midnight.<br />
There are no set working times in agriculture.<br />
Nor for the Unimog, grins Aigner. There‘s just no<br />
downtime. He looks up to the skies again. Will<br />
there be rain? That would be frustrating for the<br />
farmers but no problem for Aigner, who could<br />
switch to the next job: transporting excavators<br />
and cranes for an earthworks company as well<br />
as taking away excavated earth. Of course, says<br />
Aigner, a truck could theoretically do all <strong>of</strong> this<br />
Ideally equipped: the Unimog U 400 with trailer.<br />
Against the backdrop <strong>of</strong> the Upper Bavarian mountains,<br />
the mown grass is chopped and transported to the<br />
collecting point<br />
as well. But most trucks are too long, too wide,<br />
too high and too unmanoeuvrable for his jobs.<br />
Plus their driving speeds are not variable enough<br />
to operate the implements. The decision to buy a<br />
new Unimog two years ago was an easy one: “I<br />
grew up with the Unimog. It‘s a bond that will<br />
never be broken.” It was in 1959 that his father<br />
purchased his first Unimog for working on roads,<br />
among other things for grading the road to the<br />
family‘s own alpine pasture. Now, around 50<br />
years on, Aigner junior has continued the family<br />
tradition by spending six weeks filling exactly<br />
the same road, which now leads to the mountain<br />
cabin managed by his sister, with gravel. Helping<br />
him with this job was another Unimog driver<br />
from the Traunstein area: Hubert Haßlberger, a<br />
bio farmer based in nearby Oberwössen. Likewise<br />
with a Euro 4-compliant Unimog U 400 purchased<br />
in 2008. The ec<strong>of</strong>riendly philosophy and<br />
the technical attributes <strong>of</strong> the Unimog are perfectly<br />
in keeping with his own ecological stance,<br />
says the owner <strong>of</strong> 20 dairy cows. He spends two
thirds <strong>of</strong> his working hours on his farm, the remainder<br />
on contract jobs, primarily municipal<br />
services. When working, the man from Upper<br />
Bavaria appreciates the Unimog‘s efficient transport<br />
capability and sees only benefits in using<br />
AdBlue with the BlueTec ® diesel technology. The<br />
SCR exhaust gas aftertreatment system converts<br />
the nitrogen oxides (NOx) into harmless nitrogen<br />
and water – a crucial factor for bio farmers.<br />
The performance <strong>of</strong> the ec<strong>of</strong>riendly technologies<br />
in the <strong>Mercedes</strong>-<strong>Benz</strong> Unimog is also doubtless<br />
appreciated by his customers in the public sector,<br />
especially in the case <strong>of</strong> work on river beds.<br />
After all, he does exactly what the legislation demands,<br />
with first-class results, and he displays<br />
the green badge allowing the vehicle to be driven<br />
in inner-city low-emission zones. As an ecologically<br />
aware farmer, Haßlberger likes to keep pace<br />
with technological developments, such as the<br />
Euro 5 standard, which calls for the removal <strong>of</strong><br />
up to 80 percent <strong>of</strong> all nitrogen oxides and up to<br />
40 percent <strong>of</strong> particulate emissions compared to<br />
Euro 4 through optimised and clean combustion.<br />
Advertisement<br />
Ehranger Straße 101<br />
D-54293 Trier<br />
Postfach 8051<br />
D-54181 Trier<br />
Driving and working with BlueTec ® diesel technology: haulage contractor Franz Aigner (left)<br />
and bio farmer Hubert Haßlberger<br />
Aigner is also pleased with the much lower fuel<br />
consumption: when working, on the farm in particular,<br />
he can reckon on 17 to 20 litres per hour.<br />
When performing transport work, meanwhile,<br />
his Unimog U 400 developing 280 hp consumes<br />
26 to 28 litres per 100 kilometres. “A truck drinks<br />
40 litres and has an output <strong>of</strong> 480 hp, but I don‘t<br />
Unimogstraße 1<br />
76571 Gaggenau<br />
Tel.: +49 (0) 651 6867-124<br />
Fax.: +49 (0) 651 64146<br />
unimog 1 · 2009 · COnTraCTOrS<br />
need this extra power for my trips, so the Unimog<br />
is definitely the better option for me.” Another<br />
plus point: with 1500 operating hours per year,<br />
the purchase price for the Unimog only accounts<br />
for 10 to 15 percent <strong>of</strong> the lifecycle costs. ■<br />
Winch, compressor, hydraulic outrigger,<br />
Platforms or crane? Or all together?<br />
Werner arranged that all devices are perfectly<br />
be installed and perfectly matched.<br />
vertrieb@werner-trier.com<br />
www.werner-trier.com<br />
19
20 runningheader · unimog 1 · 2009<br />
Spring welcome: snowflakes dancing in Obermaiselstein (Oberallgäu)<br />
Start <strong>of</strong> spring on the Riedberg Pass<br />
“The Riedberg Pass is only passable with snow chains.“ This message is <strong>of</strong>ten heard on the regional radio stations, even in march. obermaiselstein in the admi-<br />
nistrative district <strong>of</strong> oberallgäu, the starting point <strong>of</strong> germany‘s highest mountain pass, gets another heavy snowfall on 20 march, the beginning <strong>of</strong> astronomic-<br />
al spring. The oA 9 district road is wet with rain, but severe winter conditions are encountered just after the tunnel.<br />
SnOW-CLearing OPeraTiOnS— Hardly surprising<br />
as this road with an uphill gradient <strong>of</strong><br />
up to 16 percent and surrounded by mountains<br />
leads to the Balderschwang valley – “Bavarian<br />
Siberia”. From Balderschwang, the highest permanently<br />
inhabited community in Germany, the<br />
road continues to Hittisau in the Bregenzerwald<br />
region <strong>of</strong> Austria. It wasn‘t all that long ago – at<br />
the beginning <strong>of</strong> the 20th century – that the area<br />
was still only inhabited in the summer, when cattle<br />
grazed on the surrounding alpine pastures.<br />
You turn onto the Oberallgäu (OA) No. 9 district<br />
road – measuring around 28 km in length and<br />
traversing the Hörnergruppe mountains – from<br />
the B 19 road at Fischen in the Allgäu region.<br />
This road links Illertal in Germany with the Austrian<br />
section <strong>of</strong> the Bregenzer Ach river, which<br />
flows into Lake Constance. There are just five<br />
Power pack: the Unimog U 1650 with Schmidt snow<br />
blower “eats” through the well over one-metre high blanket<br />
<strong>of</strong> snow at the pass summit (bottom right)<br />
View <strong>of</strong> the Alpine world from the Riedberg Pass:<br />
the imposing, almost 2000-metre high Gottesackerwände<br />
mountain at the border with the Bregenzerwald region with<br />
the 2533-metre high Widderstein mountain in Kleinwalsertal<br />
(right)<br />
Alpine passes in Germany: Ammersattel 1118 m,<br />
Oberjoch Pass 1178 m, Riedberg Pass 1420 m,<br />
Spitzingsattel 1128 m and Sudelfeld Pass 1097 m.<br />
Most <strong>of</strong> the more than 210 Alpine passes (above<br />
1000 m) that are passable by vehicle are in Italy,<br />
although France has the highest with the Col de<br />
l’Iseran (2770 m).<br />
The height and history <strong>of</strong> the Riedberg Pass may<br />
seem modest compared to this hitlist <strong>of</strong> Alpine<br />
passes, but it is very important for the small region<br />
in the Allgäu Alps. Construction work on<br />
a 5-metre wide Alpine route began on 1 August<br />
1956. The building contractor back then was<br />
the privately owned Alpine Road Association <strong>of</strong><br />
Obermaiselstein-Balderschwang. Those using the<br />
road therefore had to pay a toll for many years. It<br />
was to take a further 15 years before it became a<br />
public district road leading to Balderschwang. In<br />
the beginning, <strong>of</strong> course, the times at which this<br />
Alpine pass could be crossed by vehicle were limited<br />
as it only remained open if its owners (farmers,<br />
forest owners, cattle owners) arranged to have<br />
the snow cleared in winter. When its status was<br />
elevated to that <strong>of</strong> a public district road, mean-
ing that road-maintenance services became an<br />
obligation, the <strong>Mercedes</strong>-<strong>Benz</strong> municipal trucks<br />
operated by the Sonth<strong>of</strong>en Roads Authority and<br />
the Unimog, already a legendary snow clearer on<br />
mountain passes, were called into action.<br />
Michael Stetter from Obermaiselstein, now deputy<br />
manager for the Roads Authority, where he<br />
has worked since 1975, still clearly remembers<br />
when road-maintenance services fi rst started<br />
on the Riedberg Pass. “This task was always a<br />
challenge for us as the Hörnergruppe mountains<br />
– including the Riedberghorn, Bleicher Horn,<br />
Hochschelpen, Sipplinger Kopf and Piesenkopf<br />
(all between 1500 and 1800 metres high) – and<br />
the Balderschwang valley were known to be very<br />
snowy. There was hardly any alternative to the<br />
Unimog and its design with unique interfaces for<br />
the all-year-round tasks on the Riedberg Pass.”<br />
Construction in several stages<br />
The construction work, on both the Obermaiselstein<br />
side and the Balderschwang side, was<br />
completed in several stages. On 5 November 1961,<br />
a <strong>Mercedes</strong>-<strong>Benz</strong> truck with V-type snowplough<br />
was able to cross the pass for the fi rst time. On 21<br />
December <strong>of</strong> the same year, the Oberstdorf–Balderschwang<br />
mail bus line was opened, followed<br />
by the <strong>of</strong>fi cial opening on 16 September 1962,<br />
marked by a traditional mountain mass at the<br />
summit <strong>of</strong> the pass. Immediately after this, the<br />
Obermaiselstein–Balderschwang Alpine Road<br />
Association purchased a <strong>Mercedes</strong>-<strong>Benz</strong> Unimog<br />
U 411 vehicle developing 32 hp (U 32) for use on<br />
the Riedberg Pass which, at 1420 metres, is Germany‘s<br />
highest pass open to public traffi c.<br />
In an “SOS appeal” 40 years ago, the 350 inhabitants<br />
<strong>of</strong> Balderschwang – also acting on behalf <strong>of</strong><br />
the 600 to 700 tourists who visited the area at<br />
the time – turned to the authorities in the former<br />
administrative district <strong>of</strong> Sonth<strong>of</strong>en, which is<br />
now part <strong>of</strong> the Oberällgäu administrative district.<br />
Their appeal was worded as follows: “You<br />
are aware that our community <strong>of</strong> Balderschwang<br />
has limited access. From the two access roads to<br />
Balderschwang, a very narrow road in absolutely<br />
terrible condition leads into Austria, crossing the<br />
state and customs borders twice. Furthermore,<br />
the turnpikes are all closed during the night<br />
hours.” The EU and its Schengen Agreement had<br />
not even been envisaged at this time.<br />
Friday, 20 March 2009, 7.30 a.m.: it has been<br />
snowing extremely heavily for several hours.<br />
An employee <strong>of</strong> the Sonth<strong>of</strong>en Roads Authority<br />
working at the Obermaiselstein support point<br />
remarks resignedly: “Snow is beautiful, but not<br />
all year round.” Even the people <strong>of</strong> the Allgäu<br />
region, who are well used to snow, have clearly<br />
had enough <strong>of</strong> the bright white blanket. The<br />
<strong>Mercedes</strong>-<strong>Benz</strong> Axor 1833, equipped with a Küpper-Weiser<br />
gritter extension and Beilhack snowplough,<br />
has already come back from a second trip<br />
along the pass to Balderschwang 20 km away.<br />
Powerful snow-clearing trio<br />
The road, used by more than 3000 vehicles<br />
every day, is already “cleared”. Now a complete<br />
snow-clearing team in a powerful trio <strong>of</strong> vehicles<br />
– an Axor 1833, a Unimog U 1650 and a Unimog<br />
U 400, both <strong>of</strong> the latter with snowplough and gritter<br />
extension – will set <strong>of</strong>f towards the Riedberg<br />
Pass, Balderschwang and the Vorarlberg/Austrian<br />
border to fi nish <strong>of</strong>f the job and battle against<br />
the masses <strong>of</strong> snow that are falling on this fi rst<br />
day <strong>of</strong> spring. Here, the <strong>Mercedes</strong>-<strong>Benz</strong> Unimog<br />
vehicles perform the special task <strong>of</strong> clearing the<br />
car parks at the ski lifts and the bus stops. Over<br />
two hours later, the road is clear enough for two<br />
cars to drive past each other without having to<br />
pull into passing places and wait. A long overdue<br />
and well-earned snack is taken in a cosy Allgäu<br />
inn, where a TV crew from a German broadcasting<br />
organisation – there by pure coincidence – is<br />
quick to recognise that “the huge trucks in front<br />
<strong>of</strong> the door do such a vital job.”<br />
Spring 2009 begins at exactly 12.43 p.m. As if<br />
the weather god had thought better <strong>of</strong> it, it suddenly<br />
stops snowing. There are even patches <strong>of</strong><br />
blue sky. The fi ne weather gives a clear view <strong>of</strong><br />
the almost 2000-metre high Gottesackerwände<br />
mountain, behind which is the Bregenzerwald<br />
region, while the Kleinwalsertal valley lies further<br />
to the south.<br />
unimog 1 · 2009 · rOad-MainTenanCe SerViCeS 21<br />
Overview<br />
Lake<br />
Constance<br />
Switzerland<br />
Bregenz<br />
Dornbirn<br />
Austria<br />
Hittisau<br />
Bavaria<br />
Allgäu<br />
Sonth<strong>of</strong>en<br />
Kempten<br />
Hindelang<br />
Balderschwang<br />
Fischen<br />
1420<br />
Obermaiselstein<br />
Riedberg Pass<br />
Oberstdorf<br />
Obermaiselstein<br />
Oberjoch Pass<br />
1180<br />
Tirol<br />
Second Alpine pass leading to Tirol<br />
Just a short while later, with spring 2009 barely<br />
an hour old, a <strong>Mercedes</strong>-<strong>Benz</strong> Actros from the<br />
Roads Authority leaves the depot laden with grit<br />
bound for the Oberjoch Pass. It is just beginning<br />
to snow heavily on this high ground... This second<br />
Alpine pass, for which the team in Sonth<strong>of</strong>en<br />
is also responsible, forms part <strong>of</strong> the German<br />
Alpine Road and leads from Hindelang upwards<br />
to Oberjoch via around a hundred bends before<br />
continuing into the Tannheim valley and on to<br />
Tirol. For the team at the Roads Authority, this<br />
pass is nothing out <strong>of</strong> the ordinary. Bends, climbs<br />
and a sometimes diffi cult but always beautiful<br />
mountain world is part <strong>of</strong> the everyday for them.<br />
It gives you a totally different view <strong>of</strong> things:<br />
when will the tough daily routine <strong>of</strong> snow clearing,<br />
which for them began in October <strong>of</strong> last year,<br />
fi nally end? Today is the start <strong>of</strong> spring but, for<br />
the moment, the weather makes it seem like it is<br />
still winter. ■<br />
Füssen
22 daiMLer WOrLdWide · unimog 1 · 2009<br />
Technology leader<br />
The Right mix leads the competition with tipper road trains on an Actros base<br />
BuLK gOOdS— By buying five Actros tippers<br />
with top specifications the South African transport<br />
company The Right Mix is responding to the<br />
growing need for coal transporters in and around<br />
the Mpumalange Mine. The Actros 3344s have<br />
state-<strong>of</strong>-the-art technology, fitted with <strong>Mercedes</strong><br />
PowerShift, Voith retarders and Telligent Lane<br />
Assist. Shaun Sajiawan, Operations Director at<br />
The Right Mix: “We have decided to push our<br />
business further ahead through quality. The Actros<br />
is the best vehicle in its class. <strong>Mercedes</strong> PowerShift,<br />
for example, will help us to save fuel.”<br />
The Right Mix is also moving in new directions<br />
in the field <strong>of</strong> fleet management and is the first<br />
South African company to build on FleetBoard.<br />
The FleetBoard system is supplemented by the<br />
in-cab camera DriveCam. “This combination <strong>of</strong><br />
FleetBoard and DriveCam enables us to develop<br />
driver programmes for individual advancement,”<br />
says Sajiawan.<br />
Economical, strong, reliable<br />
Detroit Diesel presents new DD13 engine for heavy vocational applications<br />
engine deVeLOPMenT— A new engine completes the modernised product spectrum <strong>of</strong> Detroit<br />
Diesel, a leading heavy-duty engine brand in the American market. Detroit Diesel already launched,<br />
the DD15 for heavy-duty commercial vehicles in 2008, and now the DD13 is also available for heavy<br />
vocational applications. It benefits in many respects from the technological innovations <strong>of</strong> the global<br />
Heavy-Duty Engine Platform. One <strong>of</strong> the main features: its fuel economy is up to five per cent better<br />
than its predecessor. “We have taken all <strong>of</strong> the experience from our 70 years <strong>of</strong> building engines and<br />
applied it to the DD13,” says David Siler, Director <strong>of</strong> Marketing for Detroit Diesel. “It gives our customers<br />
what they want: economy, serviceability and performance.”<br />
www.detroitdiesel.com
Hybrid tipper<br />
mitsubishi Fuso presents pioneering concept study Canter Eco-D<br />
ShaPing fuTure TranSPOrTaTiOn— With the concept study Canter Eco-D,<br />
Mitsubishi Fuso shows its powers <strong>of</strong> innovation and point the way to the light-duty<br />
truck <strong>of</strong> tomorrow. The tipper presented at the IAA Commercial Vehicle Show has<br />
a parallel hybrid drive, which makes it both economical and environment-friendly.<br />
The concept is based on the Canter Eco Hybrid, which has already been successfully<br />
operated by companies since 2006 in more than 350 vehicles. The basis is a<br />
diesel engine with 92 kW (125 hp). It is connected to an electric motor with 35 kW,<br />
which serves as an alternator for charging the lithium-ion batteries during braking<br />
operations. Furthermore, the electric motor <strong>of</strong> the Canter Eco-D takes on the<br />
lifting and lowering <strong>of</strong> the tipping body as a power take-<strong>of</strong>f. This function substantially<br />
lowers exhaust and noise emissions during construction-site operations. The<br />
principle opens up additional possibilities for Mitsubishi Fuso to operate further<br />
vehicles with special-purpose bodies, such as lifting platforms or crane systems.<br />
www.mitsubishifuso.com<br />
Customised specification: For courier,<br />
express and parcel delivery service (CEP)<br />
operations, the UPS Sprinters are fitted with<br />
numerous additional features<br />
Promoting<br />
quality<br />
Through the First<br />
Finish initiative,<br />
Daimler Trucks<br />
North America<br />
strengthens the<br />
company loyalty<br />
<strong>of</strong> the technicians<br />
<strong>of</strong> tomorrow<br />
On expansion course<br />
uPS South Africa builds on the mercedes-<strong>Benz</strong> Sprinter<br />
Training programme<br />
With the initiative “Finish First”, Daimler Trucks<br />
north America is launching a new training programme<br />
in order to help meet the future need for<br />
technicians. Students who have completed their<br />
basic training can participate in Finish First.<br />
in the twelve-week programme, they learn how<br />
to maintain, diagnose and repair vehicles <strong>of</strong> the<br />
brands Freightliner and Western Star. Following<br />
the successful completion <strong>of</strong> the course, the technicians<br />
are <strong>of</strong>fered an attractive entry package.<br />
Canter for Vietnam<br />
The launch <strong>of</strong> the Canter in Vietnam was celebrated<br />
with a major event in Ho Chi Minh City.<br />
The light-duty truck is based on the predecessor<br />
model that is well established there and was<br />
further improved with respect to safety, reliability,<br />
comfort and economy. In 2007, Vietnam was the<br />
fastest growing market for Mitsubishi Fuso with<br />
a growth <strong>of</strong> 119 percent to over 3,000 vehicles.<br />
What is more, Mitsubishi Fuso is a market leader<br />
for commercial vehicles in Southeast Asia.<br />
CeP SerViCe— UPS SCS South Africa has chosen the Sprinter for its<br />
fleet expansion. Already on the market since 1995, UPS has been able<br />
to continuously extend its business and now plans to move into door-todoor<br />
delivery with the new vehicles. Thanks to extensive conversions,<br />
all 19 Sprinters are exactly tailored to UPS requirements. These include,<br />
among other things, additional compartments for the driver’s equipment,<br />
an automatic illumination <strong>of</strong> the load area, and a special shelf<br />
extension.<br />
www.ups.com
24<br />
runningheader · unimog 1 · 2009<br />
Blessed Unimog in the fight<br />
against fire<br />
Thousands <strong>of</strong> pilgrims visit the Vatopedi monastery on mount Athos in greece every year. only men are allowed to enter the monastery,<br />
<strong>of</strong>ten prominent personalities such as Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, or King Juan Carlos <strong>of</strong> Spain. Since the end <strong>of</strong> last year, the<br />
holy site has had a new attraction which, when needed, proves to be a blessing: a mercedes-<strong>Benz</strong> unimog u 5000 with Schlingmann fire-<br />
brigade body.
Tricky access: hilly forest area for as far as the eye can see around the Vatopedi monastery on the Chalkidiki peninsular in<br />
northern Greece (large photo on left)<br />
Ceremonial Unimog handover: with a gift from the monastery – represented by abbot Efrem, project manager Timotheos,<br />
and workshop staff Agapios and Nikolaus – to the representatives <strong>of</strong> Daimler AG, Hermann Radke and Wilfried <strong>Benz</strong>, and<br />
to Thorsten Schlingmann from bodybuilder Schlingmann, with Lazarus Politis and Zissis Ziogas from the Unimog general<br />
representative in northern Greece (bottom left)<br />
Ready for action: the Unimog U 5000 in front <strong>of</strong> the monastery gates on Mount Athos (bottom right)<br />
fOreST fireS— The island and the monastery<br />
are legendary, as are the notorious forest fires in<br />
Greece. The Unimog, equipped with a 5000-litre<br />
water tank and a 400-litre foam tank, is designed<br />
to fight fire attacks and encroaching forest fires.<br />
The monks, all declared Unimog fans, have welcomed<br />
the special-purpose vehicle with open<br />
arms, according to Zissis Ziogas, Service Director<br />
for the Unimog general representative Lainopoulos<br />
in northern Greece. A further 20 vehicles are<br />
due to be purchased by the start <strong>of</strong> 2010.<br />
The importance <strong>of</strong> the Unimog on the Chalkidiki<br />
peninsular in northern Greece was highlighted<br />
at the moving vehicle handover ceremony. Alongside<br />
archimandrite Efrem, abbot <strong>of</strong> the Vatopedi<br />
monastery, other Athos monks also came to attend<br />
the blessing <strong>of</strong> the U 5000. A moving moment,<br />
even for experienced Unimog experts<br />
such as Wilfried <strong>Benz</strong>, Unimog Service Regional<br />
Manager, Hermann Radke, Unimog Service Sales<br />
Manager, Thorsten Schlingmann, representing<br />
the bodybuilder, and Lazaros Politis, managing<br />
director <strong>of</strong> the Unimog general representative in<br />
northern Greece. At the ceremony, the abbot presented<br />
the guests with the figure <strong>of</strong> a shepherd<br />
with a sheep on his shoulder. An affectionate<br />
gesture, which signifies that the highly capable<br />
Unimog is more than just a vehicle in the eyes <strong>of</strong><br />
the orthodox clergymen.<br />
The monasteries on Mount Athos have many<br />
years <strong>of</strong> experience with a further 50 or so Unimog<br />
vehicles, including U 416, U 3000, U 4000<br />
and U 400 units. But for this special assignment,<br />
the specifications book stipulated special<br />
requirements, namely as large a water tank as<br />
possible, a low vehicle centre <strong>of</strong> gravity and a<br />
high degree <strong>of</strong> <strong>of</strong>f-road capability. After all, the<br />
highest mountain on the peninsular has an alti-<br />
unimog 1 · 2009 · inTernaTiOnaL<br />
tude <strong>of</strong> around 2033 metres and is dominated by<br />
inhospitable terrain. Mount Athos, from which<br />
the entire peninsular takes its name, is separated<br />
from the mainland by a wall and can only be<br />
reached by boat. A special visa is required in order<br />
to enter the republic. There are no roads from<br />
the mainland to the island. Because the orthodox<br />
monastic republic with autonomous status under<br />
Greek sovereignty is effectively cut <strong>of</strong>f from the<br />
rest <strong>of</strong> the world, the monks need to know how to<br />
help themselves. And for this they count on the<br />
reliable technology and <strong>of</strong>f-road capability <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Unimog from Germany.<br />
The basis <strong>of</strong> the vehicle is provided by the U 5000<br />
chassis with a permissible GVW <strong>of</strong> 14 tonnes, while<br />
the body is kept as low as possible so that the vehicle‘s<br />
centre <strong>of</strong> gravity remains below 1.50 metres.<br />
The compact dimensions <strong>of</strong> the vehicle – width<br />
2.37 metres, overall height 3 metres and length<br />
6.60 metres – ensure the necessary manoeuvrability<br />
on the peninsular and in the surrounding forest<br />
areas. In addition to the aforementioned tanks,<br />
the Schlingmann body also incorporates two front<br />
spray nozzles and a foam/water cannon with an<br />
output <strong>of</strong> 2400 l/min at 8 bar. The 5000-litre water<br />
tank is T-shaped so as to ensure improved axle<br />
load distribution.<br />
These features meet the monks‘ requirements to<br />
the letter. Those who wish to enter the grounds<br />
<strong>of</strong> the over 1100-year-old monastery have to pass<br />
through a narrow gate where they walk past the<br />
Unimog U 5000. The extinguisher vehicle, equipped<br />
by Lower Saxony family company Schlingmann,<br />
stands in front <strong>of</strong> the largest monastery on Mount<br />
Athos like a sentry. The other 19 monasteries in<br />
the autonomous republic covering 336 square kilometres<br />
could likewise be counting on the Unimog<br />
as a fire-fighting vehicle very soon. ■<br />
25
26<br />
hiSTOrY · unimog 1 · 2009<br />
60 years <strong>of</strong> Unimog and agriculture<br />
in August 1948, the unimog made by Boehringer in göppingen was unveiled to the wider general public as a universally applicable motorised implement at<br />
the DLg (german Agricultural Association) exhibition in Frankfurt/main.<br />
MuSeuM— The Unimog was presented with<br />
front- and rear-mounted implements. Rabe supplied<br />
the plough, Holder provided a vehiclemounted<br />
sprayer for treating crops and Schmotzer<br />
contributed a front-mounted hoe. The response to<br />
this vehicle was resoundingly positive.<br />
The relevant authorities initially categorised this<br />
new type <strong>of</strong> vehicle as a “Special-purpose vehicle<br />
for agriculture”. But people could not quite make<br />
up their minds: was it a tractor, a truck or something<br />
else? So this first newly developed tractor<br />
following the end <strong>of</strong> World War II did not get recognised<br />
as an “agricultural tractor” until after<br />
almost 10 years <strong>of</strong> wrangling about registration,<br />
road tax, vehicle and liability insurance (use <strong>of</strong><br />
ex<strong>change</strong>able implements), and cheaper diesel,<br />
although the vehicle looked completely different<br />
to a normal tractor developed for agricultural and<br />
forestry work: all-wheel drive with four samesize<br />
wheels, frame-type design, sprung axles, an<br />
auxiliary loading area, a cab for two people, three<br />
attachment and mounting areas, and a top speed<br />
<strong>of</strong> over 50 km/h etc.<br />
Some 60 years have passed since then, making it<br />
a fitting time to stage “Unimog and 60 years <strong>of</strong> agriculture”<br />
as part <strong>of</strong> an exhibition at the Unimog<br />
Museum in Gaggenau. There are many Unimog<br />
vehicles on show, from prototype No. 6 (1948) to<br />
the latest addition to the <strong>Mercedes</strong>-<strong>Benz</strong> Unimog<br />
line-up, the Unimog U 20 (2008). The variety <strong>of</strong><br />
A look inside the Unimog Museum during the opening <strong>of</strong> the “60 years <strong>of</strong> Unimog & agriculture” exhibition<br />
Unimog with mounted chopper near the river Murg in<br />
Gaggenau (top)<br />
Historical shot from the “Tillage <strong>of</strong> yesteryear” series by<br />
agricultural journalist Wolfgang Schiffer, on display at the<br />
museum until 26 October (above)<br />
Always an attraction: the Unimog Museum in Gaggenau<br />
(left)<br />
application and usage options for the Unimog<br />
are impressively presented by the combination<br />
<strong>of</strong> Unimog units and implements from the early<br />
days as well as the very latest developments in<br />
agricultural technology. Exhibits include developments<br />
and applications such as cage wheels<br />
and twin tyres for reducing the ground pressure,<br />
mowers, implements driven by flat belts, mineral<br />
fertilizer spreaders, seed drills, ploughs, cultivators,<br />
the Binger cable pull with implements<br />
used predominantly for wine-growing on steeps,<br />
and vehicle-mounted sprayers for treating crops<br />
– still a highly pr<strong>of</strong>essional Unimog agricultural<br />
application to this day. ■
Our promotional partners:<br />
60 years Unimog and agriculture<br />
The principal topic in the Unimog-Museum<br />
from April 26 th until October 25 th 2009<br />
Historic and modern agricultural engineering with respect<br />
to the Unimog<br />
• The Unimog in comparison with a “Standard-Tractor”<br />
• The development <strong>of</strong> “couple-systems” with gear<br />
• The “Bingerseilzug” in the viniculture with historic gear<br />
• Presentation <strong>of</strong> a “potatoe pleating machine”, refurbished<br />
at a University in Berlin<br />
• Further numerous exhibits and information<br />
Historic presentation <strong>of</strong> fotos, taken by Wolfgang Schiffer,<br />
journalist in the field <strong>of</strong> agriculture<br />
“Exhibition <strong>of</strong> Dioramas” <strong>of</strong> Toon Versnick<br />
Lectures and book presentations<br />
Peasant-and Handcraft market, October 11 th 2009<br />
2 nd MBtrac Meeting, October 24 th and 25 th 2009<br />
April 26 th until<br />
October 25 th 2009<br />
Next to the highway B 462 · exit Schloss Rotenfels · 76571 Gaggenau<br />
Tram from Karlsruhe or Freudenstadt, stop Bad Rotenfels Schloss<br />
Telephone +49 (0) 72 25/9 81 31-0 · www.unimog-museum.de<br />
Opening hours: Tuesday - Sunday 10 am – 5 pm<br />
agentur-exakt.de
A Daimler Brand<br />
Its greatness: narrow streets<br />
The new <strong>Mercedes</strong>-<strong>Benz</strong> Unimog U 20<br />
Compact, manoeuvrable and low in purchase and maintenance costs, this is a vehicle that<br />
comes into its own especially, when the going gets tight. With up to 9.3 tonnes gross vehicle<br />
weight, a wheelbase <strong>of</strong> just 2.7 metres and a turning circle <strong>of</strong> only 12.6 metres, the Unimog U 20<br />
will always clear the way. A clearing width <strong>of</strong> 2.5 metres in combination with a pre-wetted<br />
salt spreader with a capacity <strong>of</strong> 1.4 cubic metres makes for long-distance gritting runs.<br />
Now available from your Unimog dealer or at: www.mercedes-benz.com/new-U20